Author: alohawild

The morning started with coffee, instant, and then throwing on clothes and doing the laundry. I also had to pick up my script, so that meant a different route today.

It is also blowing a gale in NYC, so my heavy coat and hat for today. No hats and raincoats in NYC. Just umbrellas and mostly wool coats, which turn into wet blankets. Everyone is looking a bit unhappy. But, being from Oregon, this is relatively light rain, and the wind is not too bad (not blowing any windows out).

I also wrote the blog with a very poor Internet connection (which continues into today). It takes a long time to write this when the connection is slow.

Finally, after laundry and the usual morning tasks, I head out for the 1/2 mile walk to the RiteAid. The wind is low and the rain more a misting. I get my prescription without issue and then walk another three blocks to the 96th street station, oddly on 95th street.

I reach Susie at the hospital without issues. No flooding other than puddles to be stepped over.

I brought clean clothing and picked out something for Susie to wear. Her first PT was at 11:30, which consisted of getting dressed and then sitting and standing a few times. Lunch then came, which Susie handled mostly herself (I only offer help for hard-to-open items). Next, more PT and I headed out after getting a nice pic.

I headed to the Museum of Modern Design (MAD). This is off of Columbus Circle and was closed yesterday. Today it was $18, and you start on the 5th floor and explore the gallery going down using the stairs between the floors. The strangely open spaces with just a few pieces are always startling after so many close-corners of NYC.

Susie had flowers delivered from her sister’s family. I called the florist, and they told me they had delivered them. I walked down to security in the lobby, and they had just changed shifts, so they had no idea. I found the flowers at the Nurse’s desk.

I can’t say I liked MAD, but I often consider this more craft than art. Pottery and thread, and even glasswork, look more craft than art to me. Not that I was not impressed by some of the work. I just find that there is nothing new to learn from well-executed pottery, thread items, and glass. A couple of paintings that I did not like much showed great color and layering that I had not seen before. So, even though I did not like much of the displays, it still had me thinking about the design of the pieces. Maybe that means it worked.

I returned and spent the rest of the day with Susie. Then, she headed off for more workouts at the gym. Everyone is saying she is improving and do see some changes for the better.

Dinner was peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I left Susie and headed out into new rain; it had stopped for hours, after 7ish. I found Kat, and we headed to ABA Turkish-styled food. We decided to eat outside in their little booth as there was almost nobody inside. The rain then came on, and the wind blew the water sideways. A small food leak was just above me, so we pushed in a bit. I did not know the leak was soaking my coat.

While the wind and rain lashed the booth, we had a nice dinner. We skipped the traditional Turkish-style feast and just ordered mains. I had a plate of gyro lamb on a plate with a sauce and yogurt. Kat had Donner with a side of yogurt. I also finally managed an Efes beer. I have been looking for Turkish beer for years. Finally, it was just as wonderful as I remembered it.

They had red heat lights to keep us warm.

The rain slowed just a bit, and I headed to the subway. Kat was worried I would get flooded, but the subway was dry. I was cautious.

I was back to the apartment by 9ish and did very little but sleep.

 

I was up and going about 7:45ish. I managed to have something to eat, write the blog, and get to the hospital about 10:20. Security passed me and remembered me.

Susie was already through breakfast and just a few minutes from Occupational Therapy. I helped get regular clothing out for Susie, and Susie was dressed and ready. She headed down, and I went for a quick sandwich at the baguette place. I stayed with ham and cheese this time, and it was good (the ham and cheese are too run-of-the-mill quality for such good bread).

I returned, and Susie was cleaning up, and I had a pair of pants to launder. Susie’s lunch came, and we chatted through that.

Susie was off next to PT next.

I decided to try a museum forgetting it was Monday (they’re closed), and instead walked a bit in Central Park. I have some numbness in my feet from diabetes, and I did not know I had a huge blister on my toe (I took care of it today). I was uncomfortable walking (not knowing about the new blisters), so it was a short walk.

Susie was back, and I had more laundry to do. Susie changed into the last pair of pants. Those, too, would end up in my laundry.

I then did Susie’s nails. On the way in, I stopped by CVS and got supplies. I picked a hottish pink and replaced the gold, now fading, with pink.

I also got her a notebook to restart her journalling. Susie is to write out everything that happens during the day so she can better remember. This was a permanent thing after the last stroke. Time to restart that. I was surprised by the enthusiasm from the therapists and nursing staff for this step. Susie was getting homework to do her writing from the therapists. The nurses were looking at her writing to see how she was doing with dexterity.

Susie was in a hospital gown when I left her. I had dinner with Kat at 7:30, and we selected Meatballs for dinner. We had done this place before, but we wanted to try a few more items. We sat outside, and I watched the top of the skyscrapers become less and less solid and more haunting. The sky flashed as we finished dinner. We got sprinkled on the way to the trains; Kat always walks me, suspecting (correctly) I will go the wrong way and walk twice as far as required.

One of the taller Billionaire Row building’s top disappeared into the storm. That must have been a strange experience up there. It looked like something out of a horror movie, just needed the dramatic music and a sudden shadow moving on its own (oops, slipped into Howard’s story writing).

On food, Kat had risotto and I the chicken parmesan. It did not look that big, but I think I needed a nap right then after eating it. Kat liked the risotto but thought there were better things on the menu. That is always my opinion of risotto–there is always something better for your money.

I was back at the apartment and collapsed into a heap. Not sure why I was exhausted, but I was.

BTW: The Internet is not working well today, so I cannot even load a photo. So I am sorry if this is just words and might have typos as my checker is running strange. Update: I managed to use my phone for a connection and get one photo.

 

 

 

The morning came too soon. I had to get going early as I needed to do laundry, which is available at 8AM. So I threw on some clothes and went down and brought the need-to-be-washed items. I started the loads and then, having to return to the apartment for the mask I forgot, went to Dunken Donuts. I brought the desk person a donut and got Susie’s fav, chocolate glazed, to take to the hospital. I had a plain one, my fav, with a large coffee. The laundry took about an hour.

I then wrote the blog and then showered and dressed. I was about 90 minutes late.

The 1 train was packed, and the compliance with mask-wearing was lower than a workday. Columbus Circle station was full of people for a Sunday morning.

This is actually Times Square Station, and a telephone is strangely on the platform.

I brought Susie’s Halloween shirt and recently washed clothing. Soon Susie was dressed and off to therapy. I stepped out and had a baguette sandwich nearby that was not that great. So I tried something more exotic, and it was, unfortunately.

I returned to find Susie having lunch and stayed for a few hours. I kept nodding off as I had been up late for two days in a row. I parted with Susie about 2:15ish.

Susie was having some trouble with her speech on Sunday. I am hoping it will be better on Monday after she gets some sleep and drinks more water.

I headed to Times Square for the Regal theater there. Unfortunately, I used my phone to get to the theater and walked a block in the wrong direction. It is not always helpful!

Returning to my starting location, I then turned right and walked a 1/2 block to the theater (not sure what was so hard about that for the Maps app). Some construction had blocked the enormous lighted sign “Regal,” Thus, I did not see it on my first attempt. I bought a ticket, showing my Vax status, and then took six escalators (yes, six, and one was not working, so you had to walk it). I got popcorn and diet soda and entered a dark theater ten minutes late.

I was hoping to miss the previews or at least some of them. It is approaching Halloween, so the previews are mostly things I would prefer not to see. The previews just started as I sat down. The previews mainly were about number x of a horror movie remake.

Surviving the previews, I watched the new Dune movie. It is hard for me not to compare it to the previous film, but it had a totally different feel and a slightly different plot, and it did include most of the scenes from the book I was expecting.

I was impressed with the epic they produced, but I really did miss the look of the steam-punk tech. At one part of the movie, some flashbacks, I suddenly saw a mix of the old and new movies. I had nodded off, but only for a few minutes. I was running my own film in my head, combining the new actors and better effects with steam-punk. I am tired. I managed to stay awake for the rest.

The movie ends 1/2 way through the first book in the seemingly endless Dune books, and there will be a follow-up. If you love Dune, I would suggest the film. If you want another space opera film, this too is a good one. It is a long movie.

I took the 1 train from Times Square back to the apartment and made dinner once there, about 6:30ish. I had Zabar’s premade stuffed cabbage. Two rolls stuffed with rice and meat in the microwave. It was too sweet for me, but I finished it and thought it well made. I will not get it again. I will be back at Zabar’s (stop off at the 79th station on the 1 train) for dinner and supplies on Wednesday night.

I nodded off while reading and slept a few hours, unplanned. I managed to sleep a broken sleep as my legs hurt from all the walking, and my usual pain killers were not enough. I finally slept with the light on, having fallen asleep reading in the early morning of Monday.

An aside: I did have one of those work moments as I remembered it is October, and I need to do the health care assignment for next year, 2022. So I was up at 11:30ish reading tiny text on my phone, trying to figure out how to do the reselections.

I finally got the website up on my Apple computer and discovered that the start date is Monday. Thus, first thing this Monday (before writing the blog), I made my next year’s selection of benefits. It is a must-do and usually done via a Nike networked laptop, but I managed using my phone (using an app called Web that allows me to access the Nike network on a tiny screen) to get the URL. Once I had the URL, it was easy.

Monday is started.

I hope you enjoy this strange story of my accidental residency here in NYC.

The morning was a struggle as I was up late coming back from a Broadway Show last Friday night. I managed to do the needed things and use the last of the instant coffee, Maxwell House. I headed to the Saturday version of 1 train, and folks are less masked on the weekend. But, I still felt safe, so I managed to be 30 minutes late, but there was no wait at the hospital security. They put my image on the sticker, and the sticker states which floor(s) I am allowed; there is a place for a round sticker saying that my vax state is good. Surprisingly, they were out of stickers. Nobody noticed as I have a separate sticker for vax status. Again, security knew me and asked me how Susie was.

Susie was not dressed but had finished breakfast. So we are back to Anne O as Susie’s nurse over the weekend. We all agreed that Susie should get dressed in regular clothing. So Susie spent the day dressed.

Susie had a rest day with no treatments or tests. So we found something to put on the TV and relaxed a bit. That means I fell asleep in the chair a few times.

I also received some laundry to do. This Sunday morning (when I am writing this) was another laundry day.

Susie and I tried a few games of Solitare together to have something to do, and it helped Susie a bit. We won one and lost one.

I also did my newest mentalism card trick that I picked up at the magic store in NYC, Tannen’s. I managed to not botch the trick as the cards are new and slippery. Susie loved it. I prepared two versions of it in my passport holder, so I did it twice for Susie.

I headed out 4ish as I had to meet Kat in a new location, Magnolia Bakery. So I headed to Columbus Circle to discover a big party was ramping down. Two streets were closed off, and a gal was belting out newish rock. So I found a cup of coffee and a table to wait for Kat.

Kat showed soon, and we purchased excellent banana puddings, Kat’s fav, and took the Q line from 57th station to Upper East Side. A decidedly cleaner train than the 1 train I ride. We reached the East Side with surprising dispatch and walked a few blocks to our target, Natasha and Jason’s place.

Kat knew the rituals with the doorman, and soon we were on the 15 and found TJH (Tash’s and Jason’s House).

Dinner was grilled on the roof community space with an excellent view of NYC. The steaks were perfect, as were the sides. TJH is the best steakhouse I have been to in NYC!

I then taught, and we played a game of Concordia. This is a fav and Kat had played with me when she was in Oregon a few months ago with her parents. So Kat had a handle on the game. This is a resource and worker placement game using a deck-building mechanism to allow the player more options. Each turn, a card is played, and the action(s) on the card is done. For example, the placement of trading houses over the Roman times and managing resources for that would be a good game, but adding card purchasing and super-powers in the cards makes it an excellent game. The scoring is based on how many Roman providences you trade-in, how many non-brick trading posts you have, and how many different types of items you trade. This is multiplied by the kinds of cards you have at the end of the game.

I explained the game using the board as my starting point. I have taught this game a few times, so I covered what is needed to play. The scoring at the end-of-game is too complex to cover (it needs to be experienced), but I ensured that Natasha and Jason were building trading houses that would score well. Natasha figured it out beat us, and Jason followed next in scoring. And Kat knocked me to last place. I am not sure who was teaching whom!

We finished the puddings after I tried out my mentalism trick. I managed to hold it together, and they were surprised by the ending, which has a neat double punch. B Wave deluxe is an excellent purchase from Tannen’s. It is a packet card trick for those who speak magician with the original known as Brain Wave before the last revisions.

Kat and I traveled back to our lairs. I transferred trains to the West Side at Times Square. And managed to get back about 2ish. It is a hard start on Sunday. Laundry.

Working backward, I was back at the apartment this morning at 1:30ish. I had taken the 50th Street 1 train back. I had to walk to Times Square, not a place to be in the 1980s so late but seemed OK today, to reach the subway. Kat and I parted at 50th street as she headed home after dinner.

Dinner was a Junior’s famous for the huge dinners and cheesecake. I had a tuna melt, and Kat had the chicken salad (it was huge). We only waited, at 11PM, for only ten minutes to get to a table. I have observed here and in Oregon that social distancing fails in lines for food joints. We were packed in tight to get on the waiting list!

We were there so late as we had gone to the reopening of The Phantom of the Opera. I have seen it many times, but never on Broadway. It was the usual fantastic show, and the voices were strong and clear. Our nose-bleed seats allowed us to hear and see the stage, but we were not in sight of the famous chandelier.

As it was reopening, I was not surprised that Andrew Lloyd Webber introduced the show to a standing ovation when it was announced that the Majestic Theater was reopened. The seats had swag for everyone, including a rose and a mask, and a special Phantom mask. They took a pic of the audience wearing the masks to celebrate the restart.

Before this, I spent most of the day at Mount Sinai West with Susie. Susie had a busy day with her having two therapy sessions and an ultrasound on her legs. Susie’s heart rate at rest is too fast, this might be an existing condition not caused by the stroke, so there are some concerns. However, Susie is not impacted and does not notice.

Susie this morning got dressed in her regular clothing and looked happier to find a bit of routine. She did walk down the halls with the supplied walker for both sessions.

I was there about 10ish and managed to sleep better that night. So I just pop on the 1 train walking a few blocks on both sides.