The Remembering Self

Laura writes about the anticipating self, the experiencing self, and the remembering self in her latest book Off the Clock.  I am being the remembering self this week as I think of many good moments in our trip--already more than a week ago.  The anticipating self had some concerns about the energy it takes to travel and be the happy and appreciative grandma I want to be.  However the experiencing selves did very well.

Shall I do this in order?  Or just as the memories come back to me?

Reading Off the Clock on
New Jersey Transit

Getting off the train at Penn Station and coming out onto the busy 7th Avenue and 32nd Street.  This time Jim warned me to look like we knew what we were doing because one of the last times we accepted the help of a woman who then demanded $20 to feed her hungry children!  So we tried to act like New Yorkers, not tourists, even if we did have a roller bag.

Being upgraded by the Doubletree Hotel to a room with a view on the 22nd floor.  We could see the Empire State Building.  Later Dan had us changing the colors on the Chrysler Building with his app.  I thought he was pulling our leg, but he really did have an app for that!

Entering the room at Laura's book launching  party after a bit of a mistake in directions, greeting Laura and having her ask us if we had met Dan's friend Alex yet.  Alex was Dan's response to his Plus One invitation and we were very happy to meet her!

Shopping at Trader Joe's at 9:30 pm with long lines which moved quickly.  We were directed to checkout number 14 of the 20 or so.  I got my favorite candy bars, Jim got cookies and granola, and we got a $1 birthday card for Michael.

Getting out of the Uber ride on the very busy Flatbush Extension in Brooklyn and worrying how loud the traffic would be at the Hampton Inn.  But we were given a lovely room on the 12th floor on the quiet wing--a respite for us each time from the busyness of the streets.

Watching the sunset from the roof of Dan's apartment building--Alex's suggestion after our Habana Outpost supper.   The weirdness of the ride in Dan's elevator with the man with two dogs who offered them to Alex but then told her she would probably rather have children (!), and the man in a Superman body suit when the door opened on the 4th floor.  Remembering we were in Brooklyn and not South Bend!

Having churros for dessert--another Alex suggestion for the following night--at Dan's apartment building. Enjoying a really big hug from Alex when we said good-bye!

Having three-year-old A in bed with us at 6:30 in the morning in Gladwyne and playing silly games until 7:30 when we really had to let him out!

Listening to A who said he "sleeped " all night in his bed with R promptly correcting him "slept!"  When S said that people came from a seed from the mother and a seed from the dad, R said, "God made me."  When R insisted that we do a prayer in her room at bedtime.  I asked A if he knew about prayer  and he told me he knew what that was all about from his class (at church, I assume.)

Having R on my lap to watch J in his Son of Pinocchio play and delighting in it with her.  Going through the "rainbow" car wash with Michael and the kids and all the excitement that brought to everyone.  Looking at parodies of Mona Lisa and American Gothic on my cell phone with J--after telling him about the Grant Wood exhibit Jim and I had seen at the Whitney.  Seeing S in his Texas A and M shirt for baseball when he had grabbed the wrong one but the right color from his drawer.  And seeing him make two great catches to put others out.

Seeing Jeff dance in the Daddy's dance at the Dance Factory recital and seeing M's amazing tap dance skills also.  Having Katie explain how she choreographed a dance for her Momentum troupe at Duke last spring and then watching the video with her.

Seeing James singing expressively and doing the choreographed motions with his Princeton HS Choir at the absolutely marvelous Cabaret we attended.

And...having sangria and shrimp fondue with Jim at 10 pm as a final little party before we left for home the next morning.