Though my heart was prepared to stay, my wallet finally got my attention and I have ended my adventure in New York. I want to end my blog with two stories. The first is about my final day in the Big Apple. I woke early for Central Park to wait in line for tickets to Shakespeare in the Park's presentation of The Merchant of Venice. I waited in line until the ticket office opened at 1:00 p.m. Because the forecast was for rain, not too many people were ahead of me and I knew that I would get tickets.

After getting my ticket, I walked around Amsterdam and Broadway and ended up at the Barnes and Noble at Lincoln Center. If you want to see famous performers, this is the place as many work in the area. By the way, if you see someone famous in New York, do not make a big deal of it, unless you want to be branded a tourist and possibly a rude tourist. New Yorkers tend to give the famous a wide berth, out of respect I think but also because, it is not such a big deal to see them.

I visited some of the places that held my best memories and a few new place. In the park I spent quite a bit of time in Shakespeare's Garden which is near the Delacorte Theater and quite beautiful. Finally, the time came for the play, which featured Al Pacino, as Shylock. My seats were incredible with Mr. Pacino only feet away. He could have been speaking Greek and I would have understood every word he said. What a masterful actor! What a city.

The other event took place several days after I made the decision to leave New York. I was working at Lane Bryant. I had a customer who was reluctant to try on any clothes which she deigned different from what she usually wore. Finally I got her to try on a top which looked fabulous on her. She agreed but commented, "Where would I wear this?" I responded that she should wear it to go out on Saturday. She indicated that the only went to the laundry on Saturdays. I started considering this and began to get angry. Why should this lady get to live in New York, where she doesn't do anything on Saturday but her laundry, but I have to leave. I asked her, "When was the last time you went to the MET?" I began to actually go off on her about all the things there were to do in this city for free. Finally, I noticed that this lady was moving back from me. She was looking at me as though I were holding a gun and I realized that I was way over the top. Anyway, I backed off and apologized but the incident has stayed with me.

This is what I think. I have been given a gift and it is called opportunity. I have learned that life is to be lived. I have learned that everything that comes your way is a new adventure and you should embrace it with arms wide open.

Right now I am back in my hometown for the first time in nineteen years and it feels great, so for now my adventure is here. But on my Bookmark page are at least seven web sites for companies which sponsor people who wish to teach overseas. No matter where I land, for the rest of my years, life is a great "Perhaps."

Coming Home

I visited Texas over spring break. My son Doug and his wife Kelli made me a first time grandmother. I am in love and their names are Doug III and Brecken. But that's a blog for later.

Something interesting happened while I was in Texas. I was visiting with a friend and as I unfolded a scarf I carried for warmth, I told a friend her, "You Southerners sure keep your buildings cold." She looked at me and responded, "You Southerners."

I tell you this, because, in addition to this second experience, I have had an epiphany. On the flight home it was a clear night and I enjoyed my window view. As we flew over cities, the lights looked like giant dazzling spider webs. After the captain announced we were 30 miles from New York City, I kept watch for landmarks I would recognize. The first was the sight of lights, that covered the entire view from my window. The massive size of the New York Metropolitan area, is illustrated by the field of lights, relieved only by the Atlantic Ocean, the New York Harbor and the East River, when compared to those spider webs we passed earlier. The first body of land that I thought I recognized was Brooklyn. I made out what I thought were Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery, (blocks from my apartment. My thoughts were confirmed when I saw a cluster of skyscrapters, the tallest of which was arched, (The Hanson Building). My pulse rose when rising up above the edge of the window I saw the Brooklyn Bridge, and just to the right the Manhattan Bridge. Then the skyscrapers entered my view and I thrilled as the Empire State Building, lit that night in white lights rose up beyond all the others. Next came the elegant lady, the Chrysler Building. A little father along and there was Central Park. I am amazed by how much of Manhattan it encompasses. I recognized the Metropolitan Museum of Art carved out of the East side of the park and further down across the street was the cone of the Guggenheim. I can't tell you how excited I was that I recognized all these places and that in a way I own them. You see, I was home.

Beware of yellow snow.

Now that the winter is just about over (we could actually have one more snow event according to the weatherman) I thought I should comment on the New York weather. I love it. We had three serious snow storms this winter and I loved each and every one. You can just look at the pictures to tell that it is beautiful. It is also lovely to be inside in a cozy space while the wind whirls the snow outside or to walk in the park and see how mother nature transforms the landscape. New York can be ugly and dirty looking at times, but in the snow she is breathless. Not everything about the snow is beautiful though. For one thing, there are these snowdrifts. You step into one and your leg is knee high in the stuff, or if there happens to be a curb under one, you will just tip right on over. Luckily the stuff is soft, so it cushions your fall, which other wise would land you flat on your face. The ice can be very slippery and of course this often means you can fall. The good thing is that you have on so many layers of clothing that you don't do much damage. People are required by law to clear the sidewalks in front of their homes within four hours of the time the snow stops falling. Problem is, they sweep it right into the street. Soon you have to cross a small snow mountain range to go from one side to the other. But the real hazard is yellow snow. That you do not want to fall into. In case you haven't figured it out, yellow snow is the creation of some canine who finds the snow a tempting place for territorial marking or just plain relief.

Another blizzard

It is February and we had another blizzard. This time we got a total of 17 inches. The snow literally pillowed on the branches of the Douglas Fir growing outside of my window. This time I stayed inside during the storm but got out two days later and took pictures in Prospect Park. Enjoy them.

It snowed last night

Last night we had 18 inches of snow and it was as close to a blizzard as I want to get. New York does not come to a halt when it snows. In fact it doesn't even pause. I work on 34th street across the street from Empire State Building. From the looks of things at 4:00 p.m., shoppers and tourist were out en masse, enjoying the sights and the bargains. However, by 7:00 p.m. the wind picked up and things began to empty out. The wind was so fierce, it hurt the skin on my face when I walked from Lane Bryant across the street to the Starbucks for a cup of coffee. Tiny splinters of ice pierce any exposed skin. The snow was blowing in torrents down the alley formed by the street, into the stores and down the subways. At this point, I was ready to go home but as I said, the Big Apple does not stop for a little snow, even though somebody forgot to tell the shoppers. We closed early at 9:30 and we left the store by 10:07. I arrived at the subway stop at 11:30 p.m. because the trains are slow on the weekends. The walk from the subway stop to my apartment was some trek. The wind was blowing and the snow made visibility difficult. Walking in deep snow drifts is trickier than you might think. I stepped off a curb only to have my leg up to my knee deep in snow. I fell completely over, luckily into deep snow so I injured little more than my pride. I am a slow learner since I did the same thing the next morning on the way back to work.