MONDAY ,OCT 8 GOING TO MANHATTAN

DEAR BLOG,
JUST WANTING TO RELATE THREE DAYS OF FUN WITH WADE, AGAIN....FIRST DAY I WENT IN ON THE SAME BUS, HAD THE SAME DRIVER, AND A GREAT TRIP! FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THE BUS DRIVER WAS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA.

WADE MET ME AT PORT AUTHORITY AFTER A RUSH HOUR BUS DRIVE, ONLY 2 AND 1/2 HOURS TO GET INTO THE CITY, AND THIS TIME IT WAS NOT AS SCARY AS THE LAST TIME. I EVEN WENT DOWN TWO ESCALATORS, AND WAITED IN THE FRENCH COFFEE SHOP...ALL AROUND ME THE FOLKS WERE EATING PLATES FULL OF BROWNIES, AND GOOEY SWEET CINNAMON ROLLS, AND ALL HAD DRINKS OF HUGE CUPS OF COFFEE, BUT ME, I AM EATING A SIMPLE GRAINED PIECE OF BREAD. EVER TRYING TO EAT CORRECTLY. MONA, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH ME! SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM.

AFTER WADE'S APPOINTMENT, HE APPEARED, AND OFF WE DASHED INTO OBLIVION, BY SHANKSMARE, HARVESTING THE SIGHTS FOR MY MEMORY....SO MUCH TO DO, SO LITTLE TIME.

THE FIRST STOP ALONG THE WAY TURNED OUT TO BE A TREASURABLE VISIT TO MY FIRST BEAD SHOP. WADE AND I WENDED OUR WAY THROUGH THAT SHOP, LIKE GRANT TOOK RICHMOND, AND IT... LUCKILY FOR ME, CLOSED AT 7 P.M. AND "EVERYBODY OUT" WAS THE NORM. BUT AT LEAST I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO DEVASTATE MY WALLET, OR, SHOULD I SAY, JIM'S CREDIT CARD. SO OUT WE WENT, TRAVERSING THE STREET, SEARCHING THE WINDOWS, SO GLITZY AND DEMANDING OF ONE'S EYES, AND CAUSING EVEN ME TO SPREAD A SMILE OF CONTENT OVER MY FACE, JUST TO BE WITH WADE.

PLENTY OF EXCITING THINGS TO BE SEEN, ALL LIT TO THE MAX, IDEAS OF GRANDEUR GETTING CONJURED UP IN MY BRAIN....IT ONLY TAKES MONEY AND TONS OF IT.

THE FIRST NIGHT AT WADE'S, WE HAD HIS GAZPACHO SOUP, VERY REFRESHING! DELICIOUS! ALSO, HE HAD MADE A TERRIFIC PORK ROAST, WORTHY OF A KING, WITH SLICED TOMATOES AND SLICES OF MOZZARELLA ON THE SIDE, WITH BASIL, SPRINKLED OVER WITH HERBS AND OLIVE OIL. OUT OF THIS WORLD TASTY. HE HAD LOVELY MUSHROOMS, AND BEANS AND ALL SORTS OF ACUTREMENTS. FOR DESSERT, A DELICIOUS PUDDING WITH YOGURT OVER IT, AND SLICED STRAWBERRIES AND WHIPPED CREAM. WHAT A GRAND ENDING TO A FINE REPAST.

WADE EVEN HAD TIME TO COLOR MY HAIR BLOND AGAIN, NOW I LOOK LIKE SOMEBODY.....WE JUST DO NOT KNOW WHO....

THE SECOND DAY, THE RAINS CAME. BY THE TIME WE WANTED TO LEAVE, IT HAD SUBSIDED, AND OUR DAY WAS GLORIOUS AND WE ONLY HAD ENOUGH MISTING AND DRIZZLING TO MAKE ME WEAR MY HAT. BUT WE CARRIED TWO UMBRELLAS TO KEEP THE RAINS AT BAY. IT DID WORK.

STILL, I CAN NOT GAIN DOMINION OVER MY FEAR OF THE STRANGERS ON THE SUBWAY, OR TRAIN, AS I THINK OF IT. I FEEL OUT OF MY ELEMENT, ALWAYS USED TO BEING THE ONE IN CONTROL, AS A MOTHER, ....BUT THIS IS OUT OF CONTROL. ON ONE OF THE DAYS, A VERY SCARY LOOKING, TALL MAN, MOST LIKELY HOMELESS, WEARING LONG INDIAN TYPE FEATHERS IN A HEADBAND, CARRYING HIS WORLDLY POSSESSIONS, DRESSED OF POOR CONDITION, GOT ON THE TRAIN. HE HOVERED AT THE DOOR, YELLING OBSCENITIES AND VIGOROUSLY YOWLING AT THE PEOPLE.....ALL OF WHOM WERE LOOKING AT THE FLOOR, NOW....HE COWED THEM IN THE FIRST 5 SECONDS. THEY WERE ALL AFRAID OF HIM, DEFINITELY A LOONEY. SEEMS YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM PUT OFF THE SUBWAY, HE CAN BE THERE, HE PAID HIS MONEY (OR NOT...SOME JUMP THE STYLE)...HE CAN YELL AND INTIMIDATE HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHO WISH HE WAS GONE....AND IN A SHORT TIME, SEVERAL STOPS DOWN, HE WAS. WHEW! SIGH OF RELIEF! SO MUCH FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH. I DO NOT THINK IT WAS MEANT FOR THE SUBWAY. I DID HAVE COMPASSION FOR THE POOR SOUL, HIS LIFE IS A LIVING HELL. WAS HE MENTAL, WAS HE RAISED IN A LEFT HANDED FASHION? WE SPEND SO MUCH FOR WAR, COULD WE NOT HELP A CHILD IN NEED THAT CAN ONLY GROW AND MATURE INTO THIS SQUALID INNER CITY HOOLIGAN...WITH ONLY THE HOPE OF DESPAIR? BUT I ALONE CAN NOT SAVE EVERYONE....MUCH LESS THE ENTIRE WORLD.....

BY NOW, WADE AND I HAD GOTTEN TO HIS APARTMENT. WE WALKED FROM THE DISTANCE OFF THE BUS OF 4 OR 5 BLOCKS, BUT IT WAS WELL LIT, AND WE WERE NEVER IN A SHADOW. EVEN WHEN YOU GO TO BED THERE, THE CITY IS STRIKINGLY WELL LIT AND ACTIVE AS WELL AS VERY NOISY, YET, ROBUST!!! SOME OF THE SECTIONS ARE VERY NEFARIOUS, HOWEVER.

THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO GET THE BUS, AND NEAR-BY TO WADE'S APARTMENT, ABOUT 35 BLACK... HIGH SCHOOL AGED KIDS AND UNDER WERE JUST HANGING OUT ON THE SIDEWALK. WE PASSED THEM AS WE WERE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE, OR JUST "GETTING ABOUT". WHY WERE THEY NOT IN SCHOOL? DO THEY GET COLUMBUS DAY OFF ALL WEEK? THEY WERE ORDERLY AND CONTAINED IN THOUGHT.

COMING UP WAS THE WILTON CAKE SHOP....EYE CANDY FOR THE BAKER IN US ALL. WADE AND I HAD GONE THERE SO I COULD PICK UP THE FANCY DRAGEES THAT I HAVE BEEN COVETING FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYPLACE! I ALSO CHRISTMAS SHOPPED THERE, AND FOUND TERRIFIC THINGS FOR THE FAMILY. I GOT WADE A SIL-PAT FOR HIS COOKY SHEET, AS I NEVER BAKE WITHOUT ONE, BECAUSE THE COOKIES NEVER BREAK APART ON THEM..MY COOKIES CAN BE VERY INTRICATE....AND HE WANTED ONE. I WAS DELIGHTED TO GET HIM SOMETHING HE REALLY WANTED. EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THAT.

OF COURSE, THEY DID HAVE THE LITTLE ROUND CAKE PANS WITH THE VARIOUS CENTERS THAT LIFT OUT....JUST RIGHT FOR BAKING A LITTLE CAKE FOR A FRIEND....HAD TO HAVE THAT. AND, HOW COULD I PASS UP A LITTLE HIPPO COOKIE CUTTER, WHEN THAT... IS LITTLE WILLIAM'S FAVORITE ANIMAL.....AND SO IT WAS...MY KIND OF STORE!!!! BOTH COOKING AND BAKING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH, YES, CHALLENGES ARE MY FORTE IN LIFE!!!! THAT SHOP WAS MY 'HEART'S DESIRE'......AND, IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO PICK UP SOMETHING FOR LOVED ONES FOR CHRISTMAS, WHEN YOU SEE IT.

LATER ON, AFTER BROWSING A BIT, WE ATE LUNCH AT THE OLIVE GARDEN. IT WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS! WE ORDERED THE MENU SELECTION OF THE "SOUP AND SALAD AND BREAD" AND IT WAS 'REFILL IT ALL YOU WISH' AND THERE WERE THREE DIFFERENT SOUPS TO CHOOSE FROM. WE BOTH GOT THAT, AND THE ICED TEA, WHICH THEY CAME AND REFILLED. THEY BROUGHT THE BEST GARLIC BREAD, AND DID IT TWICE. WE DECIDED WE HAD GOTTEN OUR MONEY'S WORTH. WE BOTH HAD TO "WADDLE DOWN THE STREET" WHEN WE LEFT THERE.

I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HOW LARGE THEIR LADIES ROOM WAS...HUGE!!!!! DEFINITELY VERY CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!!! SO NICE TO SEE. WE WILL EAT THERE AGAIN.

AFTER THE LUNCH, WE STROLLED DOWN TO THE MORGAN MUSEUM AND FOUND THE 22 LETTERS FROM VINCENT VAN GOGH, TO EMILE BERNARD. THE EXHIBIT WAS JUST EXHILERATING...WADE CAN READ THE FRENCH IN THEM, AND I COULD READ PARTS OF IT. I HAVE NOT STUDIED FRENCH IN 50 YEARS...BUT A LOT OF IT RETURNED TO ME WHEN I READ IT. HOW SPECIAL TO READ VAN GOGHS LETTERS OF ANOTHER ERA, AND HAVE THEM BE AS TIMELY AS A FRIEND WRITING TODAY. EVEN BERNARD MENTIONED HOW HE HAD DIFFICULTY DISCERNING PARTS OF HIS LETTERS, AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF VAN GOGH'S ILLNESS TAKING OVER THE BRAIN. VAN GOGH WROTE OF THE THINGS HE WAS PAINTING, THE COLORS HE THOUGHT BEST, THE WEATHER, THE PAINTING IN WARM CLIMATES, AND ABOUT WHEN HE LIVED IN ARLES. THE LETTERS EVEN SHOWED HOW HE WROTE WITH THE QUILL PEN, AND SOME OF THE LINES OF WRITING WERE SCRATCHED OVER WITH INK.

BUT AT LEAST HE WROTE, AND THAT IS WHAT I THINK OF WHEN MY FRIENDS WRITE TO ME. IT IS NOT THE SPELLING, OR THE WRITING, BUT THE INTENT ON WORDS OF BEING THOUGHT OF. HOW WONDERFUL TO HAVE A FRIEND THAT CARED ENOUGH TO WRITE. BERNARD (AT 17) WAS A LOT YOUNGER THAN VAN GOGH, AND VAN GOGH TOOK AN INTEREST IN HIM, AND TRIED TO HELP HIM.
VAN GOGH'S EARLIER PICTURES PROVE THE FORMAL TRAINING THAT HE HAD UNDER GONE, AND THE COLORS WERE AS EXCEPTIONAL NOW AS THEY WERE THEN. BUT OIL PAINTS CAN TAKE HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO DRY, AND THEY DID HAVE THE REGULAR "DOCENTS" THERE TO KEEP INQUISITIVE FINGERS AWAY. IT WAS A TRULY INSPIRING EXPERIENCE TO SEE IT ALL.

I JUST HUNG UP THE PHONE WITH WADE, AND HE IS THINKING OF GOING BACK OVER THERE TODAY AND READING THE LARGE BOOKS AND STUDYING THE PICTURES AGAIN. WE REALLY NEEDED MORE TIME YESTERDAY, BUT EVEN SO, WE DID LEARN A LOT.

ON THE WAY HOME, WE STOPPED AT A SPECIAL SHOP THAT WADE AND I WENT TO, ON ANOTHER VISIT, WHEN CLARK GOT MARRIED, WHICH WILL BE 11 YEARS IN NOVEMBER. IT WAS BETTER THAN EVER, AND I GOT A FANCY DRESS FOR ONLY $25.00 ....EVEN THOUGH I COULD NOT TRY IT ON, I KNEW IT WOULD FIT. I HAVE TRIED ON THEIR THINGS YEARS AGO. THE SIZES ARE VERY ACCURATE...THE DRESS IS GORGEOUS. I AM GOING TO WEAR IT FOR MY 65TH BIRTHDAY.

AFTER A VERY FULL DAY, WE WENT BACK TO WADE'S APARTMENT, AND HAD MORE OF HIS DELICIOUS PORK ROAST FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE., DIFFERENT VEGGIES. WHAT A FINE COOK WADE IS!!!! I LOVED IT!!!!

THE THIRD DAY THERE, WE LEFT ABOUT 11:30 A.M. I HAD TO CATCH THE ONE P.M. BUS HOME FROM THE CITY, AND WE HAD TIME TO EAT BREAKFAST, AND PACK UP AND WALK TO THE BUS, TRANSFER TO THE SUBWAY, AND COME UP TO THE PORT AUTHORITY. AND SO IT WAS, RUSH UP THE ESCALATERS, GET TO THE PLACE FOR THE DOCKING OF THE BUS, AS THEY CALL IT, AND HOP RIGHT ON, WITH ONLY A MINUTE TO SPARE. BUT EVEN SO, I HAD TIME TO PICK UP A VERY FAMOUS NEW YORK BAGEL (WITH RAISINS) ....WADE SAID.......

THE RIDE HOME WAS UNEVENTFUL, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD TO CHANGE BUS DRIVERS IN DOVER.... EXCEPT FOR THE TURNING AROUND IN THE BUS PARKING LOT IN DOVER. THERE WERE ABOUT 500 CARS IN THERE, AND NO ONE LEFT ROOM FOR THE BUS TO MAKE THE TURN TO PICK UP PASSENGERS ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO WE HAD TO SIT FOR A GOOD HALF HOUR WHILE THE DRIVER HAD TO GET OUT AND SEE SOMEONE IN CHARGE. THE WORST PART WAS, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK IN THERE AGAIN IN ANOTHER HOUR, AFTER COMING UP TO NEWTON, AND PROBABLY DO THE SAME THING OVER AGAIN. HOW COULD PEOPLE PARK LIKE THEY DID? THEY WERE DESPERATE. THERE IS TOO MANY CARS FOR THE LOTS THEY HAVE TO PARK IN. OR, SHOULD I SAY, TOO MANY PEOPLE FOR THE PLACES THEY ARE ALLOWED TO PARK IN. ALL BEING DESPERATE TO GET TO WORK.

IT WAS A FUN VISIT AS ALWAYS TO SEE YOU WADE, AND WE CRAM SO MUCH INTO THE DAYS....THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES AND ALL THAT GOOD FOOD! I HATED TO LEAVE YOU BEHIND!!!!

DID YOU REMEMBER THAT YESTERDAY WAS GRANDPA HULIT'S BIRTHDAY? IF HE WAS ALIVE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN 91. HOPE TO SEE YOU BEFORE I LEAVE FOR VIRGINIA, THEN FLORIDA, WHICH SHOULD BE ON SATURDAY.

WELL, DEAR FAMILY, IT IS GOOD TO BE HOME, AND WHEN WADE SENDS OVER MY PICTURES, I WILL SPEAK OF THEM ON THE BLOG PERHAPS FOR THE NEXT TIME. (IF I HAVE TIME TO DO IT BEFORE I LEAVE.)

HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED MY TRIP. WISH YOU ALL WENT WITH ME, SENDING YOU LOVE UNTIL NEXT TIME.