Grandma's in Gotham

Mom's timing was perfect.  While her house in the mountains of California was getting covered in snow, New York City was downright balmy all week.  Of course I have mixed feelings about this, knowing full well that this doesn't bode well for our planet.  But I can't deny that wearing a t-shirt and drinking iced lattes in the middle of December feels great, if not a little eerie.

 

As usual, we sent her home this morning exhausted.  But I hope she'll agree that we went easy on her this trip.  She joined us for some outings and stayed home on the couch for others.  We stuck to taxis and Ubers and tried to keep walking to a minimum.

Friday night drinks at the Met's Balcony Bar while the kids were in class

She got to join us for our annual trip to see the Nutcracker and we all agreed that this was the best performance any of us had ever seen.  We showed her off to our cross-stitch class, brought her to Ella's end-of-the-season fashion show for her Fashion Design and Sewing class, and browsed a few store windows all dressed up for the holidays.

Giving teacher Liz her pillow that the kids made for her.

Lincoln Center

Grandma thought it was best that she avoid the crowds so the kids and I checked out the tree at Rockefeller Center and Santa at Macy's Herald Square without her.

Acting like he hasn't been thinking about the answer to this question for months.

And one day we just hung out at home all day, playing board games, cooking, and watching movies.  It was perfect.

 

She even let Kevin and I have a night on the town to meet up with a very old friend.  Scott and I were born on the exact same day and bonded over that fact when we were both teaching in Seoul, South Korea in 1996.  We were friends for just a few months and haven't seen each other in 19 years and had lost touch until Facebook came around.  Scott lives in the very center of Canada where he produces TV shows and was in the city for work.  He hasn't changed a bit and we had a great night catching up.  I love Facebook for just these kinds of things.

I'm sure mom will spend the next few days recovering before taking off on her next adventure in her RV.  She has no plans except to "head south, maybe the desert."  Now you know where I get my love of travel and sense of adventure.