Where are all my archives?
 

2006 wasn't the best year for me, and rather than ponder on the past, I discarded the majority of them, leaving only what remains here.

 

Saturday
December 23, 2006

My youngest daughter, Amanda, is arriving today, and I spent the morning at the grocery store, leaving with 2 basketfuls of food! $426.47 worth actually, though, being the frugal shopper that I am, with membership savings and coupons and all, I only paid $339.68 for the lot of it. Not bad, eh?

Tony and I spent the week scrubbing the apartment, but now it's time to do some quick dusting and such, then take a nap before I head to the airport this evening. I hope traffic is light; I'm sure it will be. Most Manhattanites leave the city for the holidays, and all that's left are us poorer folk and the tourists.

 

Tuesday
December 26, 2006

It's the day after Christmas and all through the house ...

Christmas was nice, though Tony partied a bit too hard on the eve and spent 99% of Christmas Day sleeping it off. Though he did manage to get up for a short while to open gifts with us.

The visit with Amanda has been fun; I had to rub her belly, round and soft it is with her baby floating inside.

Today, I took Amanda into Brooklyn; the court district to be exact. I love it there; the brownstowns, the promenade. We had lunch at a nearby diner then walked the promenade a bit. She saw the Lady Liberty for the first time and got some good pictures. Then it was time to head back into Manhattan.

Amanda had never been to Times Square (that either of us could recollect) and so we entered the land of dazzling billboards and mayhem. I took her to the spot where the ball would be dropping and told her this is where the madness will happen. Looking around at the crowds we stood within, she said to me, "Mom, the madness is already here!"

Good point.

For the life of me, I could not remember where the MTV studio was and my knees were giving out, so we packed up and headed on home. Had it been a warmer day, I might have attempted the line at the Empire State Building, but we decided that we'd save it for the next time she was out here.

 

Friday
December 29, 2006

It's been a fun visit with Amanda but it hit me today that she leaves tomorrow. I fully intend to not let another 4 years go by without seeing her. In fact, I plan to visit when she has her baby. My daughter Monique lives nearby, and perhaps by then, my oldest daughter, Lesley, will also be living out that way.

Amanda got sick during her visit; more than the usual pregnant-type stuff. We thought it was the piece of onion I had given her and she munched that Tuesday night making dinner. By Wednesday, she had fever, chills, the whole kit and kaboodle.

 

Saturday
December 30, 2006

Amanda was somewhat better Saturday morning, but not much, and not looking forward to the flight home. We left early enough to get her there 2 hours early, with security tight (sometimes) and all. I pull up, get out and help her unload her bags. "Oh shit Mom. I forgot my purse."

Wonderful.

We threw everything back in and raced home; it took me 20 minutes. Thank goodness we live so close to LaGuardia! And NO traffic that morning. We made it back with an hour before her flight. All was okay. It was hard seeing her go.

I get home and now I'm not feeling well; lack of sleep, I'm thinking. I fall asleep .... RRRRRRRRRRRING!!! It's Amanda.

"Hi Mom. I'm in Minnesota waiting to change plans but guess what? The plane we were supposed to get on had mechanical problems and now we have to wait for a replacement plane. They said they couldn't tell us how long it would be. I've already been here for TWO hours and I'm bored."

I fall back asleep. An hour later. RRRRRRRRRRRRRING! It's Amanda.

"Hi Mom. We still haven't gotten the new plane --- oh wait!! They just announced we're boarding in 15 minutes. Love you!"

I fall back asleep. RRRRRRRRRRRING! It's Amanda.

"Hi Mom. Guess what. THAT plane had mechanical problems too ----"

Yep. Fall asleep. Ring. Amanda.

"Hi Mom. We're finally boarding." Silence. "Scrap that Mom, they need some sort of a part. Oh wait! Now we're board. Okay, love you!"

Uh huh. I fall asleep again. And this time, the next time the phone rings is 4 hours later. "Hi Mom. We just landed."

The poor girl had to return to her apartment and not be able to rest right away; seems her cats were unhappy she abandoned them and tore her place apart.