G-Pa to Two!

Baby Dos on the way!  I took this picture with Joe's camera when I was visiting a couple of weeks ago.  When I was taking the picture I didn't even notice the signs!  Boy was I surprised when I lowered the camera!

My Journey North - Final Leg: NYC with Ruby

I left Albany on Amtrak and headed down to NYC to spend a week with Ruby and Joe and Joy.  When I arrived at their apartment, Ruby was sitting at the table having lunch.  I didn't want to rush up to her and scare her off for the week, so I kept my distance at first.  I wanted to hug and squeeze and kiss her, but I controlled myself!  Fortunately, she took right to me!  It had been four months since we had seen each other.

We had a fun week!  Playtime, snack time, playground time, walking time.  I was trying very hard to get Ruby to say "G-Pa".  Towards the end of my stay she was saying something like Paa Paa, but she came up with this sign, of pointing and taking her pointer finger and tapping her lower teeth and tongue.  It is hysterical!  Joy and Joe have been teaching her sign for 'eat', 'drink', 'more' and 'all done'. There are two playgrounds within two blocks, in opposite directions, one being right on the East River front.  I love the area and could even see myself living there, oh, except for the financial part!  Several days when Ruby was down for a nap, I would walk around the park and pier areas and relax on the wooden chaise lounges.  All with a spectacular view of Manhattan.

One afternoon we took the subway to the Upper West Side to check out a playground and to meet Joy and then go to the Shake Shack for early afternoon dinner.  The pictures of Ruby and me and of Ruby and The Daddy were taken in Central Park.  We couldn't get into the playground because the elementary school next door was still in session, so we headed over to Central Park where Ruby could drag us around by the finger.

 

On Saturday we took a ferry to Williamsburg for the Smorgasburg.  The weather had been threatening all morning and my cell phone started with this warning signal, informing us that the area was under a tornado warning.  (One did hit down.)  But the weather did clear, and luckily for us, it keep the crowd down at the Smorgasburg.  There were so many different vendors and types of food, it was hard to decide!  I did manage to get some macaroons to take back with us, and Joe and Joy bought some of these fancy donuts.  We ate them before I could snap a photo.  In the photo above, in the lower left hand corner, ruby had just poured a bottle of water over herself!

 

On Sunday we walked over to Testaccio Ristorante, a couple of blocks away.  Joe and Joy had a brunch dish, and I had a panini.  Ruby went to town on the bread and the rice balls (we all did!).  Before walking back to the apartment, we stopped at Manducatis Rustica to pick up some desserts.

It was so much fun hanging out with Ruby.  What a busy little lady!  What with singing, dancing, reading, walking, running, playing on the playground, G-Pa was exhausted!  And up before 6:30 every morning playing!  I wouldn't trade a minute of it!

On my last day there, Joy had to run out to meet some friends, so I got to walk Ruby to sleep for her morning nap.  I got to do that the night before too.  I love it!!!  That's one huge thing I miss by living so far away.  And I got to go to music class with Ruby.  She and I had a ball!

 

I went for some night walks too.  Such spectacular views, and I had to snap a few pictures.  On the night of September 11, the two light beams were lit at the WTC site and the Empire State Building was ablaze in red, white and blue.  (No yellow fringe.  See who gets this reference.)

I must plan a trip back real soon!  My return flight presented some amazing views of NYC.  I could even pick out the Js and R condo building!

My Journey North - Leg 2: The Twinkies

The drive from Wellesley to Albany was fairly uneventful.  Coming thru the Berkshires, I witnessed a beautiful sunset as I was driving between the mountains.  I even thought of fiddling with my cell phone to capture the scene, but figured I'd better not risk injury to myself or others

On Sunday, Ray and Iz had a cookout in their backyard.  What fun!  The last time I saw the Twinkies was last October when they were a week old!  Gabriella and Lucas have grown so much since then!  It's fun to see their different personalities.  Lucas was out there, walking, entertaining us all.  Gabby is more reserved and cautious.  Lucas came right to me when I went to pick him up.  Not so with Gabby. I spent some time trying to maneuver myself near and between them for the photo op.

On Tuesday night, Louie and Linda had us all over for dinner.  I loved it!  It was like Christmas Eve dinner, only without the fish.  That dinner is one of the things I miss most about Christmas.

I also visited some of my aunts and uncles while I was in town.  They all are looking pretty good for upper 80s and 90!  I love seeing family and reliving some of our fun memories!

Next:  Leg 3:  New York City and my week with Ruby

My Journey North - Leg 1: Boston and Wellesley

I planned a three part trip up north.  It was for 15 days.  I think it was the first time in my life that I was away for that long for a vacation / trip.  I left early on a Wednesday morning to fly to Boston where I would meet Gina at the airport.  She flew in from Orlando.  We were getting her moved into her dorm room at Wellesley for her senior year.  Since the dorms were not open until Saturday, we had a few days to hang out.  

On Thursday, we headed over to the Riverside Station to take the 'T' into Boston.  We walked around Quincy Market for a while before heading over to the North End for lunch.  We walked around, checking out all the Italian restaurants.  And we stopped into the Old North Church.

As we were walking by the Dolce Vita restaurant, this older gentleman engaged us in conversation.  He was telling us how good the food was here and how they would make us anything we wanted.  There were so many places to eat, we figured we couldn't go wrong, so we let him lead us in.  And the food was good!  The owner was there, talking to some of the regulars.  There was a group of four people sitting in the front of the dining room near the wide open windowed doors.  Reminded us of the group of oldsters in the 'Return To Me' movie.  After enjoying our meal, we headed over to Mike's to get some cannoli.  We took them over to this open park area to enjoy them in the warm sunny day.

We hung around and did some shopping the rest of the time up to Saturday.  On Saturday morning we headed over to Wellesley to begin the fun job of moving four heavy boxes from the basement storeroom, across the courtyard and into another wing.  Luckily, there was an elevator to take us up to the fourth floor.  Then all the way down to the other end.  As we were carrying the last heavy box down the hallway, a dad who was helping his daughter moved in, asked us if we wanted to use the dolly he had.  Great timing!

All in all, it was fun setting up the room.  Gina's roomie Ellen arrived a couple hours after we did.  She and Gina share a suite.  We headed down to the dining hall for dinner before I started out for Albany for the second leg of my journey.

To be continued . . .

A Visit Up North

First to Boston. Then getting Gina settled in for her senior year at Wellesley. Then to Albany, visiting with the 'Twinks'! Then train down to NYC to spend a week with Ruby and the J's.  I will edit this post after I return home, because software on this iPad sucks big time when it comes to putting together posts.