Sick Kitty Update 4: A Visit, 11/11/13

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Play at the back of the cage I felt the need to see Play again. He’s eating but I didn’t get the feeling that anyone was thrilled with his healing progress. I didn’t get a chance to see the vet. I know a lot of dead tissue was removed last Friday in hopes that it would help. He doesn’t appear to feel anything when the wound is cleaned. This former fighter has mellowed out and is less combative. I am hoping he isn’t losing his spirit. He is a three-legged diabetic kitty who now has a cold and conjunctivitis. I … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: The Brooklyn Hot Dog Tour

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    On the way to Brooklyn       The Brooklyn hot dog tour, ” Hot Diggity Dog,” was run jointly by Green-Wood Cemetery, a national landmark, and The Brooklyn Historical Society, housed in another National landmark. But we’re not talking dogs, we are talking DOGS: frankfurters, if you will. We did not go to Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island which is THE home of the hot dog and of its founder, Charles Feltman. More about him later.   We met at the Brooklyn Historical Society, heard an intro and were oriented, then hopped on the Green-Wood trolley to … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 3: A Visit

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I decided that after two weeks Play should have a visit. I wasn’t sure how this was going to work out for either of us. Would he be upset, would I be upset? How would each of us cope. I was reassured that the vets and the staff are doing the best they can. The diabetes has impacted the healing of the wound and the infection. Play was eating when I approached him. He had the appropriate warning on the cage for diabetes. He had an IV drip, a collar as you can see. I took a deep breath: there … Continue reading →

Sick Kitty Update 2

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  I just spoke to the vet. The following things make me feel better: The day after surgery Play was walking on three legs; The oncologist said the surgery is “curative;” He is eating and drinking; He uses the litter box. The problem is the infection. Because of the diabetes the healing is slow. It seems to be draining on its own. It will take more time. Estimated day of discharge: Monday.  

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C is for … oh so corny

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  C is for cat, who is still at the vet … he’s “agent orange,” a mighty fine pet C is for cancer, it took poor Play’s leg  … now an infection keeps him in bed C is for carrots, they go in the juice … with six pounds of other stuff you can really get sluiced   C is for Christmas cactus, it bloomed on November 5th, right on my birthday … I’d say that’s a gift!   C is for carnations, chrysanthemums, too, in a big bouquet … my loved ones said, “these are for you.”   C … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: The Brooklyn Museum: Designs by Jean Paul Gaultier

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Gaultier with Madonna He dressed her for several tours You might say his career began after he dressed his Teddy bear in a cone bra An amazing exhibit of fashion that is more costume and theater than haute couture, in my humble opinion. Gaultier, like so many of us, were influenced by a childhood event. He saw showgirls at the Follies Bregeres and was mesmerized, if not titillated by the costumes and lack of thereof. He was obsessed with the experience and began to doodle designs while in class. He got his knuckles rapped with a ruler for drawing a … Continue reading →

Soup For You and a Good Play

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It’s all about soup: The Soup Man (aka, the Seinfeld “Soup Nazi”) vs. a branch of Hale & Hearty Soups, across the street. (I am in search of the perfect mulligatawny soup.) I had lunch at Hale & Hearty where there is a vast variety including sandwiches and salads and one can sit. I took home a serving from the Soup Man. Will the addition of the included banana, bread, and a Lindt chocolate justify the $8.00 for their mulligatawny soup?       On the the theater: The Commons of Pensacola With Sarah Jessica Parker and Blythe Danner   … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: Feasting With Friends: Filippino Food Fotos

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Papa’s Kitchen was recently reviewed by The New York Times; now you’d better reserve one of the few little tables in this tiny place in Woodside, Queens. If you go for the the exotic, the ethnic, the homey, and don’t mind if you do take the mike and sing along in Tagalog, you’ve found your haven. I might add, you are encouraged to eat with your hands, but don’t worry, no pressure. We have wonderful friends who were our perfect accompaniment: Lorna is from the Philippines, and Carl is a linguist with many languages under his belt, one of them … Continue reading →

To Be or Not To Be

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Ampersand and Play   Play now “Play” 10/24/13   Nine years ago when I was recovering from a mastectomy, a mother cat brought her kittens to my door. I was toying with the idea of getting an orange Pomeranian or a Black and White Shitzu. What came to the door was an orange kitten, a black and white kitten, an orange and white kitten and a young, tiny calico mother. I named the kittens, “Romp” (who was adopted by my neighbor) “And” (the black and white fellow who became known as Ampersand, and Play, the orange fellow, who loved to … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: At The Lake, Yes, This is NYC

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    There’s a lovely lake at the end of my block the iPhone camera is not bad at all and the new iOS7 offers a few new features. I didn’t realize that I had it set to take HDR photos: High Dynamic Range: a burst of three photos at different exposures that are combined to form the best one. That’s a standard on many new cameras. Sometimes I like the “normal” photo better than the HDR which seemed to produce a lighter version of the scene, at times it appeared to be clearer and more detailed. It’s nice to … Continue reading →

To Your Health: Pits, Seeds, Rinds, Pulp, Laughs, and Coconuts

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    I decided it was time I jumped on the juicing bandwagon. I used to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables and just don’t have it in me to chow down a ton anymore. My mother’s aide asked for a juicer so I bought her one.  My mother decided she wasn’t interested in what it could do. When the aide returned to Florida I took the juicer and decided it was time to turn over a new leaf. Or fruit or veg. I had purchased what I later found out was a “young coconut” from the local HMart. … Continue reading →

Part 70: I Invented Twitter

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      1. Here I am, checking in, yes, I am still here, but I got lazy; I needed a break from life, at least from writing about it but the thoughts and words are sucking me back in. There is no running away. It’s been about two weeks since I last posted about this mother-daughter journey I have been on. When last I wrote it was confusing: who was the mother and who was the daughter? I think I finally hit on the answer. Both my mother and I have been one another’s parent and child since I … Continue reading →

Nuts To You

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    A Heavenly Body?                  My neighbors’ tree seemed tall and spindly; it wrapped itself around a telephone pole. For the first time we noticed apple-sized green orbs hanging from it and could not figure out what the fruit might be.   I posted photos  (excuse the poor quality, I was unable to enlarge cell phone photos, but some can be clicked on to enlarge) and a bright friend on facebook nailed it: black walnut!   We collected a bunch more and cut them open only to find loads of maggots in some … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: Micro Living is More: Museum of the City of New York and Beyond

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I finally caught the exhibit I have been wanting to see.  Making Room is an eye-opening view of the way we live and what we need. Cutting-edge design innovations offer possible solutions to New York City’s housing challenges in the 21st century. There is a need to house the growing population of single and small family dwellers. Apartments are becoming scarcer and scarcer in the cities and housing has to be addressed. The exhibit features a 325 square foot “micro studio” with flexible furnishing. Mayor Bloomberg’s administration has addressed the issue with a competition and some of the winners are … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: An Afternoon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

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There is always something to see at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.   Sometimes it is as interesting outside of the building as it is inside. There is always a crowd if people on the stairs, street food, and most likely music and entertainment. And it’s fun. To wit: check out the cool African American dude in the white outfit, playing Hebrew Bar Mitzvah tunes on his sax. Grab a felafel from the food truck and then do the Hora. Or bop along to the group singing the Temptations’ songs. Yep, don’t be self-conscious, it’s New York. Share my day. Click … Continue reading →

NYC Photo Journal: Getting Hives: Just Call Me, “Honey.”

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So, I didn’t run away, I flew away and spent some time at a place I knew nothing about, a place ensconced in the neighborhood where my mother now lives, Flushing, Queens: The Voelker Orth Museum, is also a bird sanctuary and Victorian Garden. From the website: __________________________________________________________________________________________________ From Immigrant Home to Neighborhood Museum 10th Anniversary Exhibition August 24 – November 24, 2013 Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 1-4pm From Immigrant Home to Neighborhood Museum takes a look at the transformation of the property from the late 19th century through the restoration of the house and opening of the Voelker Orth … Continue reading →

Part 7: Travel Journal: Going to the Dogs

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306 Black Rock Turnpike • Fairfield • Connecticut 06825   On the way home, the best place to stop for lunch is at Super Duper Weenie, no relation to Mayor-wannabe Anthony Weiner. Super Duper Weenie has been reviewed on The Food Network by Guy Fieri. The food is terrific and the potatoes are grown on a special farm for the fries. Click photos to enlarge.     Sometimes ya just gotta have one, or two, or share a few. Visit the site. And make sure you read this.

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59: The Scrapped Launch and Rescheduled Blast-Off

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Well, my fellow time travelers, it looks like there was some kind of issue and my mother’s plane couldn’t go hyper-spacing through the wild blue yonder. The launch was scrapped. But wait! Because she is a wheelchair passenger, she and her fellow space leapers get first dibs at another flight: a flight leaving just about an hour and a half later with priority seating and to a closer airport, in fact, closer to where she will be living. There is a reason for everything.     Later: the flight took off, it was smooth, it landed, everyone involved found one … Continue reading →

Part 6: A Travel Journal: Yiddish and Klezmer

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sunset after the concert Wednesday, July 17, 2013: Hanging out at the National Yiddish Book Center which is located on the campus of Hampshire College. Another annual trek which I have been through and watched the evolution of since it opened. This night was Klezmer concert night. The Klezmer Conservatory Band was great as usual.     My favorite exhibit at the Book Center is called, ” A Bintel Brief.” From the website: A Bintel Brief: Illustrations adapted from letters to the Forverts newspaper’s advice column A Bintel Brief Exhibits, exhibits, Forverts, graphic novels, Liana Finck, Yiddish newspaper A Bintel … Continue reading →

Part 5: A Travel Journal: Fresh Pasta With Good People

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  Viva Fresh Pasta Co. Northampton, MA   Wednesday, July 15, 2013 A lovely evening. Dinner with friends at Viva Fresh Pasta Co.  I have someone to commiserate with; my friend is going through somewhat similar issues with an aging parent. It seems like everyone I speak to is addressing circumstances with the aging. Friends, it ain’t easy. After dinner, we met another friend at the local theater who came up from New York. We saw Good People, by David Lindsay-Abaire, a play I had seen last spring at Manhattan Theater Club. This was a darn good local production. My … Continue reading →