Day 306

The church was beautiful as was the singing. I enjoyed the service. Today Hollie and I will prepare a simple meal: roast beef, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, fruit salad, and that’s all. We have streamlined holidays and I’m comfortable without frills. It is white outside and I won’t go out for a walk until there is no ice on the car. One more week of 2016 and I’m praying for miracles. I want this anxiety and grief to be replaced with joy.

POH

One Christmas, my daughter Hollie and I decided to save all our coins for a year and give them to my granddaughter Megan on the next Christmas. We dumped the pile of coins on the floor and all joined in sorting and piling and counting the coins. When they were counted and rolled, we had enough to plan a trip together.  New York City was our choice. We country people were going to the big city across the country.

I went to the travel agent and made the arrangements, bought the tickets, chose the Broadway play, purchased the travelers’ checks, and all the necessary organizational items. We left on January 8, 2002,  and had breakfast in San Francisco airport with me finding the closest restaurant to our gate.  Megan called her mother to tell her what we were doing. In Denver, I said, “Let’s get ice cream cones and walk backwards on the moving sidewalk”, and we did. After landing at the New York airport, we were whisked away to our hotel where we fell into bed after this very long day. 

First morning in the Big Apple.  We dressed in warm clothes and headed for the elevator.  On the street, following the directions from the doorman, we headed the two blocks to Times Square.  There was the sea of people, heads down, bundled with scarves and hats against the 40 degree morning, all walking fast.  I did not know how to get started. As I stood there overwhelmed by the thundering herd of people, the honking horns, roar of traffic, and too too much input, Megan grabbed my hand and said, “Let’s go, Grandma.” Suddenly she was leading me through the crowd like a quarterback going for the goal line. She had already spotted places she wanted to visit, such as Virgin Records, and Toy’s R Us with the full sized Ferris wheel in the window. Just those two stores had more people in them than live in our whole county! She saw the “naked cowboy”, the sign for the visitor’s center, the direction to the tour bus, and I simply followed her.  The role reversal was dramatic and lasted for the eight days of our trip.  The only time I was comfortable was seven in the morning when I would walk around the block and stop at Starbucks to bring coffee back to the hotel. I figured I could make four left turns and end up where I started. Megan ventured out to shop with the confidence of an eighteen year old to find gifts to bring home to her friends. We went to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and I do not think her back ever touched the back of her seat.  She perched on the front edge and absorbed the whole wonderful event, noticing everything like a sponge soaking up water. We went to Brooklyn and Fulton’s Landing one night. She asked where the World Trade Center towers should have been. The man said, “See that big black hole. It used to shine with a thousand lights.” She found our way to the Guggenheim museum, the MOMA, Tiffany’s, and the Met.  I followed. While I am squeezing my eyes tight, and having while knuckles, she is enjoying the rides in New York taxis.

On the way home, she again let me do the leading through airports and baggage carousels, until we were back in our little village by the sea, full to bursting with all the sights and sounds of the big city. See what a collection of coins can do to make a Christmas wish come true!