Twenty-Second Day – in New York City

I have worked in childcare centres, been a babysitter, been Junior School Cross-Grade Prefect and looked after Mouse, Pickle and Lizard for a very long time now, but have never felt I’ve had as much responsibility thrust on me as I have today, taking care of Mum and Auntie Mandy in New York City.

It was our intent to go to the “Bodies” exhibition which meant catching a subway, and luckily I seemed to be able to figure our way there. I’m not sure if Mum or Auntie Mandy would’ve even gotten to Grand Central Station without me. But on the way to Grand Central Station, we stopped at a Hallmark shop to buy a card for a friend of ours and I gotta say: I love all the different categories of cards, such as:

Being in the USA, you get a lot of Spanish translation – in Canada, everything’s written in French and English.

  And I love these cards, which show that they are Christian. This photo was actually taken in a supermarket – so it’s not just in Hallmark they have the crucifixes. I have never seen them at home.

But we did get to the Bodies exhibition eventually, and it was really good. It was hardly anything I hadn’t learnt before (except that the word “vaccination” comes from the Latin word “vacca” meaning “cow”, because the first vaccination was by Jenner for Smallpox, by inoculating people with the Cowpox virus) but I liked the exhibition because the items on display are actual dead bodies and preserved organs. I realize that sounds a bit sadistic, but I mean it was fascinating to see what they really look like – better than an artists/biologists depiction.

Our next challenge was to get to Macy’s, but not before we went to a tacky $2 shop and I found lovely tacky souvenirs. I always look for my name on those key-rings and never find them but I did find a name of one of my friend’s – Carmen, and I thought “I’ll buy it for her and send it to her” and then thought “You idiot. Buy something from Australia for her”. If you’re interested, check out Carmen’s website: www.carmenrochelle.com Carmen is a photographer.

The other thing I found at the lovely $2 shop (apart from CSI novels for $1 – I bought 6) were these:

And please tell me you guys think that is weird too. Princesses are grown up – not freaky looking babies. But getting back to New York, and to Macy’s.

Getting to Macy’s took forever. Like the obedient Google-girl I am, I followed Google’s instructions. Google lied. Eventually we went back to Grand Central station, and the other subways weren’t working so we had to wait for a bus and it took forever. But, in that whole time – we were never lost. I like to think that was thanks to me, but maybe I have tickets on myself.

After looking forward to Macy’s for sometime, I’ve got to say it wasn’t as good as Rachel (from Friends) described it. I guess I do hate shopping – but it was so confusing with there being two buildings and everything, and it was 3 o’clock and Auntie Mandy and I hadn’t eaten all day and we were all desperate to eat, so we headed down to the Cellar which has a Bar and Grill, and Auntie Mandy and Mum took to the wine like someone dying of thirst.

Well I exaggerate, Mum had a glass and Mandy had half a glass and my gosh – they were both in fits of hilarious laughter and falling asleep at the same time. Auntie Mandy uses an expression all the time: “Holy Whiteman”, unthinkingly, when she is shocked. Of course, in USA – that could get you into a bit of trouble and when Dad quietly reminded her of this, she almost fell off her chair in laughter realizing her dangerous mistake. I don’t know what the expressions from – I think it’s a movie, any clues anyone?

Soon after, Auntie Mandy said (somewhat loudly) “I hate Macy’s” (which we all did) and Dad had to again chide her and we quickly left (It took a while for us to pry Mum from her chair. She claimed to be sleepy).

Travelling with Mum and Auntie Mandy is fun in so many ways, I always like being out with them and watch people getting completely tripped out and saying expressions like “There’s two of them?!”. True someone who I have never met, and Mum and Dad haven’t seen for 15 years gave a very confused Auntie Mandy a very enthusiastic greeting. But tomorrow is Valentines day and the day after Auntie Mandy will be returning to Australia, in time for Cousin Jeffrey and Lisa’s wedding.

Here are some photos from throughout the day, enjoy:

Happy Valentines Day

I don’t like Macy’s, but I hate shopping and department stores.

  

Radio City Music Hall!!

 

The view from “The Rock”. New York City is amazing.