BEGIN-AGAIN, AGAIN

Monday

August 17th 2020

Late Afternoon
Storm heading East
~*~

Tuesday
8.18

Manhattan Window Views

Morning

12:30 p.m

 2:30 p.m.
The internet is back having been out for "necessary maintenance" for the past two hours. Sun shining and I'm doing nothing of any consequence.
*
"But do not ask me where I am going,
As I travel in this limitless world,
Where every step I take is my home."
Dogen Zenji-from the book The Zen Poetry of Dogen: Verses from the Mountain of Eternal Peace

*
6p.m.
Selfie in the rear view mirror of a friends car

 A wreck parked on Third Avenue
WARNING

Wednesday

8.19

5 a.m.

Manhattan Window View

 2 p.m.

Heading for the Farm Market at Union Square

Gramercy Park

 Bloomimg

 Irving Place

 Union Square Farm Market
Artichokes in Bloom

Sitting awhile

Watching

Musician
 
(((Ahhh)))

 5 p.m.
HOME
Gompfrina-Gomphrina (spelling?) drying

Free Bouquet of Wild Flowers

 Shiso
"An herb in the mint family with a strong flavor like a mix of basil, mint, citrus and anise, common in Asian cuisine. You can eat it raw as a salad garnish or a wrap for rice, or cook it with eggs or in a stir fry, or drink it as a tea. The color varies - green, deep reddish purple, or bi-color. Shiso is said to have these health benefits: It's an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and it supplies calcium and iron, Omega-3 fatty acids, and Vitamin A. Try some!" 

Evening

Day Three

Democratic Virtual Convention

https://youtu.be/oaalF5y2P0k

https://youtu.be/JijFLcbIqMs

Thursday

8.20

Nothing lost-Nothing won

Nothing ventured-Nothing gained

No worries-Many wonders

*

Democratic Convention Day Four Tonight

EIGHT A.M. to EIGHT P.M.

Saturday Morning
8AM

Outside
3PM

Looking up

One young woman
 said "first Denver, then Florida and then Iceland."

"I'm wearing a man-bun and backpack" he said into his cell phone
"I'll wait at the corner."

 

Housing Works Window

The Spire

Pencil tower covered by tree

Decor so clean and spare even the dog doesn't shed.

Ooops

.

4:07 PM

Right turn to the farm Market

Gleanings
$2 Apricots

Free Berries

Free rolls

 Free Correopsis recovering
 

 ~*~

8PM
NO DOC MARTIN THIS WEEK
Binge Watch Season Seven on Line
Linked Episodes

https://youtu.be/s-2uplNrPzE

 ~*~

JUST THE FACTS

SUNDAY FACTS

From my neighborhood, within which there are many owned but hardly ever actually occupied condominiums, like this one where cleaners have been preparing for the owner or renter to return from Winter wandering leaving the proof as garbage at the curb.
 April 15th!

A friend on Face book said "When i lived in nyc trash was my friend, i was amazed at what people left on the side walk .if i could get it on the subway it was mine." I replied "Yes, in the days before so many tourists and constant rental short term folks, the days before bedbugs carried from suitcases of the wide worlds transient population, we furnished our apartments with rich folks cast away stuff and even got wonderful clothing items but no more. I've been in this apartment since 1969 but nothing, or near to nothing is even vaguely recognizable. Every day a new excavation, family business collapse and monster gigantic buildings of glass and steel rising 13 to fifty stories rise to the sky, blocking sun and wind. I'm only here out of economic necessity now, still protected by some elder tenant laws from being homeless like the oh so many others marginals."

MONDAY FACTS

'The Moving Pen' writing Group
6-8PM
Prompts

1. About a Favorite possession bequeathed

2. About a balloon

TUESDAY FACTS
I have a completely independent old LAND LINE but no telephone line this morning! Found out when I tried to phone the Super at 10:00 AM for him to come for a scheduled plumbing repair assessment. I keep an extra phone to plug directly into the Jack for checking if the problem is my Answer machine. Nope. I have no cell phone so knocked at the next door apartment and the cleaning lady let me use her cell to phone VERIZON who said there is no neighborhood problem listed. That means it's outside the apartment, either on the property or elsewhere in their system. They wanted to give me a Friday repair appointment until they realized I have disability status so they called around to their Manhattan repair guys but could only obtain an appointment tomorrow morning between 8AM and noon. There is nowhere they can phone me though because the cleaning lady will be gone. MODERN LIFE IN MANHATTAN on PLANET EARTH IS NOT NECESSARILY very MODERN or RELIABLE. The Spectrum/Time Warner cable hook up is working (at an enormous cost of $75.88 a month, which started at 29.99 for internet access alone and crept up with no additional services)--SO, I am not entirely without access to the wide wide world. But, I do no cash transactions on the web and continue to pay my bills by check walked to the local post office monthly. I am a kind of human dinosaur on the verge of extinction. Still smiling as I warm some soup for lunch :--> Smile is gone--2PM phoned again because the Super told me Verizon is in the buildings working on three other apartments without their phones...so they are now telling me they can't be here in the morning and the new appointment is 1 to 5PM! Had I not had one more use of the cleaning persons cell phone I wouldn't have known.
AURGH@!!@@@!@#!!!


WEDNESDAY FACTS
Telephone service restored
Super repaired shower
I was grateful twice

  Zendo in the evening; sitting, walking, chanting and snacks after.
I had a talk with Chododo Sensei and described my distress over lack of compassion for certain persons whose repetitive attitudinal scenarios rouse my anger. He smiled warmly and while making a circular gesture over his heart, said:
"Just try to make a little space for them." 

THURSDAY FACTS
Visited the Stein Senior Center
Got my membership renewed and made an appointment to discuss some housing issues with the Social Worker.
Bonus

 Noticed a pair of Sketchers at the Thrift Shop
Got them cheap

FRIDAY FACTS
Very nourishing visit with Barbara (recovering from knee surgery and her sister Maggi come to aid in her healing
Tea, snacks, talk and laughter

~*~
Walked home on Broadway
Grace Church

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Church_(Manhattan)

THE WEEK THAT WAS--Update

Looking

Ever since reading "The Gargoyle Hunters"
my eye finds them all over Manhattan

 In case you missed it:

~*~

Endless Winter

Most skies eventually ended up grey despite sudden bursts of sunlight and some glorious sunsets. The temperatures swung from the forties to twenties depending on prevailing winds and there were scattered snow and rain showers. Another storm promised next week!

Some skies were touchingly pale, but my dominant condition all week was 'under the weather. I spent a great deal of time napping and some hours writing at home.

 ~*~

Neighborhood

Housing Works continues to provide free entertainment with their great sound tracks and interesting browsing. Though I'm not buying, I like stopping in to visit other peoples pasts,

often meeting delightful critters like Pandy whose 'mother' carries many costumes and accessories for her. She is a willing poser and very sweet. She turns a dark mood bright.

The cross of Epiphany Catholic Church dominates the sky at this corner a block from the street where I've lived for forty eight years - as it did throughout my childhood in another time and place.

For lent, hundreds of prayer ribbons with individual messages penned by believers are tied to all the fences that surround it.

~*~

Wednesday

I got a great two-bear hug from old friends Nemo and Julio when I dragged myself out of bed to stop in for an hour and wish Julio Happy forty first Birthday, toasting him with a glass of cranberry juice.
See all the photos:

(http://mscomfortzone.blogspot.com/2018/03/birthday-at-nowhere.html)

Thursday

Tibet House opening and I rallied again for an hour to see the gorgeous new show "Divine Feminine" Masterpieces from Nepal. Runs through May 11th

(Wine and water for visitors)

 Just the center section.

 close up

~*~

Friday

 Just home, rest, recuperation

~*~

Saturday

A beautiful day, traveled to the 14th street Y to meet Amina and Mary Megalli for a Special film by Dr. Magda Saleh on Egyptian Dance

wonderful

until

Tragedy Struck Again

LOST OR STOLEN

CAMERA

Full of some swell portraits taken of these friends. There will be no more photographs for awhile. I have another camera but need a friend to help set up the computer connection.

***
Sunday
CAMERA FOUND