SLIDING INTO THE FOURTH

The Moon over Gramercy Park

1AM

Monday June 3rd

St. George church Annex

(shot through the closed doors)

 St George Church

(side door)

~*~

Home

Downloading Photos

Sleep

Waking

Bathing

Letters

Food

~*~

 Noon

Charming "Olive" at my Bank

Where it was announced the ATM was closed because over the weekend there had been accounts compromised.  I stood in line with many others to check my account.  I was safe thank goodness because I had already written and posted the monthly bills checks.

Whew!

A Patriot with one of the bank officers

 Outside on Third Avenue

Fire Escape Painters  working in 90 degree heat

Home Again

Download Photographs

Lunch

Answer emails

A friend visits with an invitation to her place for the Fourth

Nap

6PM

Bus to Eldridge Street late for the weekly Writing Group

(storm threatening)

 Great session--had one of those 'moments' when mind let go and words just took off producing a magical piece of prose--one I will transcribe.

Return Trip
8:45PM

(storm passed)

Scene on the uptown Bus
There are five separate stories in this frame. Only the two men at the far back are relating to each other. Actually, it was charming--both  were bragging about their weight lifting credentials, then they engaged in showing their ability--the thinner one lifts the heftier one and the heftier one was so delighted they did it twice.

9:15PM

First Avenue near 22nd Street

Evening Prayer

~*~

Home

Stuff

Sleep

Wake

July Fourth

https://youtu.be/W_0IhqWd6fE

LINK

Grey Gardens

https://www.google.com/search?q=grey+gardens+trailer&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 

FLOOD TUESDAY WITH COLOR AND LIGHT

Monday
 felt like a fog surrounded me all day,

 like I was sleep walking.  I couldn't stop thinking about the new oil spill contaminating the gulf of Mexico, and the life forms it is impacting.

Tonight brought me round to the church garden on the way to the bus downtown for my treasured two hour weekly writing group.  Damn shame.  No one has touched it since I quit in November when I witnessed them ripping up twenty years of perennial growth (never mind why).  It looks it too...though brave daffodils are poking up through the rubble and dead stuff, up and inch or more if not in bud...lord, now the snow has melted I see they left two thirty dollar hoses out there all tangled and stiff...they were supposed to be wrapped and stored....Shame.

My dear friend writer, Amaranth Cline, was in attendance tonight, and wrote some kick-heart pieces.  Her son drove her in from New Jersey--she is so weakened by the chemo she closes her eyes while others read..  Hope it's not her time....hope she can bounce back again.  She's such a fine writer, and a photographer too.  Her spirit is enlightening.

Coincidentally, I responded to a prompt about light, using a quote from Tolstoy' 'Anna Karenina' as the 'prompt'--"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow."  Ir's a lovely little piece.  Maybe I'll publish it here first.
~
We got the proofs for our chap book (they have first publishing rights) and read through our pieces for any adjustments needed.  Nice.  Looking forward to April 28th when we present it to friends and family.

I feel the snow coming on...wore that pale blue turtle neck my dear Florida friend gave me.  I'll wear the red cotton one she gave me tomorrow, absorb the life-giving energy of the color, and maybe, just maybe send it back out as light for what looks to be a bleak day.
~
This amazing hand painted security gate is new at the place where I catch the bus back home on First Avenue below Houston Street.  A message to the community from the community.  The child is erasing the weapon.  Brilliant.

Let there be light.

Be light.

'TWAS ONE TRULY PERFECT MONDAY

I mean, everything and every one was just so kind, so civil, so surprising in the best way, I had visions of a lightning bolt striking me down--it was all so too pleasant.  But, home now, unsinged, and channel 13 is showing  a 'special' about Lou Reed that comes close to doing him some kind of justice.  A you tube sample at the bottom of this post

This perfect day started with breakfast--one of those organic apples I got yesterday at the after-the-marathon-party, with walnuts, honey and cottage cheese

 Delicious

Then out to my cataract clinic appointment, and I was offered a seat on the subway by two people.  Had a friendly conversation with the woman I sat next to about noticing others.

Grand Central Station and Met Life 

At the clinic, owing $145 dollars for the previous exam that medicare had said they would pay zero on...I was dreading the fact I'd have to say I couldn't pay the whole thing, and hoping for a liberal payment plan...when I was told that the University paid $130 of the fee and I only owed $10, which I paid with no strain!

The Grace Building and SUNY vision Center

The exam was painless.
AND
I was informed that the surgery would be fully paid by medicare and medicaid, and that the doctor could perform it at a facility on West 23rd street a short bus trip from my home!

Retail Window With A Message

Reeling with joy and gratitude, I left.
On the crosstown bus a funny seat giving number again, and the speed bus was there on 2nd Avenue almost immediately, where, believe it or not, yet another seat was offered!  I arrived an hour early so, was able to catch a glimpse of laughing kids in the classroom where we meet as they were leaving.

 
I had time to myself to unwind, let the blurry eyes clear a bit before we started.  The session was great...it happens like that sometimes...all seven of us wrote and read wonderful pieces 

  ~

 Night fell gently.

 Could it get any better and gravity still hold sway?
I think that lightning bolt must have struck some other poor sucker, or maybe it just changed it's mind, cooled off, turned to a gentle rain before moving off to elsewhere.

Here's Lou

1998

http://youtu.be/Uri6LLCZVjg