AIR CONDITIONED and COMFORTABLE

First

My unnecessary anxiety over clearing a path from the poorly angled entrance door, through a very cluttered hall, and several rooms to the front window where it was going to replace the dead one.

It doesn't show but the 3 shelf item on the right was loaded with all sorts of stuff and my Stone Buddha on the top flanked by two vases of dusty old dry floral and leaf arrangements...the hallway out of the frame also had a lineup of shoes, a rolling cart and spare beach chair, plus another small table with more floral arrangements and lots of catch pots with a collection of 'don't-know-whats'. An hour or so of careful sorting, some tossing and finally clear save for the basket which moved into the bathroom and the rest of the rooms got done as well in just another few hours, including the escape break from my last post.

 

Right on time Friday afternoon and totally efficient, two wonderful fellows from Warshaw Hardware, one of the very few REAL hardware stores in Manhattan and friends for over forty years, arrived, removed the old machine, installed and tested the new one and it's just great!

Thank you Matt and Andre.
And Thanks to my friend and neighbor Ron Sherbet, who did me the favor of calling me to be sure I was awake and came over to spend time with me during the installation.

Warshaw Hardware
https://www.facebook.com/warshawhardware/

My Previous post
http://mscomfortzone.blogspot.com/2018/06/nightime-escape.html

A RED WEEK

(Calendar from Jenny S.)

SUNDAY
I've been waiting, under wraps, breathing, sleeping, letting go while still containing all that was, is and might be. I've been tweeking colors on photographs, leaning toward red for hearts, for love, for life---constructing this blog post for the week till Tuesday where Hallmark branded it's Valentine mark, though the historical Valentine was a Christian Martyr living under Roman rule (there are other interpretations of course), and the festival Lupercalia coincides. I've been unearthing memories, reviewing all the love my life has encountered and appreciating the eternal value of friendship...reminding myself what really matters.

Communicate

(heart forever stamps from Nayra A,)

Let Go

(Throwback to lost teeth)

Fly Free

(Avenue B and 6ths St Garden)

MONDAY

Nostalgia was dominant yet not distressing, only comforting. It's been rich this little life of mine so far. I find myself appreciating that. Adequate sleep and drift, specific medicinal teas and warm baths, certain silences and sanctuaries are my natural inclination and so I have inclined. I made potato leek soup, listened to music, read Carly Simon's "Boys in the Trees" quite entertaining memoir. I was blissfully snowed in.

Celebrate

 (Wendy D. makes yarn roses kike this)

Rest in Beauty Shamelessly

(Teddy graciously posed in rose petals for me)

TUESDAY

February is transitional, the shortest month. "Its birth flower is the violet (Viola) and the common primrose (Primula vulgaris). Its birthstone is the amethyst. It symbolizes piety, humility, spiritual wisdom, and sincerity. Its zodiac signs are Aquarius until February 19th and Pisces February 20th onward."  The Roman month Februarius was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual.

 https://youtu.be/VmECu4BKtDY

Disarm the Heart

 (Jude hill's heart under moon)

Give it Away

(Mo's woven heart)

 Share Freely

(a little pop up book of Pooh bear and Piglet)

~*~

A Gift to Make

https://youtu.be/Sk-vFT5ZZCc


Recipe Link
http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2017/02/video-strawberry-souffle-gf/

Saint Valentine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine  

Lupercalia 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupercalia

FRIDAY NIGHT

HOLIDAY SPIRIT

(East 23rd Street)

ART SHOW and FUNDRAISER

Creative Center for Arts in Health Care

Fabulous drawings, paintings, prints, collages and photographs donated by artists worldwide. All art $20 to benefit our art programs for people with cancer. A wonderful night to celebrate The Creative Center and the spirit of the season! Pot luck and Beverages to share.

*

Music by Woodrow

Lovely riffs all night...

...and a jam session too.

Reunion with Nancy Beck

(one of my favorite people on the planet)

I was so busy, eating, looking at the wonderful art and schmoozing, I never photographed the art so you'll have to take my word for it that the Center has encouraged a whole lot of talent.

~*~

Back in my neighborhood, the church steps are temporary sanctuary for someone tonight, as they always are

Winter Fall Summer and Spring.

A gift in the mail today from another one of my favorite people lifts my spirit. Thank you Nancy Erisman

*

And so to bed with Teddy nearby keeping watch

LINK

 The Creative Center

http://www.thecreativecenter.org/tcc/our_organization/

SEPTET OF DAYS

SUNDAY
Little Teddy Sending Bear Hugs-thinking Kind Thoughts.
There's comfort in compassion when big tragedies arrive.

~*~

TUESDAY
Tripped off to the High line for Stargazing
The night was cool and bright. Thanks to the NY Astronomers club volunteers sharing their telescopes, I saw Saturn as a tiny white oval with a single ring.

Wandered among stargazers lounging on beach chairs along paths where summer plants are coming into bloom:

Echinacea

 Forgot the name

 Astilbe

Life size sculpture called "Sleepwalker".  Various people posed with him for selfies.  To me it looked like violation, and I had an interesting conversation with two older men also waiting in line.  They agreed, and we talked a bit about how nakedness make us uncomfortable, nervous.  We three identified with the vulnerability.
Read what the sculptor says:
(link at the end)

A cool-Jazz trio serenaded at one end, and a disco DJ at the other where a film was in process with mostly men dancing.  Emerging near Christopher street I headed back North along 10th Avenue where many stores are closed or closing. 

Then a brief sweet encounter with a beautiful drag queen on her way to an event, her costume of cleverly draped stiff cellophane was worn over shorts and top, and she was quite happy to pose.  I didn't ask her name and she didn't offer it.
(Anonymous)

~*~

WEDNESDAY

After a Zazen at the Zendo,
I headed West on 23rd Street.

Walking leisurely until the sun set, then

caught the bus back East to home.

~*~

THURSDAY
Mask at the Opera Thrift

The hand of a metal plated Buddha on display

 

A homeless man napping on 21st Street

~*~

FRIDAY
Unwell, but bumbled through the day doing chores, getting my notice to the post office to hold mail while I'm away for a week in Massachusetts
(Clover and Ialanthus in neglected street tub)

Cooked and froze all foods that might spoil.
(Potato, cumin and coriander in broth)

 Did some hand laundry and pre-soaked sheets and towels. 
Now ready for a trip to the laundromat.

On the advice of a trusted wise-friend, I tuned in to this Omega session with a favorite teacher, Pema Chodron and found it most helpful.

https://youtu.be/YwTSWG64rZE
~*~

SATURDAY
7
The number of notes in the traditional Western diatonic scale (major or minor), there are seven musicians in a septet or a septuor, and today is the seventh day.
(Read about the many meanings ascribed to it)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_%28number%29
 ~*~

LINKS
"Sleepwalker"
 https://news.artnet.com/art-world/controversial-sleepwalker-sculpture-high-line-403190

BLANK PAGES

Living
A single page for every day

Every page a single day

Wednesday
Kindness is a gift from a friend

Thursday
Huge tragedy explodes in the East Village

Friday
East Village Update

Do not despair

Ted the bear is always there

A willing comfort pillow

Saturday
5AM
Hoping to see the eaglets near dawn

5PM
Yikes - A suspected gas leak where I live

 Fifteen fireman and two trucks responded
They went up and down both our buildings
Into basements, out back and up to the roofs

The Fire department is on high alert

I waited till they had cleared their search

Then traveled on to a friend's for supper

 

Sunday

Sitting quietly
Doing nothing
Spring comes
Grass grows

Matsuo Bashō (1644-1694)

ESCAPE TO NOURISHMENT

Friday
Another semi-sleepless Night.
(Poor Teddy)

Sign of the Times In The Street
"A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species."

 Eeeeeeeeeek!

Escape to a free Movie at Home:

"Once Upon A Time"
(1944)
Heartwarming fantasy staring Cary Grant, a failed Broadway Producer who, upon learning of the existence of a dancing caterpillar owned by youngster Ted Donaldson, acquires the miraculous insect in order to exploit its commercial worth. When Disney offers him $100,000 for it, he knows he's onto something."

http://youtu.be/Nt0SWfyhGhM
There's transformation for all the characters, including the caterpillar, and of course, a deliciously inevitable happy ending.
~*~

Saturday
Yes, another difficult night, no dreams,
just unable to sleep more than an hour or two at a clip.

Moody, warm Weather over the Farm Market

.

Oh, delicious Goat Cheese from Stuyvesant, N.Y.  Since it was the end of the day, they kindly sold me a $10 container for just $5 because it was all I could afford to pay.

http://ardithmae.com

 The scent of Zinnia is so fresh

 Father and son Gorzyski have been trucking "better'-than-Organic vegetables here for years and years.

I got Onions, beets, zucchini and Sorrel.

AND
From Trembley Apiares  out of  Van-Etten NY
"Hon-E-Lixr"
(Pure Bee Pollen creamed with Honey)

This Long Island seller had every plant left on the table for a dollar.  He and his family are headed for Europe.  I got sage and thyme!

 AND
a lovely white Begonia-but for the color, so like the one I did this old water color of when I was studying at the Bronx Botanical Garden.

THEN
on the way home:

 Joy! Every time this little Cairn Terrier sees me, she dances, and makes my day.  Her owner is a regular neighborhood fellow and  he enjoys our interaction.  I'm just back from the farm market at 14th Street, and it turns out Marley loves Thyme and goat cheese, but NOT Sorrel.

Now there's a Casserole in the Oven, and Honey in my heart.
~*~

Very Nice

My mind can spawn disorder

before the dog can wag its tail twice.

My heart can shatter into bits

before the knife has made a single slice.

 Before the wag, before the slice,

these peaceful moments are very nice.

~*~