November: Apples, Cinnamon and Gratitude
A drought warning was declared for New York City for the first time in two decades and it has been unusually warm for weeks. Novembers in New York are significantly less frigid now, but everyone is still fighting the urge to play Mariah Carey and jokes about pumpkin spice lattes abound. There’s no fighting the holiday hum. Everything seems to go in warped speed after November 1st, until I catch my breath on December 31st and hope for the best in the coming year. This time, I wanted to enjoy these moments worth remembering while they happen. One of my dearest friends offered to host a Friendsgiving at her place which was an amazing opportunity to spend time with my girlfriends. I’ve made it a goal to make more time to see my friends, all of them — especially those that have been in my life for so many years. Twenty years of friendship, baby! I love these girls like family. But first up, was Thanksgiving with my family.
Halfway Across the Country, Family Adventures and Scenic Memories
My parents had been staying with my sister and brother-in-law in their home, helping keep each other safe during the very early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Unsure of what to do during such an unprecedented time, they opted to stay put as mandatory lockdowns and widespread travel restrictions were put in place. Here in Queens, NY, things were looking even worse as our hospitals were extremely overwhelmed, and millions of people losing their jobs. Much of the early pandemic (and perhaps what remains still too) is marked by confusion, fear, and a desperation to understand the virus that had taken over so much of our daily lives. However, mom and dad had only packed and prepared to be away from home for about a three-week stay, and after six months my dad was running out of insulin and it was time to return back home.