The Brooklyn Bridge: uphill both ways, downhill both ways

In an effort to be healthy and to enjoy the beautiful fall weather, I have been riding my bike to work instead of taking the subway. I have only done it a few times so far, but overall I love it. How many people can say that they see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge on their way to work? You can see the views for yourself...

Brooklyn ---------------------------------- Lower Manhattan

Since I moved to New York I have had a love/hate relationship with the subway. On the one hand, it can be very fast and efficient, you can go out for the night and not have to worry about a designated driver, and you can see and interact with every type of person you can imagine. Once I got on the subway and noticed on the bench across from me a nun, a woman in a burka, a wall street looking guy, a woman who looked like she was on drugs, and a Rastafarian dad with his two dreadlocked kids - I just had to smile to see all of them sitting there shoulder to shoulder. That wouldn't happen in any other setting I can think of.

Tiny Statue of Liberty cheering me on

On the other hand, as the name implies, the subway goes underground. It is sad and a little disorienting to get on the subway on a beautiful evening, only to get off after the sun has set and it is dark outside. Also, as I mentioned above, you can interact with every person imaginable, sometimes against your will. There are days when I have to get on a packed train after work, stand pressed against my fellow New Yorkers for my entire commute and I just want to cry.

I consider it a major bonus to be able to stay above ground for my entire commute. And, not having to spoon with a stranger is gravy.

baby dreams

Today I am obsessed with getting pregnant. Partly to avoid work, I did so much "research" on baby slings. I want to have one and more importantly a baby to put into it. It was relatively silly at one point when I got on the phone and debated with H. about which one is the best for newborns, and which is the best for toddlers.
I love that she is able to take me seriously at times like these.
In positive news on the baby front, (besides that we have its first baby carrier picked out) we have an appointment with the required psychologist and I talked to the RE today to confirm procedure. It all is coming together.
January can not come soon enough.

Kitten paws in our faces.

This is too funny and a bit too much like every morning at our house. Imagine this times 3.

Fall is HERE!!!

This is from the Onion - Why, why are they so funny? I post it because, we are experiencing now for the first time fall weather. Last weekend K.H. was here, we went to the beach, and it felt weird ordering a 3-in-1 winter jacket from LLbean. (It is so chilly right now that I have checked the tracking status 3 times in the last two days.) Autumn is my favorite season, perhaps because it is pretty in Vermont, or because I see it as a start to a new year because it was when we all went back to school. I now just want to settle in, bake and perhaps watch a movie. I am of course working tonight but I did make homemade bread for H.Mclhibbertian's breakfast. I am already thinking of the apple crisp I am going to make tomorrow after our Sunday hike. This weather is causing us to close the windows and the radiators are on in all their hissing glory. It is wonderful. I am not complaining about last weekend's weather either though.... there is something wonderful and strange about going to the beach on the 1st weekend of October.

We actually went in the water, and it was wonderful, chilly but not unreasonably so. It was so good to get those last wave jumping needs out of our systems before autumn really hit.

I love The Onion

Sometimes they go too far, but sometimes they get it just right. This story made me laugh out loud.

New Heart Device Allows Cheney To Experience Love

WASHINGTON, DC —"He broke free from the straps that secured him to the bed as he normally does after heart surgery. But then he hugged me," Cheney's cardiologist said.

Neighborhood Pride

We live in a diverse and fascinating neighborhood with such disparities between classes and we are part of the gentrifying group. Our neighborhood is comfortable and we love it even if and perhaps because it is not fancypants. We see this man frequently, this picture was taken on our block, and we park our car every day right where the photographer is standing. The amazing thing about this city is that although we "knew" this man by his face and pedi-cab, we had no idea that he actually gave rides in it, nor did we know any of his back story. You can read his whole story here, in the New York Times, how they knew to do a story on him is a mystery.