I had to stop yesterday as a man whose Mom had died came in to see me. He is taking her body home for burial on Friday and just needed to talk. When he left, I just didn’t feel like continuing.
As I was saying:
We were dropped at the theatre at 1pm for a 2 o’clock performance of “Sister Act”. It was tremendous – a real stand up and shout type of show. We had great seats in the mezzanine and the time flew by.
Afterwards, Maggie and I walked the four (short) blocks to the Marriott Marquis and checked in. Our bags had been left on the bus and now they were in our room. We relaxed ( I think we took naps) We left our coats in the room and then went down to the ticket booth in the hotel and got tickets for “Follies”, which was in the Marquis Theatre. The show was at 8:00pm, so we went to supper in the hotel restaurant. We were back upstairs and in bed by 11pm. It was so relaxing!!
On Sunday, Fr. Paul said Mass in one of the conference rooms. There were 39 of us and he gave a great homily on silence. I didn’t concelebrate; a sat with Maggie and just enjoyed being part of the congregation.
After Mass, we met our cousin, Sharon, her partner, Amy and our little cousin, Alexander, who is almost 3 years old. I have his picture on my wall and had met him last year at his aunt’s house in my parish. He was a little shy at first but eventually he warmed up to us. He was at the buffet and kept saying he had “get back to my friends” at the table. So I guess we past muster. We had a wonderful time and just talked.
Nap time!!
Then, a long time friend, Jean Morere, who lives in Florida and New Jersey, met Maggie and me for dinner. Jean and I met in 1978 when Msgr Dade was the chaplain on a cruise from Alaska through the Panama Canal to NYC. I was his companion and Jean and another nurse, Kathy came to daily Mass and we just became friends and have remained so.
Christopher Ziobro, who is Joan Beall’s grandson and live in Brookllyn also joined us. He came here after graduation from Marist college in Poughkeepsie and is loving it. He works in Manhattan and seems like he’s doing fine. His mother, Sharon and his grandmother worry about him but he is “native” now. It was again a very relaxing time to sit, eat, and talk.
Maggie and I went to bed early.
On Monday, the 19th, we got up early and took a cab around 6:30am up to Rockefeller Center to try to be on the Today show. We stood there for an hour and a half but never got closer than the third row. I could, at least see things but Maggie had a lady with a parka with fur coming out of the hood and she couldn’t see anything but the fur; so finallly at 8:30, we headed back to the hotel. We had breakfast – and talked to a lovely hostess whom we had met on Saturday night – Casey Carney Quinn – who was doing a great job of dealing with “crazy and demanding” customers – Oh, not us – we’re crazy but fun!!!
Then up to the room for a nap. They came and took our luggage down – and interupted our nap but we went back to it. At 11:30, we went down to the bus, which was on 45th street, next to the hotel. Pointed out our luggage and then got on the bus. By 12:30 we were sailing down the Jersey Turnpike. We got back to Dunkirk around 4:30 and I dropped Maggie off and home and was back at Blessed Sacrament in time for supper and the Penance Service at 7pm.
Fr. Jim came to help at the service and so he, Fr. Ron and I sat in front of the fire in our rectory and visited. He left around 10:30 and I was sound asleep by 11pm.
MORE TO COME!
No wonder you needed many naps! For an introvert, you certainly had a lot of people in your life this weekend!!!!