Blue Skies on a Winter Day

There are those rare days in life that go seamlessly. Where, when you reflect back upon the day, it is ripe with memories that will last a long time, perhaps a lifetime. I was fortunate to share such a day with my second child today. When I awakened, it was with my daughter, Kay, by my side. We were fortunate enough to share a hotel room on the Hudson River with splendid views from our 15th story window. We charted our destination -- Starbuck’s, a tour of a Bed, Bath and Beyond, then....the Frick Museum. At the Frick, Kay was my tour guide and docent as we passed through splendid rooms with breathtaking works by many of the world’s Masters. Rembrandt, Vermeer, Fragonard, Renoir, Degas, and others were all large, LARGE, LARGER than life. It was not just the paintings with Kay’s explanations about strokes, costumes, artistic eras (okay, so I do see the value of a Pratt education), I was enchanted with the design and architecture of the Frick Mansion. I went to the Museum Store because I hoped to find a good book about the history of Frick, Rockefeller and the Frick home. I was told that the best-selling book was out of stock; it is called, “Meet You in Hell.” I’ll have to be on the look out for that one! Kay and I had brunch at a diner on Madison Ave. Kind of an oxymoron in, and of, itself. We stopped in at Laduree, a french confectionery shop with exquisite stuffed macaroons. They didn’t even flinch when I asked if they were gluten-free! Kay knew I was looking for a dress to wear to her sister’s graduation from college in May. Within the walls of the third store she took me, we found the loveliest silk frock, on sale at one third its original price. It was from last season’s designs and I was happy. I took a cab home and discovered that the cabdriver was partial to people from Boston; he said he finds them friendlier than native NewYorkers. I retreated to the quiet of my hotel room while Kay went downtown to stop in at her job, make some returns and run some errands. She came back for a brief visit about three hours later. She surprised me with a cupcake from the famous cupcake bakery called “Crumbs.” It was hugs, then good-bye. So here’s the thing; this day had some built in limitations. I spent much more money on cabs than i would have wanted because I couldn’t “cover the distance.” I had to conserve my energy in the Frick, so Kay pushed me in wheelchair. I had a window of about three and a half hours that I was out and about before I ran out of steam. I was unable to go to my daughter’s job and visit Soho as much I would have loved to. It would be easy to remember the things that were not as I would hope. I could bemoan the limitations or denounce life because IT IS NOT FAIR. But the truth is, that I am grateful for what time I had, I am grateful to be in New York, even if it’s on two cylinders rather than all four. I am going to remember this day, a day that was full of possibility and pleasure,simply because today was a gift.