Top of the Rock 2009

The Nicholson Family
at
The Top of the Rock
September 2009

Joey, Barbara, Amanda and Ed

Early Fall time - quick fall weekend

I just had to take Ed to see the Appalachian Trail exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

OK, who knew the NYC Metro could be so funny...?

I had to work this day, but Ed and Amanda really enjoyed more of the National Mall, at the Museum of the American Indian.

NYC has to get prepared for the latest model on the scene!

Thank goodness someone offered to snap a group shot. After the play at Lincoln Center. It was so much fun, great play. Maybe it was just the company.....

New York City

The Woolworth Building - one of the highest in New York City.


Breakfast at ... Penelopes!


Joey and Amanda!

View from Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Center.

Overcast at the Washington Monument

Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)

I think working in a windowless environment has created a deficit within my heart. I'm sure I have NDD.

However,today I worked on that. I went to Black Hills Regional park and walked in the woods. Then I walked by the docks and watched the folks kayaking and canoeing. It was fun, there were a lot of people. I saw the most beautiful butterfly kite too. I also saw women in saris kayaking. Well, almost kayaking. I thought that was interesting, considering I dress pretty carefully for kayaking. You know, water shoes, quick dry fabrics for my shorts and shirt....They are so much more graceful than I am, in the floor length layers of fabric. I kept thinking if they fell overboard the fabric might weigh them down, but they were wearing life preservers also. They decided to take a row boat though, not a kayak. It looked like they were having fun.

I had dinner on a patio outside this evening, before the sun went down. It was a beautiful day here.

Leaving West Virginia

My week of family leave is drawing to a close. It has been an unsettling week.

I'm packing up the pieces of me and hoping I can leave the house as nice as I found it. I was a bit nervous here alone. I realized after the first night, I didn't know where the flashlights are here. So, I bought myself a nice little maglite (in hot pink) at Walmart. It eased my mind somewhat, that I could have a light if the earthquake hit, or the power went out.

My Mom's car got some loving care today. I had the oil changed, the WV State Inspection sticker renewed/replaced. I washed the car, dried the car, it is a real nice car. I enjoy taking care of it and driving it. It is a pleasure. Mom seems pleased when we talk about it.

I have loved the night sky all this week, tonight especially. I sat in the driveway here with the moon roof open and the seat reclined. The beautiful full moon and Jupiter. I am very lonely.

I ate alone at Twin Oaks tonight. Service, as always, was dismal. Food was comforting.

I will leave in the morning, having fought the urge to just drive off into this beautiful night. I have chosen to let my good sense prevail. I will allow my body a restful night of sleep, I will eat a healthy breakfast, buy Italian bread and pepperoni rolls, fill the tank with gas, and then leave.

Mom seems about the same as the last time I saw her. I hope she isn't suffering. She didn't seem much in pain, just exhausted by life. Maybe I'm projecting. I plan to see her again soon, although it is very very difficult on many levels. I love my mother.

West Virginia in September

I'm sitting here in John and Pam's beautiful living room, feeling sad that they aren't here but happy they are having a week at the beach with grandkids. Neat. Pam, the house looks so nice, Minnie must have just run the sweeper yesterday.
I brought the cats with me so I would have some company at night. They love John's chair. The biggest cat is sleeping on John's pillow right now.

The new windows are great! They look really nice. I see the house next door is for sale, HEY ED - could be our retirement place...it looks pretty nice! We'd have to fix it up a bit to keep of with the neighbors though. 8-)

I'll soon be heading over the UHC to check on Mom. I think things are basically OK, from what I gathered from my sis. It will be nice to see Mom.

The drive today was beautiful, it is a lovely fall day, cool, a little breezy and crisp. I had packed a lunch of healthy things, so I stopped at Rocky Gap State Park and found a table. It was really nice. (I should have snapped a photo.) I had to pack healthy, I gained over 6 lbs this week at Weigh In. It had been about 5 weeks since I had been weighed, and one long vacation with Ed. I really have a weight problem, for sure. I will never be able to escape it, but with those weekly weigh ins, maybe I can manage it. I've still lost over 60 lbs. from my high just over a year ago. This setback isn't too crushing, but I am somewhat freaked out. Having regained a huge amount of weight before, I never want to live through that pain again. There is a whole lot to this weight control issue, more than intellect, more than physical, more than emotion. Some of all of this, but something intrinsic and unknown also. Some luck would help. Who would have thought I would gain weight after Bonnie Belle's stopped making doughnuts?

::she sighs::

I think the trick to the long drive is to take it on a weekday like today. Traffic was very reasonable. I stopped a couple of times too, that helps me.

I need to get the state inspection sticker renewed on Mom's car, and I'll get her oil changed also.