Lisa Meets the Family

We arrived in NYC late in the evening and cabbed it to my cousin Becky's apartment on the Upper East Side. The three of us got comfortable in her studio looking out over the NY skyline including the Empire State Building. We were bombarded by the sensory overload after the bleakness of Bucharest. Travel here was so much easier than anywhere in the past six months - everything is over-signposted and there seems to be some level of over employment through the use of staff in any given establishment (calling me sirrrr) to guide me through every step of every operation. But where is the love after the tip has been paid?

Despite working, Becky made quite an effort to show us round and politely listen to our stories! She took us out to a fine Mexican restaurant on the first night together, not far from Grand Central Station. We had kept only to her block during the day. Dining at a diner for breakfast - pancake stacks and bottomless coffee cups, and had a shop around. Jet lag was a bit of an issue so we had a nana nap before getting out there again.

We set out the next morning, walking through Central Park and down 5th Ave, stopping in too many of the big name stores.

FAO Schwarz, the famous toy store, kept us entertained for a while, as did the underground flagship Apple store under the giant glass cube. I had planned the whole day around getting to Tiffany's to get Lisa's Christmas present. We got inside, had a browse, but I simply was not happy with the quality of the service we were given so we went with plan B, where I took Lisa to Target in Brooklyn a few days later where we bought each other some cut-price underwear.


Becky arranged tickets to a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, I arranged some hot dogs when we arrived. The Knicks won and we cheered along with the home crowd and met Paul, her boyfriend, who invited us all back to his apartment with an even higher view of the skyline.


Our view at the Knicks game. If you squint a little, you can see Woody Allen in the front row. Spike Lee was there as well. There was a great range of entertainment between quarters and during time outs. I particularly enjoyed the marching bands who marched on, played for under a minute and kept marching off. They filled the stadium with sound and energy.

Later that night we saw the NYPD on patrol - this is about midnight. Sirens and horns made up the main background soundtrack to our stay here.

I added NYC to my list of 'haircuts around the world'. This guy was efficient if a little stand-offish. He was a bit confused about where Australia is and wanted to know what language we speak there. Across the street is a Thrift Shop, next door is a Piano Bar, Veterinarians and doggy daycare centres seemed to be over represented. I really enjoyed just walking these streets, exploring the excitedly concentrated metropolis.

The two of us made it over to ground zero, currently a construction site. It does have crowds visiting it though, including a long line to join the tours.

Off to Times Square where the crowds never dwindle.

And tickets to Les Miserables. A superb performance and special night out for us on Broadway. There didn't seem to be too many other unemployed people there.

Bettendorf, Iowa was our next stop. Christmas with my Uncle Nathan, Aunty Laurie, Erik, Amy and Granny. It was a change of pace from NYC and we both enjoyed the domestic comforts of a big family home, with a lovely family for a few days. We ate well, slept soundly and attended a beautiful Christmas Eve service where my cousin Amy sang in a very impressive choir. Lisa here with my cousin Erik.

Granny on Chrismas Day. Each of us had a few gifts to open and be thankful for. Lisa and I have a couple of new special bits and pieces for our house now. After living with so little for so long (by choice), it was special to give and receive so freely.

The Family decided they would join us for our second Christmas in Minnesota so we embarked upon an intergenerational road-trip crossing into Mum's home state within five hours. Granny got to celebrate with her younger brother and sister, something that hadn't been done for a while, and I had dinner with cousins I hadn't seen for 20yrs. Great Aunty Frieda cooked up an amazing feast which must have taken a long time, others added to the spread with their own specialities. It was definitely winter food for a well-confirmed white Christmas. The photo above is 'big American' breakfast the morning after - I was so busy the night before that I hadn't got the camera out, though plenty of other flashes were going off.

Lisa looking out the window to the lake at Uncle Cal's. All the cousins had walked out on the lake the night before, thick with snow and seemingly thick with ice. I chose not to jump up and down like some of the locals. The temperatures were going nowhere above zero, though the sun shone for the entire time we visited.

With our hosts, Cal and Frieda. The locals appreciated Lisa having shovelled the path and driveway the night before. I watched from behind a steamed window.

On our way to Minneapolis Laurie took us on a detour through both Arlington, to visit Granny's sister Fayetta and then through Glencoe, where my mum grew up. This is the Brewery building where the family lived for years and held their mink farming business before building a beautiful family home across the road. All their old land has been subdivided now and there is quite a community of fancy houses and golf course.

We were accompanied by Amy, Laurie and Granny into Minneapolis where they treated us to a suite at the Hilton! We visited the Mall of America where Laurie insisted we ride the roller coaster. Granny joined us and chatted away as the carriages were flung left, right, up and down to just within their tolerances. Granny loved it. I'm not sure how many Grannies get on that ride.

Early the next morning we flew to Phoenix, Arizona. Met by my Aunty Peg and Uncle Fred, we relished the warmer weather - much closer to our comfort zone. I found myself in a peculiar situation. Lisa totally lost her voice and I was thrust into the position of primary conversationalist. Lisa continued to sit forward and motion to say something but no sound would come out. It reinforced my knowledge of what a great listener I am. Fortunately, a few good meals and plenty of fine wine soothed Lisa's larynx back into working order and I could resume my place in the shadows. Lisa is pictured with (American) Chinese take away in boxes - something on her '100 things to do before I die' list.

The Listener, here in the kitchen with Fred, Becky, Molly, boyfriend Jarrod and Peg. Below, Lisa looking down over the valley where we had Chinese the night before.

New Year's Eve arrived and it was time for Lisa to embark on her cheap flight home to Sydney for three weeks to take care of some business. We wished each other Happy New Year (2pm) at the security gates and I waved as she faded into the crowd. I took a local bus to the Greyhound terminal and boarded a coach headed south for Tucson. It was the first time we had done nearly anything separately since June 25. I watched planes taking off as we headed onto the highway. Looking out the window I patted the empty seat next to me, holding down the lump in my throat as her iPod playlist gave me some virtual company. 21 days to go.