City Views, Country Dreams

A late good Sunday evening from New York.

We are still having our iffy spring moments, interspersed with hints of summer. And then, some sort of shower squall passes through and we regress. This morning I wore one of my "vintage" handknit, by me, jumpers out to do what I had to do.

Within the hour, the day warmed, and I wished that I had put on a lighter layer. But no time to return home, had to press on.

This was a beautiful New York day. My neighborhood had a street fair going on Amsterdam Avenue, and also a bit of vehicle/pedestrian contretemps (UPL, did I get that remotely correct?) was ongoing as the annual AIDS walk NY crossed the City.

It was to be a day off, and I did observe that status by not getting up any earlier than I truly wanted to. But then. I remembered that I had not made a proper list of what needed doing before I went to the shop this afternoon, prior to this evening's informal baby shower for my truly wonderful assistant manager.

Thrilled to report that I had managed to delegate some of the catering duties relating to this evening's gathering to two of my staff. They did a very good job. I am delighted.

We invited all staff from other NYC shops to come to the shower, and up to the 11th and 1/2 hour were still fielding phone calls re who would/would not attend.

This speculative aspect created a bit of a challenge to my two wonderful staff members who handled the catering.

Pleased to report that all was swell. Food arrived on time, beautifully arranged, and plentiful enough. We had lots of bubbly already in the house and in the fridge. I got some alternative beverages (various organic juices) for the mom-to-be.

Thrilled that some staff members, whose day off it actually was, did show up. Also, we had lovely arrivals from the shop location that mom-to-be and I worked at prior to our current team-up.

Best yet, mom-to-be's handsome husband honored us with his handsomeness, wit, and just great personality. Everyone that wasn't working at our shop today started gathering within a half-hour of the shop closing hour. It was fun to set up our buffet tables, bring out the flowers, the bubbly. And the lovely wrapped gifts, which, when opened later on in our party, displayed a real variety of choice. (Gift certificates from shops, to zen buddhist talismans, to Tibetan silk shawls, to all sorts of baby clothing and toys, to breast-feeding helps, to lovely treats for the new mother like chocolate (!) bubble bath, scented candles and lotions.

Sometimes I feel that my staff do not connect. This evening, at the shower, they connected absolutely. And other folks that know of my assistant from our years together, also contributed in beautifully creative ways. It was a lovely Sunday evening. Lots of digital camera photos were taken and lots of very funny words were spoken , and we were all together.

What more could we ever wish for?

The little baby boy that will be born in mid June (Gemini) will have many good wishes sent to him from folks who have worked along, and well know, what a wonderful mother and father he has. Gives me hope for the future, that this wife and husband will soon be a mother and father.

Pleasant dreams to all.