City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York.

As February has given the stage over to March, I would like to thank all of you who have left comments on my prior post, and to present a bit of a catch up.

After the February snow was cleared away, our weather warmed up, and it was a pleasure to take some walks in Central Park.

Not many flowers besides snowdrops and aconites were blooming.

On Sunday afternoons it was fun to observe international fashions while strolling along a pathway by the lake.  Ducks swam in the lake.  

Meanwhile, I'd also been knitting, keeping up with current news developments, conferring with friends, calling and writing to my elected governmental officials, and participating in rallies and marches.  Those of you all who visit my instagram page will be able to see a video I filmed at a rally a few weeks ago.

Last Sunday, I participated in a rally and march to honor Freedom of the Press.  The rally began at the HQ of the New York Times, and then the group continued over to the Fox Network's News Corporation building and then walked over to NBC's Rockefeller Center HQ.  

Each of the rallies in which I have participated have been friendly gatherings.  When I left last Sunday's demonstration, I decided to walk home.  It was a sunshiny day and I enjoy walking.

Fate intervened.  I stumbled on an uneven patch of sidewalk and had a hard fall. My forehead struck the sidewalk with a sound I will always remember.  My right hand struck metal grating that delivered a two inch laceration to my right hand.  I am thankful to be left-handed and to be able to type this post.  Gentlemen working at a nearby Halal food cart immediately came to my assistance.  They helped me up, poured bottled water over my bleeding finger, wrapped that finger in a mass of paper napkins, and flagged down a taxi that took me to the emergency room of Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital.

My hand was x-rayed, treated and sewn together with eight neat stitches.  My poor noggin received a CAT scan.  It was determined that it was safe for me to go home.  And so I did, via another cab.

Since then, I have been quite a homebody, taking required antibiotics, regularly applying my friendly ice pack, and changing the bandage on my finger every morning.  I visited my primary care doctor on Tuesday, and will see a "hand specialist" doctor on Monday.  It has been so weird to watch the migration of colors across my face.  Sort of Francis Bacon meets Lucian Freud.

The actual pain has been minimal, and I took only one of the prescribed pain relief tablets.  My friends have rallied to my assistance, yet so far I have found I'm able to handle my reduced daily requirements.  On Wednesday, March 1, I began this year's Lenten chocolate fast.

I found an old, long unused, pair of large black sunglasses that I've been wearing whenever I leave my apartment...even to check my mailbox in the building's lobby.  Would not want to frighten my fellow tenants.  The building staff have been very helpful to me

A few weeks ago, I bought a large pot of hyacinth bulbs, and it has been a comforting pleasure to watch the flowers come into full bloom, bringing their delicate scent.  Today I snipped off the final two stems, and placed them in this pretty little cup, given to me some years ago by two artist friends.  I think this picture is a happy image with which to end this post.

I'm greatly looking forward to regaining full use of my right hand, and to setting aside my ice pack.  I miss reading, drawing, knitting, but am still able to keep track of developing news.

Again, many thanks to you all for your visits and comments. I hope to be catching up on your recent posts very soon.