Catching Up

It’s been a while but I finally have some gumption to write a post. For those of you that have ever attempted a blog or the like will know what I mean. I’ve been very well since the last entry but have had no desire to write an update until now!

We’re in New York right now until the end of the year. I fly out to Melbourne on January 1. I’ll initially be staying with my friend Narelle in Melbourne until I get my bearings. Depending on work Roel may be able to join me sometime in January! I’m currently just bumming around and being a good housewife. Navigating the Medicaid system was a full time job. I finally now have a complete application submitted. I now wait 45 days for a response. Wait a minute...I’ll be in Australia by then. ha

Soo what I been up to since Oct 8? Well on Oct 9 I flew out to Winnipeg to for a much needed and overdue visit to my old stomping grounds. I stayed at my parent’s house for 2+ weeks. I managed to see a lot of my brother Chad and his family which was a treat. I also managed to see Janet, Von and Teresa multiple times! Overall I had a great time and saw too many old friends and family members to mention. My most treasured times were at home playing late night games with mom and dad and being able to spend grown-up time with Chad & Crystal. Of course it was so nice to see the nieces Marissa & Tyra again as well.

Roel joined me in Winnipeg on Oct 23. He was himself...how can you not love the guy? Passionate, expressive, emotional, endearing. We discovered he loves mom’s homemade salsa and playing the card game Golf. We also had a great time playing racquetball with dad.

I had a few sessions of racquetball with dad. A very nice change of pace from our regular eating and sitting around.

Oh! I also brought Roel on a tour of Rosenort and surrounding area. The highlight would have been touring my old high school and bumping into aunt Gwen. Wraithe was kind enough to take time to give us the official escorted tour!

Other stuff that’s happened since getting back to NY from the Manitoba trip:

-Peter from Vancouver came to visit Roel & I and see The Big Apple

-I found a good jogging route, about 1.25-1.5 miles. Not being physically active is not a good thing for my back so at least I have this. Well, I also play once a week with Roel on a co-ed Urban team...not exactly the kind of volleyball that will sharpen our skills though.

-Roel danced and rehearsed endlessly for an awesome piece in the New York City Carnival “Choreographer’s Ball” dance show. He worked with a choreographer named Phlex (he has choreographed for the best as far as dance goes: Beyonce, Britney...you get the idea). I got to sit in on a practice and also dress rehearsals. Interesting to see how it all comes together from behind the scenes. I also taped the show on my camera and will try to remember to bring it with me wherever I go in case any of you want to see it. :D

-We celebrated Roel’s bday on Oct 28!!

-I went to MoMA (museum of modern art): highlights...being underwhelmed with Jackson Pollock, blown away by Picasso and appreciative of Van Gogh. Many other cool things but mostly I discovered that six floors of modern art is more than enough for me.

-We got our wedding bands!!! Plain, simple, beautiful. Fell in love with the one at Tiffany’s but found a very affordable and similar alternative. Yay!

-Roel booked the Thanksgiving NFL Motown Tribute halftime show on Nov 26 in Detroit!! How amazing is that?! Game starts at 12:30 ET on FOX. Don’t miss it!

-Booked flights back home to Winterpeg for a few days over christmas

-Took in a NY Knicks game! :D Thanks Bob!

-We saw West Side Story (so lame) and Wicked (fantastic!) both on Broadway. It was about time we won a ticket lottery. We have probably tried more than a dozen times. If you win the lottery you get front row seats for $25. They reserve 18 tickets per show.

-I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and back, strolled around Wall Street, the New York court houses & City Hall buildings

-We’ve seen a few movies including Precious (Roel took me on opening night when it was in limited release on a surprise date night!) and The Blind Side. Both great movies.

-Other than that I’m in charge of cooking and cleaning and I love it

At the moment I’m sitting in a quaint coffee shop in Red Bank, NJ while Roel does a Saturday seminar at a store. We were up at about 6:30am to rent a car. It’s a cute city on the coast. The downtown streets are lined with little shops and restaurants. The facade hasn’t changed in a hundred years I’m sure.

I’ll share a few pictures...

Roel and I with my bro’s two girls at YWG. Marissa & Tyra.

I was drawn to this space and felt at ease, a certain comfort. I couldn’t put my finger on it but I wanted to linger by this block. I didn’t know why I felt this sort of connection until I had passed. Punch line: because it was a parking lot. Perhaps simply because you just don’t see open lots like this in New York. I know this may seem like a waste of space and picture in the blog but this is one of those things I wanted to record for myself. So there!

Brooklyn Bridge shot.

Fall at City Hall