thursday

i spent the morning with aurélien and minerva while kendall sat in the car since it was an alternate side parking day.

babysitting

 

 

back from an event at school . . 

playground date

 

after this morning's music together class, i took aurélien to the playground (making sure to pick up a cup of green tea and a slice of banana bread on my way) (and, yes, filling in for a nanny again - are they dropping like flies?) 

this fellow is so friendly and always has a smile, a wave and a hello for everyone.

the music class was at greenwich house music school, which i haven't been in for about . . fifteen years? it felt strange and i couldn't remember where the stairwell was for the second floor! or maybe i was just disoriented from struggling with the stroller and wearing a mask (it interferes a little with my vision as it causes my glasses to be slightly askew).

a sunday poem for february

 

 february twilight

 

i stood beside a hill

smooth with new-laid snow,

a single star looked out

from the cold evening glow.

 

there was no other creature

that saw what i could see--

i stood and watched the evening star

as long as it watched me. 

by sara teasdale  (1884 - 1933)

 

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kendall's nannies have been canceling due to illness or death in the family. it's been a bit worrisome! this morning chanda and i stepped in and since chanda overbooked herself, aurélien went with her to her charge's drum lesson. i took over when they returned (he's smiling at greg standing to my left).

babysitting

what a rainy day it was today!!! and it felt so cold, especially after the gorgeous monday that was yesterday. kendall's nanny called in sick so reinforcements were needed. aurélien hadn't slept well and hadn't napped the day before, and it looked like he was going to repeat the pattern today. i ended up pushing him in the stroller around the neighborhood, block after block after block . . hoping he would nod off for at least an hour's nap. of course the drizzle intensified and by the time he did finally nod off, i was quite wet (thankfully, his stroller had a good hood as i had refused the plastic tarp when starting out). with him asleep, i slipped through the open door of the new bakery and ordered a cappuccino and a slice of whole wheat flax seed banana bread (soooo good).

uh oh. what's this? someone is awake already?! (sigh) c'est la vie! i think he slept for 30 to 45 minutes, and i managed to wheel him to the apartment with only one hand on the stroller and the other holding the still warm cappuccino.

it was a fun time and greg helped me get back to kendall's where i stayed over to help with dinner and a bath and then bed.

saturday babysitting and korrina's spacecat socks

my friend's daytime nanny was sick today, so i filled in until the nighttime nanny arrived. we first picked up vegetables from the farmer's  market (and talked to the pigeons) . . 

and then went to the river park to see the dogs at the dog run and to walk the long pier as it was an incredibly clear day.

it was also incredibly windy and aurélien did not like that!

the playground was much better . . 

as was visiting the cats . . 

and feeding them some baby snacks.

figaro tried to eat it, but ultimately decided it wasn't tasty enough.

greg (who arrived home this afternoon) helped me get the baby back for 6 pm dinner before he fell asleep in the stroller . . thank goodness.

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korrina's saturday instagram post (wearing her christmas socks from meow parlour).

thursday errands

i went uptown to help kendall with some errands, and was able to run over in the rain to the migrant kitchen for some empanadas and a carnitas shawarma wrap, and a free coffee (we shared it and all was sooo good!).

a little waiting room time . . 

a room with a view of the river and the whitney museum on the left from the hotel kendall will rest at, pre-surgery.

aurélien is really enjoying looking at his books these days!

at home and out and about

figaro keeps extending his range of things he can get into and bat around. he now likes to sniff out my little wooden mice on the piano (seen on either side of the photograph) and knock them to the floor. i don't know where he takes them. one is still missing. it might be underneath the stove. 

i met my knitting friend evie today at chelsea square diner for a bowl of matzoh ball soup and a yarn skein gift that she gave me so i can finish a yarn project (short just a few yards wool!).  now i just have to take an hour to finish it!

a view of morgan's walk home from the new design classes which have been interesting and challenging and fun.

 

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helping out with aurélien's bath this evening. tomorrow greg and i will head east to check on the furnace and meet with a neighbor to see about getting a window replaced.

babysitting

morgana and i covered for kendall's nanny today, who couldn't be in as her son was sick. morgan took the morning shift, audrey (who is kind of the substitute nanny) took the afternoon shift, and i took the evening shift. this was aurélien's morning visit with us.

 

he hadn't been over for awhile and i think he was a little bewildered between the cats and us, but he's so good natured and flexible with his different caregivers.

and so this was the ninth day of christmas.

re-organizing

it's cold here again . . we woke to 28 degrees which is typical winter weather (it had gone up to 59 on tuesday). today was a day of re-organizing, since morgan was motivated to go through a lot of our drawers with items we hadn't sorted through for years. old batteries, old camera gadgets, old laundry cards were discarded, books and magazines donated and old papers recycled. we worked all day and a lot got done . . morgana moved bins and stuffed bags into the closet to clear space in the bedroom. it looks good but i'm wondering right now where the christmas tree angel is that had been in a spot where there is now a big bag . . we should be getting the tree tomorrow so i suppose i'll find out.

figaro enjoyed hanging out in the card box.

gifts for kendall and aurélien (three dorling kindersley books, children just like me and celebrations) (and one for janine - loving kindness by sharon salzburg, all wrapped by morgana.)

it was chemo day and i went by to help with aurélien's bath and bedtime in the evening . . just as he was finishing his dinner.

their tree was the perfect size and looked beautiful with its lights.

here janine and kendall are checking on the steak which had smoked too much and set off the smoke detector. luckily, the baby stayed asleep. we had a quiet little celebration on a cold night. the restaurant downstairs was busy with outdoor diners when i arrived, but empty when i left. we're not used to the cold yet . . or we had been but the 58 degree days made us soft again.