Tuesday 15 March
We fly with Delta from Quebec to New York. We are reminded at just how ordinary US airlines are, we really are spoiled with Virgin and Qantas in Australia. However it is a short enough flight (2 hours) and then into JFK which seemed very quiet. But an Emirates flight landed at much the same time as us we guess, since there is an enormous blended queue at immigration. And, one booth open. We stand in a queue for more than an hour before we pass through the actual screening process quite quickly. Clearly there are others who look more terrorist like than us.

We booked our Airbnb apartment on the upper west side a year ago. We chose this area because many of our friends have now moved here, from further downtown – primarily the Village and Chelsea. But also because we are not as familiar with this area as we are with the others, and from here we can get to know Central Park intimately with a walk each and every morning. That’s the plan.
We identified this apartment because there is a lift in the building (and a year ago Christine was not doing stairs), a functioning kitchen, a decent sized living space (in case we want to entertain) and a bedroom which allows access from both sides of the bed.

We arrive by cab to our home for the next month in W90th St, between Central Park West and Columbus. A dream location. But, we’re not as thrilled as we had hoped to be. The place is a little tatty

the bed is jammed up against a wall and so high that we have to sort of roll into it on our backs. Literally, it is 150cm high!

Here it is again with a desk height chair to give it some perspective

Over the next few days we will get very adept at gymnastics, as we make our way into and out of this bed. And you can only imagine the manoeuvres when the one by the window needs to get out of bed without disturbing the one not by the window! Suffice to say such a manoeuvre is impossible.

The kitchen is t-i-n-y, and one can’t make toast and boil the kettle at the one time for fear of blowing a fuse! There’s very little crockery etc, two only mugs (no cups) and NO wine glasses, but there are 4 (only) emergency a tumblers which will do!! The furniture is all old and tatty

And, in contrast to the bed, the sofa is unbelievably low, at 45cm high. 45cm! Can you imagine Christine getting out of that? Only three options we have discovered…..Cherrie hauling, block and tackle (as yet unsourced) or bum-shifting to the corner where we have placed the desk from the bedroom as a self-hauler. The latter is the most commonly used and always accompanied by much deep breathing and huffing and puffing. My, this is going to test the knee.

Needless to say, our plans for entertaining go right out the window. But on the plus side our ‘host’ is a very charming director of alternative film and theatre who is keen to make sure we are as comfortable as we can be. He even went out and bought an iron and ironing board for us when I enquired about them. He’s a bloke….he sends his laundry out!

Wednesday 16 March
We head out early to Christine’s chiropractor appointment, then get a local sim card for Christine’s mobile (cell) phone and walk, walk, walk before grocery shopping and returning to home. We get in about 2pm and unpack fully for the first time in a month and, oh the joy of access to a washing machine and dryer (in the building basement). It’s the little things that thrill! Even if there is nowhere to hang our clothes, we make do with a little imagination. We’ll get used to this place, and have already moved furniture around to make it more practical for us. We want to be sure to eat in more than out so we have to find a way to make it work. Wild Atlantic salmon for dinner, home cooked under very trying circumstances, but palatable.
Then we discover Netflix and watch Ep 1 of Season 4 of House of Cards. Uh oh….

Thursday 17 March
Cherrie has woken up crook as a chook. She reckons it’s a result of those coughing Emirates passengers in the immigration queue. She remains tucked up in bed all day. Christine sets herself an almost insurmountable challenge to cook soup for the infirm in the almost completely unmanageable kitchen…but stuff is moved onto the sitting room floor to free up bench space and carrot soup is cooked. And consumed. A good sign.

Christine goes for a long walk around the neighbourhood. Down 90th and along Amsterdam and Columbus reveals more eating places, some bottle shops (always a relief to know they are nearby) and clearly a Jewish community. Further down to the low ‘80’s is Irish territory and today is St Patricks Day. It’s all a bit raucous for an Australian retiree and so she heads home.

Watching tele, we get lots of Primaries Updates. The Republicans are deeply troubled by Trump and are exploring ways to block his nomination at the July convention. These are unchartered waters, but there are an awful lot of Republicans who can’t bring themselves to vote for him and so if he ends up being the nominee then it seems that many GOP members will either not vote at all in the November election or move to the Democrats. The general opinion is that Hillary will get the nomination, despite many people liking Bernie Sanders and his socialist policies. They feel that he just doesn’t have the power to engage Congress, whereas Hillary does.

We are amused by the TV ads for “Australian Dream Arthritis Cream”. And for “Kangaroo Biscuits”. Both Australia’s favourite apparently.

Climbing into and out of this impossibly high bed is proving problematic but there is no way to lower it or to move it away from the wall to give access. Our only option is to take up training. It’s a bit easier for Christine who is not as vertically challenged as Cherrie. God only knows how we will change the sheets when the time comes. Another challenge to look forward to.

Friday 18 March
Cherrie a little better but not up to going out yet. Christine makes her own way downtown to the Chiropractor again (that Quebec fall had quite an impact on her neck) and potters around a bit. When she gets back at 3pm Cherrie is up and dressed, feeling a little better but not yet ready to go out.
A quiet afternoon in and pasta for dinner. More episodes of House of Cards.
We are planning a walk around Central Park tomorrow with a friend. Snowstorms forecast for Sunday!

Saturday 19 March
Cherrie worse, not better. She now has a savage cough and a fever. Cancel our friend, Central Park will still be there when Cherrie is better. She manages to get down to the consulting chemist on the corner and has now returned home with pills and potions and is tucked up in bed. Christine does some food shopping for later and then heads out again into the fray of Manhattan. She feels bad about leaving Cherrie but is encouraged to do so by the invalid. She alights the subway at Columbus Circle, at the southern end of Central Park and directly opposite Trump Tower. There is a demonstration in Central Park

What could they be demonstrating about?

She walks down to Times Square, just because, and anyway Cherrie hates Times Square. It’s Saturday afternoon and CD can sort of see why Cherrie is not fond. She wanders aimlessly, the boys in blue are out in force

Ice skating

At the Rockefeller Centre

And then returns home, where Cherrie is feeling miserable. More of that home- made soup for lunch and a very quiet afternoon. Until Christine starts to make Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin for dinner, at which time the crashing of the (very few) pots and pans start. Prior to the swearing.

She understands the concept of small apartments and tiny kitchens but this place lacks any order. Christine realises how important order is in her life. This place could be so much more comfortable…..

The Coq Au Vin is palatable, but not a patch on yours, Mary. That was particularly lovely. Mind you, no casserole dish might be one of the issues – who cooks this dish in a saucepan…was Christine mad?

We finish Series 4 of The House of Cards.

Sunday 20 March
Yippee, Cherrie is feeling better. She is up and dressed and we are shortly going to go out for a stroll in Central Park. Mind you, moving slowly. It’s 11.15am and we’re still here, but heading off soon.

Predicted snow storm did not eventuate and it looks like a lovely day. Although we can’t see the street from here, the apartment faces an internal courtyard, which we can’t see either since we are on the 4th floor but we can see this, which we think is rather cute

The advantage of looking out over the street is that you can see what people are wearing and how rugged up they are. The weather has been very mild really, just jumpers and a coat. No need for hat and gloves. The Michelen man has lost weight!
It’s also a quiet apartment, we hear no traffic noise but we do hear the constant rumble of the helicopters. Perhaps Central Park is the attraction?

Out into the fray, to see what delights New York offers us today, before dinner with a friend tonight.