The original plan for Sunday was for everyone to come to my place to see the apartment, have some appetizers and then walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to have brunch at Cecconi’s.  I was particularly excited because…

I woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning.  I was particularly excited because this would be a fun-filled weekend.  Danielle and her boyfriend, Shane, are in town.  Pierre and Grant booked…

This has been a quiet but good week.  It is Thursday afternoon and I feel like everything has fallen into place.  I received the three boxes of my belongings from home and my desktop computer Janet sent.  They are unpacked and everything is in place.  At first I thought I had packed too much but the fact is everything fit nicely.  I have just enough personal items to remind me…

Pierre had asked me last week if I would be interested in attending a “book launch” with him at Lincoln Center.  It was advertised through the New York Basque Club because the book was written by a Basque author.  Lincoln Center?  Absolutely.  Pierre warned me…

I woke up thinking today is Saturday and therefore different from the usual Monday through Friday.  I am still not past the weekend-mentality even though it has been 8 years since I retired. Truth is, these days, everyday is the same for me.  I still start the day off with a few games of gin rummy, a look at Instagram and Words with Friends.  I then…

I woke up with the thought of going to mass.  I quickly looked on Maps on my iPhone and found a Catholic Church, St. Peter’s, within .6 of a mile—a 15 minute walk.  I found the times for mass and was set to go to the 11 a.m. service.  It would feel good to start off the day in this manner.  A few minutes later I received a text from…

My days typically consist of working on my computer in the mornings.  Each day I start with ACI making sure that everything is up to date.  I then follow with my personal business and of course, Chino Basque Club.  This has been no different in New York…nor did I expect it would be different.  My duties structure my day and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

After spending 6 wonderful days in the Basque Country, experiencing places never seen, activities never tried and visiting family members for the first time since 2017, I was excited to start my “new’ life in New York City—for the next six months.

Typically, I would be flying to Los Angeles from a stay in the Basque County but this time I am on my way to New York City…to Manhattan to be exact.  I have planned an extended stay for 6 months.  Why?  When asked that question my response has always been because it has been a “…life long dream”  I have always wondered what it would be like to go downstairs for coffee or for lunch or to shop and then just go right back upstairs.  No cars, no fuss, no muss.  But the truth is…I am now wondering just why was it so important to me to do this?