I want a Birthday Do-Over

I was excited to be spending the day before my birthday with our daughter. I bundled the items she left behind when we hurriedly packed to send her off to college. Hurriedly because though we have known for years she was planning to go to college, with COVID, we didn't know if she was actually going to be in a dorm. It has been a roller coaster.

I asked if she preferred to go Saturday or Sunday. Sunday was Club Fair (done virtually) so we went with Saturday. I offered to let her bring a friend (she declined saying she wanted us to herself). 

I don't know what went wrong. Don and I took separate cars so we could leave one on campus (she was happy about that). We brought his new to him car so she could see it (she was less happy about that). 

Conversation was stilted. She insisted on wearing her mask the entire time because we haven't been together in two weeks (yes, she is right, but I still wanted to see her entire face). She yelled at us for being on campus (how were were supposed to get several piles of items to her? She never once offered to meet us a couple of blocks away and haul the stuff herself. Nor did she say "I don't really need sweatshirts," or the other items she requested.)

Questions were met with one word answers. I tried to think of creating open-ended questions, but I've never had to do that with her before.

We went for a walk in the rose garden near her school. We took her grocery shopping (though now that she has a car on campus, it was an unnecessary errand). We took her out to a nice dinner (she kept the mask on to sip her water, but did take it off to eat). 

She had plans with friends at 8. By 7 we dropped her off at her dorm (at least we didn't make her walk home from the restaurant). We plan to see her again in a couple of weeks when her laptop FINALLY arrives, but might just drop it off and enjoy dinner without her.

When Don and I were driving home I complained that didn't go well. I wanted a do-over. I didn't have a plan for a do-over, just that I was feeling disappointed. In the morning we talked through ideas and settled on going into NYC. The weather was perfect, but we didn't have any idea of what to do -- which is often a recipe for disaster.

We drove into NYC (not ready for mass transit, plus street parking is free on Sundays). We headed to the High Line, only to discover you can only enter between noon and 8 with a free timed ticket. It was 11:15 and all the timed tickets were claimed for the day.

Now what?

We headed to Greenwich Village -- a place we have never walked around. Our trips to NYC usually include seeing a Broadway show, or at least walking around Central Park. Mind you, we parked at Broadway and 40th, so we did a lot of walking.

I wanted a nice lunch for my birthday. Instead I had an amazing lunch at Pastis in the Meat Packing District. I was attracted to Pastis over the other restaurants because their huge outdoor dining area was packed. I ha no idea what type of food they served. I knew it would be expensive (it is NYC). Looking at the menu I was in love -- Pastis is a French restaurant. I immediately drooled over the quiche. I encouraged Don to have the Croque Monsieur (grilled ham and cheese) both were served with a small salad (and not pomme frites). We dined outside (as is the only way to dine in NYC these days). Joseph, our masked waiter, made it easy to forget we were living in a pandemic. He was charming and never rushed us. The food was heavenly. It was the lightest, fluffiest quiche I have ever eaten. I told Don this is a meal I will remember for years.

We walked around a little longer before heading home to hear the carillon at The Lawrenceville School. As students are returning this week, and the campus wants to quarantine, this will likely be our last visit for a while. A little birdie told Nina, the woman who plays the carillon, that it was my birthday. She played "Happy Birthday" for me as a treat. It certainly made me smile. 

My parents invited us over for dinner, which was also lovely. There is always the "masks on, masks off" debate, especially hearing stories of how the virus is mostly spread among family members and close friends deemed "safe." It is a tough call we face every day -- it is easier to hear without masks, it is also easier to read facial expressions. As we were meeting for dinner, we had them on part of the time and off part of the time.

In the end, it turned out to be a lovely birthday.

Someone wished me a happy Corona Year Birthday. Hopefully we'll all only have one Corona impacted birthday. As we are nearly six months into the struggle (in my world it started on March 11th as I postponed the gala eight months), I wonder when it will end.