( Photo shown is not mine!!)
We woke up a lot earlier than the older kids were excited about, as we planned to go into Tim Keller's Redeemer church in the city this morning. It was a couple train changeovers, but not too stressful. Such a cold day walking outside!!!!
There was a lot of security getting in to the church. The service was a little more formal than I expected. One of the ushers told us that the trumpeters would be fantastic as, being in New York, they are professional musicians. He was right! There was actually a little note in the order of service reminding us NOT to applaud! Hehe.
Tim Keller was not actually there, but the young guy who spoke, I think, had an IQ of about a gazillion but was able to be really relevant and relate-able.
We were only 3 blocks away from Central Park so decided to get that box ticked! The famous biting NYC wind nipped our naked ears as we hurried to CP.
It was pretty, but covered in snow and so so cold.
We did not stay long.
I would see a lot more and linger in more places if it was just me. But there are those in our group who need a lot more down time and I am aware that this is a holiday- which sometimes requires a slower pace and maybe less boxes ticked. And that is ok.
We had a quick lunch in a cosy cafe to ready ourselves for our afternoon's exertion.
I gave up the idea of Soho, as we were also planning to drop in to see an Aussie family we met at our Lancaster B&B stay.
2 trains, a shuttle and about 10 blocks (lugging a heavy 7 yr old on my back) late, we were at their place. It was lovely to see them and hear an Aussie accent. And drink really really good coffee!!!
We came home just before dark. I reheated all last night's leftover takeaway on the stove as there is no microwave.
On auto pilot (from the broken overheating heaters) when we got home, I flung open all the windows and turned on all the fans and air conditioning units. Imagine our surprise when we started to feel a chill!!!
We think that Ziggy ( the be-dreadlocked, Jamaican proprietor from the reggae/ karaoke bar underneath us who doubles as our maintenance guy) ended up fixing the heater issue. We are rightly cosy now. I think everyone is getting used to our NY digs. Even though it hasn't got a single plug in the house- try washing all the dishes after having to reheat food without a microwave, in a sink without a plug. I am enjoying the neighbourhood here too. We are having a great adventure, I have to say.
That being said, I told the kids that we are having tomorrow off. No trains. I will probably visit the laundromat downstairs nod take a local walk. Nothing else. We will have some soul food at Peaches up the block, and see the New Year in with movies and snacks, till we watch the ball drop in Time Square at midnight. On our last day in NY on New Year's Day, we aim to brunch at said Peaches, go to Ground Zero, Staten Island ferry, and Soho. Then bed and get ready for a 4 am pickup to the airport to Orlando!

New favourite snack: tiny bits of deep-fried crunchy/chewy honey-coated coconut.