I can’t believe it’s been a year already. I was packing up the last of my stuff for my move to NYC last year at this time, moving to NYC just before the New Year. I don’t know that I’m a native, but a year has certainly made NYC a home and an enjoyable place to live, instead of the exciting and slightly overwhelming place I used to visit.
This year I headed via Amtrak and Albany to Keene to celebrate Christmas. We managed to pack gifts, luggage, 4 people, 1 Bloodhound, 1 Airedale and a Bedlington terrier into a Subaru Legacy (a station wagon). I think we could write a new version of a partridge in a pear tree for that. And it wasn’t even that uncomfortable (though we did have to pack light). As always, the trip was worth it. Ba-ba had baked fantastic cookies (including two of my favorites – mocha balls and rum things) and every meal was delicious. The beef tenderloin stands out as amazing though.
Of course, catching up and getting to see everyone was as good as the food. While Ba and my dad played cribbage, the rest of us decorated the tree and the dogs helped a lot (with Holly being the sole representative of the PWDs). Christmas morning got off to a slow start with no kids around and Grandfather not needing to head to Whiteface. It made for an enjoyable and relaxed present opening. Luckily, most of my presents were on the small side since they had to make it back to NYC on the train.
After a final cribbage match on Sunday, we loaded up people and dogs for the drive to Albany. I was going to see Liz but she mentioned an impending snow storm. Totally unawares, I checked the weather to find that overnight upstate was having a snow storm but NYC was to be hit with a blizzard complete with thunder (the new kept calling it thunder snow). Great, I’m sure that won’t affect my morning train into the city. After a 40 minute hold with Amtrak, I learned that only the Boston-NYC line had been shut down, the other tracks were running with some delays and were expected to continue running in the morning.
We awoke to a white world and it was a good thing my train wasn’t going to leave until 11 am. I had to rig a system tying items to my luggage to get some gifts home (I managed to get everything into my system except for one glass item; not too bad for having a dog and a two bag limit). Also, it took a while to get cars started and the driveway clear. The first big storm always leaves a bit to be desired as far as plowing goes on the roads. Some roads didn’t even look like a plow had been by. Another 40 minute hold confirmed the Albany-NYC line was open and running, though a bit late. It turned out that was the only way into (or out of) NYC Monday morning – the commuter rails were all down and the runways weren’t fully cleared yet. Even the bus terminal had been shut down. Guess Amtrak is more reliable than I thought.
The train did arrive in Albany about 15 minutes late and loaded quickly. But my adventures don’t end there. The outside door by my end of the car didn’t close completely so snow started forming drift between the cabins. The café car was through there and I watches as people kept slipping and sliding through the snow covered passage between the cars only to find out our café car wasn’t working – ie nothing hot was available. However, the heat was blowing out without control from the heaters in the cars so the conductors had to turn it off al together, telling people near the doors to put on sweaters if they were getting cold. This was one of many odd messages and conversations going on between the train conductors via the intercom – I think they might have been enjoying some hot toddies. Meanwhile my phone kept sending me updates, telling me that the subways and city buses were being affected by the snow and to check for delays. But we made it to Penn Station.
I come out from the bowels of the station (if you’ve been there you know what I mean) and was faced with a white NY ... and a five foot mountain of snow to climb over (with all my stuff) on the way to my subway station. The sidewalks had been cleared in patches so I dragged, rolled and carried my stuff and dog the block (a long block I would point out) to the subway, where I climbed another snow mountain before descending into the calm and dark of the station, at least some things don’t change. I only had to wait a little while for my train and finally arrived on my island. The buses were suppose to be running infrequent but it didn’t seem worse then normal but the road was horrible so the bus was slow. Since we only have one street there is only one plow and it was a bit overwhelmed by the foot and a half of snow. But Nissa, I and gifts arrived safely and I played hooky for the rest of the day while Nissa romped in the snow. Not too bad for my first NYC blizzard.
Quote of the Post:
Just once, I'd like a regular, normal Christmas. Eggnog, a fuckin' Christmas tree, a little turkey. But, no! I gotta crawl around in this motherfuckin' tin can!
- John McClane, Die Hard 2
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