monday monologue - sunday adventure

The annual NYC Marathon
pretty much shut down cross town traffic this Sunday 
so I put off a trek across to Madison Avenue 
and went to the GreenFlea on this side of the park  

BUT 
on the way I had 
to wait 
pause at Broadway
as a parade of UPS trucks 
trundled across West 79th Street 
like a herd of elephants 

they 
were accompanied by 
a motorcycle police escort with flashing lights
had I not been talking on my phone at the time
 I would have a photo for you.  

When I got to the GreenFlea 
which is on Columbus Avenue at 77th Street 
I noticed West 77th was blocked off 
by two HUGE dump trucks
I crossed to the Museum side
to check out the Farmer's Market 
and 
there
 the mystery of the UPS Truck exodus 
was solved
  
(dont bother to embiggen, its blurry, sorry)

In all the years I have watched the NY Marathon 
not once
not even 
one single time 
have I ever heard about UPS's participation


What do they do, you ask?  
Well, gentle reader, they schlep

they schlep 
all the Marathon runners' clothing
the things
the sweaters
the hats
the scarves
that the runners wear 
to 
the starting line 
in
Staten Island 


these items are put in plastic bags 
and 
onto the trucks


I learned that 
Girl Scouts volunteer to help load the trucks 
that then head into Manhattan 
to 
West 77th between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue

(the very same street closes the night before Thanksgiving so Macy's employees can inflate the balloons that fly in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) 


I dont understand 
why 
this has never been covered on the local news, 
hey, Michelle Charlesworth, 
how come you and Eyewitness News never covered this aspect of the Marathon?
Major props to you, UPS!

the UPS trucks parade no longer a mystery
I headed to the GreenFlea
where
lots of sunshine
comfortable temps 
brought out 
shoppers, wanderers, 
and 
new vendors

I met 
Brie (apologies if I am spelling it wrong!) and Mike Masterson 


check out 
their fabulous 
house of re-boot 
jackets, pullovers, 
and 
what we Americans call jumpers 
(Mike has his arm around one in that photo, his other arm's round Brie)
not to be confused with the sweater 
Brits call a jumper and we call a cardigan
I digress
click here for details
about how they make some really 
cool looking clothing engineered of 
'excess of fast fashion culture'



Visited with Kitty
who this week was across the aisle from the Mastersons



she designs/sells one of a kind chairs
chaises, ottomans, 
and 
now
pillows!


I like to think
I inspired 
her to make pillows 
when 
I ordered 
two pillow covers 
the fabric I chose 
is not in that pile 
tho I am loving the striped one 
in the middle

I headed home
on the way there was a quick stop at Zabar's
Toonman loves their meatballs
and
a visit to Pet Central to place this week's cat food order
I dont know what is causing it 
but 
both cats seem to have a 'love it less' attitude about their food

Experience 
tells me to wait it out
what they hate today 
tomorrow they will inhale
yet 
the Jewish mother in me 
wants to temp them with new tastes 
especially 
fish with less aspic 
not in gravy or sauce 
and 
no big chunks 
no mushy texture 
please

I'll leave you 
on that note 
knowing 
every pet owner one of you 
is ready with stories of your own food battles 
and how you solved them

I look forward to your comments, gentle reader 

thanks for wading through the blather