Random Five Friday

 

Greetings from Columbus Avenue! It's Random Five Friday. 

It's still Friday, at least for a few hours, and it's time to catch up on the odds and ends of the week. It's certainly not my pre-Covid life, and I still have downs amid the ups, but I'm really enjoying being outdoors and walking and bus riding beyond my immediate neighborhood. 

1) My trips this week have included two visits to my favorite post office branch with eBay sales. I found these hearts on a construction wall on my post office excursion this morning. I followed my visit with a trip across town to Target and picked up groceries. This may be my favorite picture of the week. 

2) When I retired seven years ago my retirement gift from my colleagues was a generous cash gift that I used for an iPad. Late last summer it stopped working and even the Apple store couldn't get it going again. I decided to see if I really needed to replace it and held off getting another one. In January I realized I did want one and decided to wait until after No-Spending January was done. My plan was to visit the Apple Store and see the different models when I got back from Sedona at the end of February. At the end of February a million other things took precedence and I was fine with my computer and my phone -- for awhile. 

  My iPad and beautiful case from CAM Creations

I bought my self a new iPad for my 70th birthday and then I couldn't resist treating myself to this quilted case from CAM Creations. Everything is handmade by Carolyn, the mother of my dear friend Melissa, and the work is terrific. There is a wonderful array of fabric and they are able to custom size any book sleeve or cover for electronic devices. 

3) Hurricane Iasias spent three hours in New York City, but had a big impact. There were lots of trees down and there are parts of the city still without power four days later. Connecticut had more damage and my cousins outside of Hartford don't expect to get their power restored until Tuesday. A huge thank you to the electrical crews who have come from other parts of the country to help out the Northeast. 

Caution tape is never a good sign and very sad around trees.

 After the storm, Tuesday afternoon, in Riverside Park. 

4) Happy to see that more places are opening up again and the streets are livelier. This was my most recent find on Broadway, across the street from Lincoln Center.

5) I had planned to write about Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks on Wednesday. I had also planned to finish (re)reading it by then, too. I didn't finish it until last night and though it took longer than anticipated, it was time well spent. I'm planning to begin an occasional Wednesday feature, Words for Wednesday, where I write about books. My first Words for Wednesday will be this week with my thoughts on Year of Wonders. Sneak preview: It's an extraordinary choice for this moment in the universe. 

There's one more post for this week and it's the Pink Saturday post. What are your plans for the weekend? Do you still feel as though there is a weekend? 

As ever, thanks for visiting. Take good care and keep cool!