For the early birds

 What is this mess you say?  Nesting supplies for the early birds.  It's all contained in a little metal birdhouse I bought for a buck a while back.  I had planned to use it for a felting project, but couldn't get my mojo going.  Then I realized it would work very well for the backyard birds.  I stuffed it with fiber, twigs and a few yarn scraps and hung it in the pine tree on the side of the deck.  It should be hidden well enough to protect it from the prying eyes of the condo code enforcers...I'm pretty sure.

So yesterday I took the train down to Manhattan to meet Big City Girl for a birthday lunch.  Feeling adequately (but who knows?) protected now that I'm 3 weeks out from my second shot, I was more than ready for a little outing.  The passenger load was light and I had a row to myself.  I met BCG by the Grand Central clock and gave her a big hug!  It felt wonderful.

We walked a short ways up Park Avenue to our usual spot for lunch--the Park Avenue Tavern--and we both had the BEC.  That's the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a big fresh croissant--with a side of their special home fries.  Apparently, it's well known to be the NYC hangover remedy--not that I needed it.  It's been a mostly-sober pandemic.

Then off we went, following behind a man and his so-ugly-he-was-cute bulldog, to Bryant Park next to the NYC library.  BCG had told me the two lions had been wearing masks, but no longer.  I think that's a good sign.

We sat in the park and chatted for a couple of hours and got all caught up on stuff.  She has a new cat since last I blogged.  She named her Tiny--the name she came with, and very descriptive.  I have, maybe sadly, become like Tiny's grandmother.  She has a crocheted cat cave, and a felted catnip mouse--both thanks to me.  She doesn't use the cave, and I guess she's one of those cats that's not affected by catnip.  But if you know how cats are, she'll probably try out the cave in her own good time.  Or it will become a wastebasket.

The train ride home was also sparse of passengers, and I was happily expecting some quiet time.  But as soon as we rolled out a couple of young women in the back began to sing and giggle, and the train wheels started squeaking.  I was just too tired to get up and walk to another car so I sat there and pretended I was at the symphony...