I woke this morning to the sounds of the bells from the Catholic Church next door. What a pleasant way to wake up. It was 7:00. I pretended just for a moment that I was back in Europe. 35 years ago Jimmy and I traveled there and most of the churches had bell towers. This tiny church on West 32nd Street with the copper steeple sits squashed between giant high-rises but when the bells ring out it temporarily blocks the harsh noise from the streets below. Some of the rooms on the backside of the Hope Lodge face the steeple, unfortunately not ours.
After we finally got going today we decided to explore and take a walk. Jimmy wasn't feeling it but he did anyway and he is glad he did. We walked to High Line, a linear park built on an elevated section of an abandoned portion of New York Central Railroad. We ended up walking 4 1/2 miles in all at a leisurely pace.
When we got back to the Hope Lodge it was still so nice out. There is a terrace off the 6th floor guest area. It has been too cold in the past to stay out there for long. Today they moved the furniture back out. I walked out and sat looking at all the busy and sometimes crazy people below. I can see the Empire State Building in the distance and the beautiful copper Gimbels Bridge. It's prettier if you look up rather than street level around here. Pretty soon the pots will have plants growing and the patio will be more inviting for people. I still find it incredibly lucky that we will be able to stay in this facility after Jimmy is discharged from the hospital. When people give to the American Cancer Society this is just one example of where that money goes. The Hope Lodge will be a peaceful temporary home where Jim can concentrate on recovery.
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