Mums Visit, a.k.a. the last three weeks...

Hello, one and all... OK... So I know I owe you all a massive, REAL catch up, but first I'd like to say thank you, to all of you who have stayed in contact with us either via phone or e-mail or skype during this time of no-blogging... We still miss everyone so very much and it does mean so much to us when we catch up with you all, so I'd like to thank DebBurnieNikkiSteve, DadJosieKat, Esmae, Jen, Eoin, Kath, Simon Tys, Paul and Anh, Fel, Bianca (every time I miss you guys I look again at the album you sent us of Taj and read what you wrote in back... We miss you both so much!!!). And a special shout-out to my Mum who is the most recent person to come visit us in The Big Apple... despite how far and expensive it is (I say go into debt for it, people, Daniel and I TOTALLY make it worth it!!!!!!!). We had a wonderful time and I will now write the longest blog EVER telling you all what we did over the two weeks she was here, and showing you all an absurd number of pictures!!!!!

The day after Mom arrived, we went down to Coney Island - known for it's boardwalk, sideshows and freaks. Coney Island was hosting It's annual Mermaid Parade... and it was a BLAST!!!!! Above it a taste of all the wonderful Parade Walkers... There was actually a lot more nudity and partial nudity than this picture implies...
After the parade had passed us, we went down onto the sand-type stuff (I just really can't call it a beach) and lounged in the sun with our good friend, Brad!!!
And, I discovered an up-side of living in a city swarming with illegal immigrants... they are extremely resourceful about earning even the smallest amounts of money.... so, as we lounged on the "sand", lovely Mexican families kept coming up to us and selling us corona's out of their backpacks filled with ice... It was AWESOME!!!!!! Not only drinking on the beach, but not even having to STAND UP to get them!!!!!!!! Sometimes I just love this lazy country!!!
It was a WONDERFUL day... we had so much fun... and the sun was shining bright on us till about 7:30pm... it was GREAT!!!!
This is what I like to call... "My CORONA Ad!!!!".
We had such a fun day... see??? See how beatiful??? (I would, at this time, like to appologize to all of you in Australia currently experiencing a particularly nasty, cold, ugly winter for showing you all such wonderful, amazing and gorgeous photos of us having so much fun in the sun...)
It was also very nice to, for once, NOT be the craziest people in the area... It really was a freaky day... But, oh so, very entertaining...
Daniel, also, had a smile plastered all over his face all day.... It was one of those days where everywhere you looked amused you, everyone you saw was so happy that the entire environment was one of joy and excitement... We all had a great (if not VERY exhausting) day...
The next day, we really lay low... Mum and I went for a walk, and a talk (the first of many, which I feel has really had a posative effect on our relationship... We talked through a LOT of stuff and really sorted out a lot of my issues), and we did it mostly in my local park... Lots of walks, it was lovely!!!!
And, then in the following week (which we, of course, had to work through) Mum would often come and meet me at work for lunch!!!!

Sometimes it was easier to get away than other times...

But it was always lovely to sit and chat for an hour...
Then, on Wednesday night, we went to Amateur Night at the Apollo again.
It was JUST as wonderful as every other time... Mum had a BLAST!!!!!! She also adored the architecture of the theatre... It really is amazing...
* shhhhh... we weren't meant to be using our cameras inside the theatre... no flash or anything.... shhhhhhh.... also, don't tell anyone that our camera SUCKS compared to Mum's... Not that it's obvious or anything... hahahahaha..... sshhhhhh*
There was ONE surprising difference to every other time I've gone... despite being in the VERY top balcony, I was called down onto the stage to compete in a soul-train-esque dance-off... We all know I never stood a chance, but I can now say I've "performed" (I use the term loosely) on the stage of the Apollo Theater!!!!!
Also, I must say, I feel a small sense of pride that instead of playing something like "play that funky music white boy" or "who let the dogs out", they backed up my dancing with Destiny's Child's "Bootyliscious"... yesssssssssss....
I know with the spot-light I just look like a faceless, white shape.... don't worry, that's how all the audience would have seen me too.... hehehe...
While Mum was here we also spent a LOT of time going to Museums because if you know when to go, they are free and also, even when you have to pay, it's one of the most enjoyable cheap things this city has to offer...
So, on Friday night (and this is still Mum's first week here) we went to MoMA - The Museum of Modern Art... This is probably Daniel's favorite Museum, although we haven't been to the Guggenheim yet....
Daniel and I love MoMA because there are several peices that each of us can get lost in, and a TON that he and I love to discuss and debate over (but, dear LORD, please don't get us started again on Warhol's Soup Cans!!!!!!!)

This is me in front of Daniel's all-time favorite painting, Monet's Waterlillies - the big one... Daniel could sit in front of it for hours, he just gets lost in it...
There is a conceptual piece That takes up a huge wall raising about two or three stories up... It is a lot of simple and very funny political cartoons... I love it so much because a lot of them are puns...I do have such a weakness for a good pun!!!!!

I love it.... "RELAX... I PROTECT YOU!!!!!"

Aaaahhhhhhh-hahahaha-haha-hah-ha.... Sooooo PUNNY!!!!!!!

We also saw a bit of the town with Mum, took her around some of the streets in Mid-Town...

Sometimes the beauty of this city still takes my breath away... it really is stunning!!! We are so lucky to call this place home!!!

We went to the cinema (which when you go see a movie there, you can go up onto the roof... it's BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!! Daniel, despite his vertigo, really loves it up there)...

Yes, signage doesn't lie... Daniel is MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We topped off the week by heading down to the Museum of Natural History on the Saturday...

where we had a fascinating and educational time...

Mum and I in the middle of a Galaxy and I absolutly LOVED the Marine hall (below)...

It really is a stunning Museum, the actual building is amazing... However, it was NOTHING like the movie, A Night at the Museum... which I actually found out is set at that Museum, 20 YEARS AGO!!!! So, the Museum has TOTALLY changed... Anyway, it was still a beautiful day...
Brad ended up meeting us there and coming back to ours for dinner and Pictionary... Fun times!!!!!
Bradley and I with our Nebula... I don't quite know what's shocking him so greatly, but I'm obviously not worried about it...
And after such a big first week (and a few more emotional talks... I sware I was just THROWING baggage RIGHT out!!!!!), on the Seventh Day, they rested!!!! We took another stroll in that beautiful park... And had a nice dinner at home...We were also blessed with the most fabulous weather while Mum was here too, warm without being KILL US HOT!!!!! The days were sunny and gorgeous!!!
Then Monday came and I was SICK!!!! Mum thinks it was emotional overload... So many poisonous and destructive feelings and thoughts finally leaving my body and I had a bit of a physical breakdown. So I called in sick to work (I couldn't even walk, I was all dizzy and groggy) and Mum looked after me all day...
Then we very slowly left the house that afternoon, another small stroll in the park, through to our old neighborhood (I showed her Bennett Park, around the corner from our old house!!!)

We took it very slowly... paused and took a LOT of photos and even had a few rests...

It was just so pretty... like something out of a fairy tale.

Mum really fell in love with that Park (for those of you who want to look it up on Google Maps or anything... It's called Fort Tryon Park, and it's such a lovely little haven in our questionable neighborhood)... We stopped and smelled the roses and watched squirrels scamper, and there was a swarm of butterflies that came out of nowhere... little beautiful white ones...
The great thing about this trip of Mum's was that she not only got to do really touristy things, like the Museums and Apollo but also got to "live" a bit of New York life... such as riding the INCREDIBLE subways... getting hot and sticky... or in this case, watching ME do it!!!
On this afternoon, we went to meet Daniel after work and go down to Brooklyn, to walk back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. We were told that there was a FABULOUS little cafe/restaurant that we just HAD to try (at least have a drink at) just under the Brooklyn Bridge before we took the walk over... We did try but were turned away because Daniel wasn't wearing a jacket. And (knowing that places with this policy generaly have jackets on hand that they allow patrons to borrow... Thankyou Seinfeld!!!) I asked if they had one for Daniel to use... However, they keep those reserved for people with reservations... which we did not have. I was tempted to go outside and call from my cell to MAKE a reservation, but Daniel and Mom both refused to allow me to do this. Personally I think anybody making a reservation at a place like that would probably KNOW that a dinner-jacket was required, but whatever...
We instead went and got an ice-cream and sat on the pier watching the light change... just as good if you ask me... well... it was still lovely, anyway...
It was really stunning and we could have stayed and watched the sun go down, but the Bridge was right above us and to awesome to resist!!!!

It really is an amazing bridge....

We had a lovely stroll, the three of us, and it was a fabulous way to end a REALLY exhausting couple of days... Tuesday, I was well enough to go to work and then Wednesday was the Fourth of July!!!!
Now, I don't know why we celebrated Independence Day by going to the Metropolitan Museum but we did!!! It was a fabulous day, and even if we didn't have a bbq and set off firecrackers, we at least ate hot-dogs... and I certainly dressed the part!!!!
I will, however make another entry for the Fourth, because it should be set apart....
The most important thing about Mums trip is that, for the first time in a REALLY long time, she and I connected and healed a LOT of the stuff that was stopping us from really being close.
Mum also had the opportunity to spend such a large amount of time with Daniel and I that we all just were able to enjoy each others company. We had great meals and really enjoyed enjoying the city together...

This is Mum in a restaurant we ate at in Little Italy... Cheap and GREAT food.

Mum got to see our home and our neighborhood, as well as were Daniel and I work.

This is us in front of Daniel's office... us, in true Manhattan!!!

But, best of all, Mum was able to enjoy watching Daniel and I in OUR city, happy and in a REALLY good place in our lives and our marriage... This trip of hers did a lot for all of us. We all gained something from this time... Mum got an amazing New York experience as well as an insight into her daughter and her life and marriage...
But, best of all...
I got back a love and appreciation for my Mum... We have the beginnings of a great relationship, again, and I couldn't be happier!!!!!!!

As always, we miss you all tremendously. Hope this exorbitantly long entry finds you all well.
Love, as always, from Daniel and Taliesen!!!!!