An affair to remember (and to forget a few things)

Highlights and lowlights of NYC (in no particular order):

* Taking the first road trip with girlfriends in almost four years.
* Arguing over whether the outer casing of a corn kernel can be called a husk as well.
* Walking the "runway" at Bryant Park.
* The fabulous shoes and handbags at Saks.
* The word "fabulous."
* Wishing we had the dolls and accessories at the American Girl store.
* The street hot dogs, pretzels and cashews.
* Seeing the Project Runway designs at the Hershey's store and thinking they look horrible in person.
* Trying to get my photo with the entire Empire State Building right next to the Empire State Building.
* Walking from Grand Central Station to Battery Park, then limping from Times Square to Mormon Temple.
* Realizing that I might never walk again.
* Seeing the original manuscript of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road." Thanks to Julie, I know what that is.
* Trying to find Rachel in Chinatown among a throng of large African (I mean, straight off the plane from Africa) men whispering, "Coach, Chanel, Prada."
* Buying knock-off handbags in Chinatown just to be able to say that we bought knock-off handbags in Chinatown.
* Finding out that DSW in New York has the same shoes as DSW in Arlington.
* Feeling humbled at Ground Zero.
* Singing "The Scotsman" in the middle of Battery Park at the top of our lungs in an effort to get the Statue of Liberty men to dance.
* Taking my first cab ride!
* Eating the absolute best gelato "in the land" (as Julie calls it) at il laboratorio del gelato.
* Eating some OK pizza.
* Losing Rachel's cell phone somewhere in this space of time.
* Finding a dead rat on the side walk as we searched for a cab. Classic.
* Seeing the beautiful flower outfits on models of iconic models in the windows at Macy's.
*** Deciding at the last minute to jump in the same section of Macy's revolving door as Julie and Rachel.
* Tearing up in laughter after all three of us (we were a very tight sandwich) struggled to keep that revolving door going.
* Laughing until we couldn't speak anymore in bed at 1:30 a.m., remembering that cozy revolving door situation.
*** Screaming the entire way to Times Square in a petty cab (guy named Omar in bicycle with chariot behind him).
* Watching Julie jump into the arms of the Naked Cowboy.
* TBS.
* Taking my first shaky steps the next morning and realizing that I might just be able to walk again.
* Holding Ethan again only to find him reaching for Ryan.
* Knowing my husband and my son bonded during my short furlough.