Well, I left Pittsburgh about 3:15am Saturday
morning. Stopped for breakfast at the Diner at
Tannersville just off I-80 on the eastern edge
of the Poconos. Got to exit 54 in NJ where I
was to meet up with Boron Elgar about 10:15. We
had planned to meet at 11am but I was early. I
tried to dawdle but I'm not constitutionally suited
to driving slowly and I allowed about 8 hours to
get there - only needed 7 which included about an
hour for breakfast.

Boron picked me up about quarter to 11 and we made
our way into the city. We took a little tour to
kill time so we wouldn't be too early. Saw Broadway
and the theater district and some other stuff. Drove
by Zabar's. Saw the Empire State Building from a
distance on the way in but was disappointed not to
see King Kong climbing up the side. (I always picture
it that way. ;-))

So we got to Margaret's and found quite a few others
already there - Stan, Jack, Michael, Sheryl, Marcel,
not to mention Barb and Margaret. Marcel gave me a very
continental kiss on each cheek. He's so suave.

Plowed right into Barb's Polish sausages and and other
goodies. Tried one of the *hot* dill spears Barb
brought, I think, from MN. That cleared up my sinuses.

More people trickled in over the next hour or so - Maxine,
Goomba and Sue Ellen, Barb's friend John, Claudia, Maxine's
family, etc. A great crowd.

You've already heard about all the food. I must say I
pigged out on the Lindt truffles. And had a little bit of
almost everything except the lox and mushrooms and
pickled herring (was that what it was?). The cheesecake
was especially luscious! And I also loved the rugelach
and the apricot strudel. But everything was good.

Boron dragged me out of there a little before 5. We got
back to my car about 6pm. I was home by 12:30am. I was
only gone for 21 1/2 hours! I had planned to take a nap
at a rest area on the way home but I never got sleepy so
I just kept going. Put just under 700 miles on the
car. Who says NYC's not a daytrip. ;-)

Sure loved seeing everyone. It was great meeting new
people - Boron, Michael, Claudia, Goomba and Sue Ellen.
And great seeing my old favorites - Sheryl, Stan, Jack,
and Maxine, not to mention Barb and Margaret and Marcel.

Oh, and Zoe the Diner Cat says she had a lovely time
as well. Margaret asked if she would like a bowl of
milk. I told her thanks but she would prefer to share
my Screwdriver.

I took a bunch of pictures. If I ever manage to get
them developed I'll post them somewhere. I think I have
the only one of Marcel with his pickle hat on upside
down! That one could be worth money.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?