The 7 April
The renovation works in my flat were due to start on Monday, but got delayed to today, which is just as well given the amount of stuff I still had to pack and put in storage. The past few days were a marathon of sorting, throwing away, remembering, putting my life in boxes. If initially I took the time to go through things and placing them neatly in nicely labelled containers, by the end it was a question of throwing stuff into the nearest box and moving on - it's Thu morning, my flight is in the afternoon, and I still haven't finished packing let alone getting it all to the storage across the street!
The three pairs of hands that arrived in the form of my contractor Wilson and his two Latino workers saved the day and it all got done just in time. Even managed to drop a couple of bags at my friend's place which is where I will be based for the next three months. A year in the planning, the renovations are finally going ahead. I'm excited.
I am so incredibly fortunate to have on my side on this project my dear friend and talented architect Keren of Design Pomegranate, who drew amazing plans with such dedication and attention to detail (not to mention patience considering my various degrees of neurosis along the way), and who is going to project-manage the whole thing. I have good feeling about the builders team as well.
Now that it's all in hand I can relax as I head to the airport. I haven't been to New York for over 30 years and when my newly acquired friend Alan suggested I come along for the fundraising gala 'A Night of a Thousand Genders' he's organising for the Ackerman Institute I jumped at the opportunity. New York (and I) have changed a lot since I was last there and I'm looking forward to (re)discovering the city and spending time with dear friends.
My head shaver seem to have caused a stir at the security check, the whole team surrounded the screen to debate what it might be. Eventually I was allowed to proceed (not before giving them a little demonstration). Norwegian Airlines is quite ok, there's a personal entertainment system, not bad for a low cost airline, and I was even unexpectadly given a free meal. Must be my lucky day.
