The Chetmonster had an ultrasound today, under scary vet suspicion of tumors. The happy news just came back that he is tumor-free, though he has, somehow, managed to get Crone's Disease. Which apparently isn't all that common in cats. So instead of popcorn and whole grains (not that he got either), he'll be enjoying a lovely diet of fatty foods and steroids. After spending the last few days in a panic about his health, I'm very happy that he'll be sticking around to snuggle for a while yet.

Oh, and he owes me $700.

He loves the brush, he does.

Did I mention I went to New York City? I did! I'm not sure how I'd managed to avoid NYC in my travels until now, but there you go. The trip out east was to meet the boyfriend's family at Christmas - a wonderful, wacky group that I had lots of fun with. We took one day to take the train into the city, then spent another driving around Long Island - where I was given the grand tour of important places in Keith's childhood. Oh, and White Castle. I'd never had the real stuff, just frozen, so there was a mandatory stop at White Castle. I think my appreciation of it may have been tempered by the fact that it was 11 AM and I was sober...

But NYC? Well, here's the synopsis - swiped from a message board post I recently made:

• arrived Penn Station and promptly failed to notice that it is directly below Madison Square Garden. This led to some confusion at 8 PM when we couldn't find the station again and I was insisting that it "couldn't be under Madison Square Garden, because we'd totally have noticed if it was under... you know... Madison Square Garden!" Or... not.
• walked to Times Square. Saw lots of giant screens. Peeked in windows of whatever morning show it is that films there. Pointed out spot where Hiro appeared in "Heroes"
• met friends and went to Little Italy for lunch via Soho and Chinatown. Walked more. Had pastries to build sustenance for more walking.
• went to the Met. Had fun peeking in windows of bazillion dollar townhomes on the walk from the subway. Are wealthy people in NYC not big into curtains? Realized I wouldn't be happy in a bazillion dollar townhome because I'd totally break shit all the time.
• Central Park. More with the walking. But now with trees.
• Nearly wept at prospect of walking back to subway. Shelled out for a cab. Eventually, after much searching, we found one willing to go to Rockerfeller Center.
• Saw big tree at Rockefeller Center. Took pictures. Tree much much bigger than expected. Ice skating rink below tree? Much smaller than expected.
• Walked back to Times Square. In the rain. Had NYC street vendor pretzel for more walking sustenance. Gave directions to a tourist looking for Toys R Us. Keith pointed out that I gave directions to a stranger in a town I'd been in for 8 hours. Felt totally superior about my mad internal directional skills until I lost a very large train station 10 minutes later.

Overall it was huge fun and I can't wait to go back! I really want to spend a night in the city next time so we can check out a show and not have the hour plus train ride back to a bed at the end of the day.