Drove up from NC to Queens, NY, the first stop on my visit. My cousin came with me which was great because we shared the driving and everything else. Actually we stopped at my time share and stayed at the hotel for the night. It was a little strange, the hotel was four and a half miles from reception.  Room was nice though.
To go back a little we stopped in Lexington, Va. and walked around some looking at the sights. Next we stopped in Winchester for a coffee and snack. We parked in handicap and I put up my handicapped sticker. Well I guess the police there didn't believe it was a real sticker/card, whatever you want to call it. I didn't notice the orange envelop until we were in West Va. and we couldn't stop until we hit a rest area in Pa.  They gave me a ticket for $100.00.  I called the number on the ticket and asked why did they do this to me.  The cop thought it was strange that I had NC plates and a NY sign.  I told the person who answered the phone that I've had the sign since 1996 and that it was permanent.  I don't have my NC handicapped sign yet.  They couldn't read the NY sign. I told them that I got it from the Watervliet police dept.  I have to send a copy of it to Winchester, VA. They can check the number on the sign with Watervliet.
Back to Queens, I know I've been gone about two years but I can not believe the toll price for bridges. $12.00 for one and $6.50 for another. Its crazy. Now you have to pay to get on the thruway and then pay to get off. Its nuts. Needless to say I was not happy with all the tolls.
My cousin has an apartment in Rockaway and I could go out to the balcony and look to my left to see the ocean and look to my right to see the bay and NYC.
One of the reasons for my visit was to visit my aunt in the nursing home, she has dementia and to visit my uncle in the hospital. Being next of kin is kind of hard especially when you live so far away. But I did get some things done. It was just so sad to see my aunt. My uncle, my aunts younger brother, has been in the hospital since 2/14. His incision line is still open and infected.  He has esophageal cancer and the Dr. tried to operate and I guess get under the right lung but he told me that there was to much scar tissue to get threw so he couldn't get to the cancer. My uncle thought that the operation was a success until I had to tell him that he still had the cancer. That was so much fun.  He now has a new surgeon working to clear up the infection and then I think they will surgically close the incision line there are three open areas. Things are not great but hopefully they will get better.
From the hospital we went a little further upstate to New City to drop my cousin off to her friends and I continued on to Albany to stay with friends. Had to go to Gloversville to check on the house and to ask for a new assessment for taxes.  Saw my step-son and he looks great. We went out to lunch and had a really nice visit. I am hoping he will come to NC soon to see his Dad.
Staying with my friends in Albany until Saturday and then I go back downstate to Croton to stay with other friends and celebrate a couple of birthdays. Then Tuesday we head home. Oh Sunday we will meet up with more family then I will have to leave a little early and go back to Croton for a birthday bash.
Truthfully I can't wait to go home. I miss my husband and my home. He's been telling me that the weather has been great and here in NY it sucks. But I will be home next week and then I can soak up some sun.
Driving is not to bad for me as long as a stop every hour or so and walk a little.  My back doesn't like it when I stay in one position too long. I am wearing my brace on my ankle and I don't think its helping at all. It still hurts. My left hip is hurting and I have to be careful not to hit it or lay on it. Its so much fun to be me.
I am now going to enjoy my friends today and have some fun.
I am supposed to be writing, working on my WIP.  But I figured its been a while since I blogged so...