Yesterday I spent a very pleasant and rather wonderful four and a half hours with Dina up in Morristown. Originally the first half of my trip was to be spent with her, either up by the Lake or enjoying the snow in Vermont, but sadly circumstances decreed that this wasn’t possible.
Still, an afternoon with Miss Ely was better than none at all, and so yesterday I dutifully spent three and half hours getting to her, and another three hours trundling back to my hotel in Newark. Considering that I thought it would take about half an hour each way I felt somewhat short changed – all the result of my train being on the wrong side of the tracks apparently, with the result that I had to head south into Manhattan before heading back north again.
It was a little frustrating as my time with Dina was always going to be limited, and it did feel odd going to Penn Station but not getting out and actually seeing anything of the city, a city which I love, but I’m on holiday, and could do nothing about it, so just tried to relax and go with the flow…
So all in all, seven and a half hours of travel for four and half hours of the young lady’s company. Was she worth it? Of course! But I wish the ratios had been the other way round!
Morristown always comes up high on those lists of ‘nice places to live’ and on a day like yesterday you could see why. Clear blue sky, autumn coloured leaves just about hanging onto the trees for dear life – although some had succumbed and were swept into big piles on the roadside and sidewalks, and the town itself just quietly going about its business.
I like Morristown a lot. It’s not very big, or very exciting, but it’s relaxed and chilled, and this being my second visit there in three months it felt familiar, welcoming and a little like home really. I can’t remember many places in London I visit so regularly, so it’s no wonder it provoked such a nice feeling of ease and contentment within me.
Of course part of that might be the company I kept, Ms Ely always being good entertainment, thoughtful, insightful and sweet natured. Hmm, that makes her sound like a character from a Jane Austin novel, which she is not, but anyone who has come across her will know what I mean.
We sat and drank coffee in the down square where we watched the squirrels, talked about all manner of things and admired Santa’s House which had recently arrived – off the back of the lorry – for a few months temporary residency. Soon, at some point after Thanksgiving, Santa will come and visit, parking his sleigh on top of the Century 21 discount department store, and – with the help of the local fire brigade – making his way down from the roof and onto the green to the delight of children and adults alike.
It all sounds very Hollywood. The kind of thing you’d expect to see in a gentle Bill Murray comedy or such like, I don’t think we do anything quite so dramatic in the UK, or indeed that Santa’s arrival is so public and therefore becomes, by default, a public event for the whole family to watch and partake in.
After an hour or so the sun moved round and it started to get cold, so we did a bit of window shopping, and a bit of ‘slap it on the plastic’ shopping too. Dina got a great hat in Gap – or the Gap as Americans call it (is there another?) – which I realised afterwards was the colour of Neapolitan ice cream. She might not need it yet, but with winter fast approaching she sure as hell will do soon!
I then managed to pick up 5 t-shirts for $20 in Foot Locker, and we both picked up a few cds in Sam’s Place, a local record store (am I making that name up Dina?) where I purchased the Scissor Sisters album (which I initially hated on first hearing it months ago, but which I now love,) and Rachael Yamagata's "Happenstance", which I have never heard of, but which Dina says I will love.
I’m expecting young Rachael to be a mellow songstress in the Damien Rice, David Grey, Tori Amos / Eva Cassidy ilk, but we shall see…
Dinner after that – Dina’s treat! - in a charming local Japanese which again gave us plenty of time to talk and plenty of sumptuous food to graze on.
Then, far too quickly it was time to head back over to the store where Dina’s Mum, Donna, was shutting up shop, (literally,) and it was time to head make the journey back home with a big smile on my face and recollections of a really lovely afternoon.
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