Meanwhile, I have continued to go either to physical therapy or to the gym almost every morning, and I have steadily regained energy, strength, and flexibility. Although the surgeries and their complications have left their marks, I am in good spirits, eating and drinking con brio, and feeling remarkably well as I look forward to making plans to spend time in the New Year with other family and friends.
On Monday morning, Susan and I will head south by automobile. We will divide the driving in our usual fashion: She will drive; I will read. She can't read in a moving vehicle, and I can't stand to waste time. If the snowplows do their job, we should arrive on the 23rd in Ponte Vedra, Florida, where our son will join us in a Christmas-time visit to my parents. The next morning, we three will drive west from Ponte Vedra across the state to St. Petersburg, to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Susan's father and one of her brothers, Tom, his wife, Judith, and their son, Nick.
On the 26th, Susan and I will travel partially back across the state to Ocala, to visit friends and horses, including Statesmanship, the most successful horse that we have, to date, ever raced (in partnership with Mike Rankowitz and the late Peter Karches). Thanks to the kindness of our friends, Jill and John Stephens, Statesmanship is now a happy Florida retiree.
We will wend our way up the Atlantic coastline, visiting people who currently cannot easily travel: a friend in Charleston; my aunt, Lucy, and an unrelated couple in Virginia Beach. We intend to arrive back in New York City on New Year's Eve.
Before I retired at the end of last year, Susan and I had intended to take more advantage of New York than I had ever had time to do while working. We had envisioned spending leisurely lunches at fine restaurants before heading off to museums.
My extended interlude should enable us to realize a bit of that retirement dream. During the first week of January-- always a quiet week in New York, with everything available on short notice-- we are going to pretend that we are foreign tourists in New York. Today, I made luncheon reservations at Bouley, Aquavit, Le Bernardin, Jean-Georges, and Eleven Madison Park. Tomorrow, we will pick concerts and plays. We won't decide now on museums: I can't think of many more pleasant topics to save for luncheon conversations than discussions of which exhibits to visit that afternoon.
I wish for you a happy and healthy New Year!
