Manhattan!

It’s faintly liberating to finally post a personal picture having avoided it for so long.

I can’t say I’m ever going to do a Liz Hurley and have a stream of swimwear shots week after week; frankly I wouldn’t want to be responsible for anyone not fully digesting their breakfast; suffice to say, I’m too old. But maybe just the occasional one fully dressed top to toe, so you can put a face to a name. I hope that’s ok.

Now back to matters of importance! At 20:43 last night our mobile phones went into crisis mode as the New York alert system delivered a siren so loud we jumped up from watching the highly addictive ‘The Crown’. A tornado was apparently on its way.

Short, sharp and violently it hit us. At 49 floors up, the windows shuddered, the wind raged and howled, sheets of rain and hail were horizontally fired at us and below in the light of the street lamps, we could see the boughs of enormous trees, still heavily laden with their autumn leaves being violently thrown from side to side. Rubbish, detritus, road cones and plastic barriers were being tumbled and scattered down the streets with force. And not a person was in sight. Manhattan was understandably deserted.

We couldn’t hear the television through the noise, so instead of trying to resume the dramas within Buckingham Palace, the Colonel shouted to me about the marvellous engineering and structural strength of the building and the way in which glass is made for exactly these conditions; I wondered at what point we should hide in the bath and put a mattress on top of us, but perhaps that’s only if there’s a bomb … my mind was clearly befuddled.

Twenty minutes later and it was all over. I returned to The Crown with relief and a stiff drink; the grizzly, drizzly rain and weather at Balmoral Castle seemingly quite clement in comparison.

So I’m having a quiet day today, writing, cooking and drinking copious quantities of tea, alongside peaking a look at some of my swimwear beach photos from the summer. Nope, I ain’t never posting any of those! Some things are best kept to oneself!

Katie x

54 thoughts on “Manhattan!”

    1. I have to confess, yes we’re very lucky. Our sitting room and kitchen which is all one room looks west over the Hudson and New Jersey and then also north so we get to see a teensy little bit of Central Park. It’s very lovely, but weirdly when it’s daytime sometimes there are these storms that come over from New Jersey and we can see them coming! Huge dark clouds just start coming towards us from the west, obliterating everything in their path and when the thunder and lighting come, you’re literally right in the middle of it! It’s extraordinarily, weirdly amazing, if a tiddly bit scary! Thanks v much for reading!

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      2. Oh my goodness you live in the most wonderful place in the world! I remember visiting there about five years ago and was taken aback by the view, the food, the atmosphere … We went to a gorgeous restaurant in Mougins with wonderful views and spent our days admiring all the beautiful people everywhere! Oh what a lovely place you live in! Such glamour 😍

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  6. As a Midwesterner well versed in tornado warnings, might I gently suggest that if there’s a next time, go to an internal room with no windows, or into a stairwell, and wait it out there. Nothing like flying glass in a tornado!

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    1. I know you’re right … but at what point does one do that? I didn’t want to appear a wuss and yet I secretly had visions of glass flying in and being decapitated. Do you have them often?? Do you have a room you go to or a shelter? I’ve only ever actually seen them on tv (well, the film Twister actually and a few You Tube videos). Oh dear … I sense this Brit in New York failed this rather crucial test. Thanks for the advice … any more greatly appreciated. Katie

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      1. While the Midwest is more prone to tornados than other parts of the country, we don’t actually have very many. They’re always very big news when they happen.

        When a bad storm rolls in, turn on TV or radio to a station that does news. In New York I’d think that’d be Channel 2, 4, or 7, or WCBS or WINS on the radio. See if where you are is under a Tornado Warning. If it is, take shelter — it means a tornado has been sighted. If you’re under a Tornado Watch, it only means that conditions make a tornado possible and you should be watchful. But at any time, if the winds are blowing so hard you worry about it shattering glass, don’t wait for TV or radio to tell you what to do – take shelter!

        In my 50+ years I’ve had to take shelter only a handful of times. I grew up in a house with a basement and that was where we went. My current house is on a concrete slab and so we’d use a particular interior bathroom. Cramped but protected.

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  7. You look healthy and happy! I have those same shoes albeit blue. Of course, what fashion conscious person doesn’t have a pair of Converse? Sunday I woke up to what sounded to be armageddon outside and I’m still surprised we didn’t lose power as much of the midwest has. Even a light rain usually knocks my house out for an hour.

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    1. I just love my shoes! And they’re so comfortable! When I arrived here I was introduced to DSW which I absolutely love! I never seem to be able to leave there without having spent a bit of money which is so naughty as I’m not a great shopper, but the choice there is fantastic and we all love a good bargain! Thanks so much for reading and I’m glad you didn’t lose power during the storm!

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      2. I’m slightly digressing, but last year we took a wonderful trip to the US Virgin Islands and learnt a lot about their hurricanes, in particular Hurricane Irma in 2017. It took 4 months for some of them to have electricity back again … I can barely imagine how they managed to find a way back to normality after the devastation. Quite a steep, but really good learning curve. We just don’t get that sort of thing in England where I used to live so seeing some parts still destroyed was an eye opener.

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  10. The expression ‘you wouldn’t get me up in one of those things’ comes to mind, about living above the snow line like that. While the views must be delightful the lack of parachutes or ropes would be a challenge. And having seen Ghostbusters you presumably have spooky sprites in the rubbish shutes?
    And then, in best, realtor fashion you complete the sale with a tornado story! I always fancied living in SoHo or basically anywhere midtown for that fantastic lack of stairs.
    I admire the picture. In one way we’re similar in we go for layers that look like the outer garments have snuck underneath somehow – i admit thats it. Ive never been any sort of blonde and these days my hair colour is more flesh toned, i don’t rock the Onassis shades and merely look like i should have an earpiece and and oddly bulging dark suit accompaniment. And me and white never work, mostly because i attract strong dyes like tomato sauces and coffee. But, hey, it works on you if I may say.

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    1. Ha!!! I hadn’t thought of the rubbish shutes!! And I will admit this building creaks; it actually makes noises. Talking of living above he snow line, now that’s the dream … a little chalet in the mountains with lots of chopping and stacking wood and cooking hearty food … as long as there’s a teensy garden to grow my veg. Bliss! I’ve tried growing things in pots here, but kill them without fail. I’m loving your description of yourself … I can picture you instantly … should you ever don the earpiece and oddly bulging suit I could have you down as either one of the ghostbusters or the next Daniel Craig ….

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      1. The only problem is most people, seeing me with an earpiece would assume ‘deaf aid’. As for the bulging suit, I suspect I’d be profiled as a geriatric shoplifter supplementing his meagre pension with a few packs of peeny pads for that unfortunate gentleman’s dribble…

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      2. You’re right—this would not be a good look to experiment with. As you rightly say, you might be seen to be impersonating a shoplifter or alternatively, the store security. Either way, the little men in white suits just may take you off to a secure environment, for your own safety of course …

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  11. My sister was terrified when we got those extreme weather warnings. She wanted to go into the closet. Luckily it was not that bad.
    I am on the 7th floor, I can’t imagine being on the 49th floor.
    I love your picture and think you look young and beautiful.
    I think I speak for everyone when I say we all want to see your swimwear pictures!!
    Blessings to you and be safe! ♥♥

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  13. Brilliant – again – how do you do it?! Please please get your book out – I can’t wait to read it. Best love & so glad you survived the scarey tornado Katie xxx

    >

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  15. K, Here in Texas we have tornados. I’ve seen a few purplish amd yellow and swirly clouds but don’t recall ever having to duck and cover. I had no idea you could get them in NYC! So I’m glad you survived and also that there were no sharks flying by!

    As for that photo, it’s quite nice. You look pretty okay, too! Haha. Even in disguise it’s nice to sort of see you. As for those you won’t share, well Miss Hurley (a fave since Bedazzled) is an inhuman goddess, and “comparison is the death of joy,” said the Buddha, but I’d I imagine, if your outer visage matches the inner soul (what if it one glimpses from your writing),.they go quite well together. The Colonel (sorry I once called him a Caption — apologies for the demotion!) is a lucky man to know and get to see you. For all we know you hired a model and I didn’t picture you as blonde, but no matter. As Billy Crystal used to say as Fernando Lamas on SNL, “You look marvelous, dahlink!”

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    1. Yup, I’m blonde … in fact, if it wasn’t most probably politically incorrect, I’d even profess to having some ditzy blonde traits but I suspect you’ve already noticed those anyway in my writing. Have a lovely day dahlink!

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    1. Yes, you do get the brunt of the weather don’t you! Season 4 is driving me potty …. I’ve become obsessed and it won’t be long before I’ve watched it all. I do wonder if the real royal family actually watch it … certainly some of the characters are portrayed in erm … shall we say, not too positive a light!

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  21. God, I hate storms.
    Here in my country, we live in a province called ‘Storm Corner’ a bit funnily. With time, I started to understand why is it a very appropriate name. The only one who ENJOYS such circumstances in our family is Toby, our biggest doggo. He loves to go out in such weather.

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