Parking Bingo – I won

I walked the 2 miles to where my car was parked this morning with trepidation – hoping it would not have a ticket. It did not. I changed out the day pass and walked home.

I decided I would see appreciate more of the city if I were not on my bike worrying about cars and potholes. After brunch with a friend, I took out on foot again to walk the areas I used to walk all the time when I lived here. Rittenhouse Square was as packed with people as I had ever seen it – still maintaining social distance to some degree and probably 60% unmasked.

I walked up 18th street and had the perfect angle on the Wm Penn statue on the top of Philadelphia City Hall – what appears to be an erection is a “welcoming hand” poorly placed.

The building where I used to live has undergone a dramatic facelift and expansion – it has been 19 years since I left so I guess that is not too surprising. I lived in the white building in the background and it had a great view of the Center City skyline. By the construction in the foreground, I think it will not have a great view much longer. During the 5 years I was in Philly, I lived in 4 different apartments in the building. I started to with a 2 bedroom but when the Allegheny System started to go bankrupt, I downsized to a studio because I didn’t know day to day whether I was going have a job. When things stabilized, I upgraded to a 1 bedroom and then back to a 2 bedroom just a few months before I ended up moving to NYC. This was my first experience with high rise living with a someone at front desk 24 hours and a well equipped work out room and I loved it. There was a parking lot with the building so NO STREET parking. It was a great “warm up” for living in NYC.

I walked back through Logan Circle – fountain and the azalea trees were magnificent. I logged another 4 miles on this walk.

I had dinner near where my car was parked and decided to take a chance by bringing it back up to where I am staying to facilitate my departure tomorrow. My fingers were crossed the entire 2 mile drive and miraculously, the space just around the corner that I parked the first night was available. I had won parking bingo.

I am having brunch with the nurse and admin extraordinaire from my practice at MCP tomorrow morning and then meeting up with a good friend I worked with at Pfizer NE of Philly before I head to Jersey shore – just south of Atlantic City. It promises to be another wonderful day.