It was not one of those weekends of wild abandon, one in which the barbarians were at the gates and you consumed as much as you could out of the last moments of your life; no, that's for two weekends away when Countess Bedilia arrives with The Great Northern Court. The weather was not accommodating, which means "not-all-that-bad" considering it's the middle of October; Speedos were still the style of the day. And, although a lot of shenanigans went on, it still seemed liked a laid-back weekend.
So, perhaps, the most touching aspect of the weekend was Mr. Astor's gift to me--celebrating our three month relationship--of "New York Interiors". "I thought you'd like it because it would bring back memories," he said. Lessor people have gone to heaven for thoughts like that.

Overwhelmed, I immediately brought out a related picture book I've suckled on for twenty years, "New York's Fabulous Luxury Apartments", a book of floor plans of such monuments to power. I read this book every day for almost five years and still keep it handy when Mr. Peabody says, "Sherman...let's go to the Way-Back Machine".

I like the Way-Back Machine; and I like Mr. Astor.