Lee finished his final ER shift last Thursday, joining our small club of two, with similar mixed emotions of sadness for leaving his friends and the work he truly loves, along with undeniable relief for the break and gratitude for the incredible opportunity of the upcoming year. So given the choice of spending a full week of relaxing at home vs. squeezing in a quick trip to NYC to visit friends, the decision seemed pretty easy (what, us relax?).  We took advantage of the “luxury bus” from Portland to NYC to head down to the city for a few days and got a taste of the bustle and buzz that is NYC. We visited sites in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan (including visits to three busy ERs – so much for taking the boy out of the ER!), and, most importantly, spent time catching up with several long-time friends (thanks again Margie & Neil, Sandra, Sue, Peter & David!).  Our three day visit was just long enough to enjoy the city – and appreciate good old Portland. Now back with just enough time to pack up again -off to Cuba this weekend!