you sort of set off an eternal winter

  

 

  

Eternal winter for sure around here. I grew up in New England, I even traveled further north for college - so I've seen my fair share of snow in my day. I am calling mercy - I am ready spring - please show up.

Hope you all have a nice snow free weekend!

we pause for station updates

Hello Blogland friends. My sincere apologies for my horribly long break, if you missed me, I appreciate it – if you didn’t well that’s okay too.

What’s new?

I’ve successfully moved to a new state, but don’t move into my own place for another 75 days.  Where am I living? Well my friends, I am back in my high school bedroom, complete with my twin bed (which makes everyone send me this hilarious video from SNL), prom photos, and my first communion crown.  It’s cooler than being cool, it’s ice cold.

I bought a car. For those of you who have lived in the New York metropolitan area, you probably know that I had absolutely no need to own a car in the seven years I lived in the area. Those of you who live in the Boston metropolitan area probably know that not having a car pretty much means you live near Boston Common, or have no desire to ever do anything on a weekend. I went car shopping the first weekend I lived here and though it’s weird, I am happy to have a new to me ride. I also think my parents like to take my car joy riding – oh how times change.

Officially on the countdown to my two week vacation, which will be half in Cape Cod, and half in Belgium. Vacation, it’s all I ever wanted…

I’ve started binge watching Royal Pains. Maybe I am nostalgic for New York again – I mean it’s the Hamptons and always summer.  It also makes me want someone to let me stay in their guest house.

And, hopefully I am back to some semi-regular blog updates.  That’s all for now.

girls just want to have fun

 

Happy Tuesday everyone - I hope those of you in locations that had long weekends this past week had a great time. I was lucky enough to head out of town, up to Boston to introduce one of my dearest work colleagues to other dear work colleagues in the area, and spend part of the weekend with the family. There was lots of yummy cocktails, food and seeing a bit of the sites from the Top of the Hub (honestly the best place to have a nice drink with a great view in Boston). There was also some playing with the nephew and having a proper cookout with the family.

Looking forward to the next long weekend!
 

shipping up...

Well this is one of those big announcements… like really big. After seven years of living in Hoboken, playing and working in New York City – I’ve decided it’s time to return back to Boston.  I’ve heard New York has a few milestones before you become a lifer and I am coming up on the last one before it’s children that drive you to move out of the area. The first stretch is two years, then seven years. So in true form, at year seven mark I am giving the area one big hug and heading back to my roots.

It is a bittersweet time for me as I really do love the life I have down in what my New England heart considers south (at least NYC is south of Massachusetts). I’ve had good times, bad times, done a lot of growing personally and professionally, made friends, lost friends. Why I am living the city that never sleeps? Main reason: Family. Mom and Dad are both now retired, and well not getting any younger. I don’t want to miss getting to hang out for an hour or two here and there with them every other week or so – and the commute to them from New York is just too far to do on a regular basis.  Norbs and my sister and her hubs are also in the area in Boston.  Every time see Norbs he’s changed an incredible amount – he’s becoming such an interesting little human and I want to be there for as much as possible.

The good news, I am getting to stay with my current job, in the same role. I work primarily with people in Boston and London, so Boston is a good spot to head to. The other good news is I still will work with people in New York, which means the occasional business trip to the city which will mean time to visit all my favorite people here.

I’ve got about two months to go until I start the next phase of this journey we call life. I am doing my best to do as much as possible and see as many people I can before I go, and have as many New York moments as I can.

easter weekend in review

I find that I've been enjoying reading everyone's weekend recaps recently. It seems that so many bloggers have such interesting weekends, I feel like a lot of my weekends involve me going to the gym and catching up on the DVR, and you know cleaning my apartment at least a little bit. If I am really lucky, I get a trip to Trader Joe's in there. I do see friends and have meals, but I am totally fine on those weekends where I only see people at spin or walking along the pier.

This past weekend, I made my way up to Massachusetts on Friday, and spent time with family and friends enjoying what I now call European Easter weekend (Friday and Monday off, like a proper Brit). Upon my arrival, my sister and I broke my nephew out of day care and had lunch together at home followed by family nap time. Nap time was amazing, I conked out on the couch for an hour or so to be pleasantly woken up by Norbs tickling my toes - definitely a nice way to be displaced from slumber. Once we all were up, we made our way to my parents house so that Norbs could play with Grammy and Grampy. Which then caused my sister and I to sneak away for a trip to Wegmans and Walmart (I love suburbia). I found a few gluten free goodies at Wegmans including some delightful Belgium beers and cupcakes. I got to head home to a mom made dinner and time catching up with my people.

Saturday, I was handed the keys to the car and got to head up north to visit one of my friends for lunch and a personal baby shower, since I missed her real one a few weeks ago. Whenever I drive it makes me feel like a newborn deer taking her first steps - it's so scary after being car-less for the last seven years. I probably on an average year log between 4-8 driving hours total - which makes me hate trucks and get heart palpitations when I have to merge. I made it, but I think I took a few years off my life while driving. I love getting to walk everywhere, really I do.  I was really excited to catch up, see the babies nursery with the softest rug my toes have felt recently, and get to make a square for a quilt for the boys. Once I returned home, my parents and I watched House Hunters where I made them play the game of which house will the people choose - mom liked it more then dad. We then headed out to the local restaurant, where my parents frequent at least twice a week - I had a salad with chicken that was delightful and dad got us scratch tickets to play before the meal came. I ended dinner with $50 extra in my pocket. When I got home, I took the dog for a long walk around the neighborhood, enjoying the spring temps and walking around my elementary school too.

Sunday, my sister came over early with the baby (big boy), and he did an Easter egg hunt around my parent's house,We went to the playground and had the best time. Grammy did all the catching down the slide while the rest of us ran around the park with the Norbs. My nephew is so much fun to play with - he is more fun every time I get to see him. After play time, the family had a nice dinner and just hung out in the evening.

It was so nice to be home for an extended amount of time. I love going to visit for extra long weekends- two days is never enough.

last train to...

I pride myself on being good at public transportation - after all, I haven't had a car for over five years now. It's probably on the top ten list of things I love about living around New York. I also successfully navigated San Francisco via public transportation, having never been there.Well, I've been in Boston now for three days and I am completely an idiot when it comes to transportation around here, and I use to live here. I've had countless delays, cannot figure out what "zone" I am in, got on the wrong train... yikes. It was lucky the conductor took pity on me and told me how to get back the way I came, while the guy in front of me laughed his face off (dude, really? come to NYC, I'd love to see you do that). All and all, I have to say it's got to be easier then this really.


(photo from google)