Countdown

Well, it is upon us, our last week as Manhattanites. Our move date is next Tuesday, December 12. I've been so nostalgic every time I walk outside, trying to breath deeply so I can remember my New York life in my guts somehow. Our new house is sitting nice and empty, waiting patiently for her new family to come and make her home. And yet, my heart feels settled in NYC as it hasn't been anywhere else every before. Sigh. I am confident we have made a choice that is best for our family right now, and I am happy to get settled and involved in our new community, but I never want to forget my New York. And so, I have decided that throughout this next week I will spend time recording the things that I love about my life here, things I never want to forget. And maybe a few bummers that I don't care to leave behind.
Let me start with here and now. Tonight we went shopping for a Christmas tree. We decided that we wanted a really really silly small tree, one that we can throw in the back of the car fully decorated next week to take to the new house! In NY, Christmas tree stands spring up on the sidewalk on every other corner just a few days after Thanksgiving. Every tree seller has music, lights and decorations, so when you walk by you smell trees, hear Christmas music and brush the stickery green branches as you pass. Meg likes to hold her hand outside of her stroller so she can feel the trees brushing by. Most of the vendors are cheerful and wish you happy holidays. I've been on the lookout for my super small tree for a few days and finally spotted it in front of the Starbuck's on Columbus and 68th. So tonight we headed over to bring my tree home. We had to stop off at Gracious Home to buy a value pack of miniature ornaments to decorate the tree since our decorations are buried deep in storage on 135th Street and we don't want to touch that till moving day. Once home we lit and decorated it, and wrapped it in a red skirt, then invited the Reynolds from next door over to admire it. Later, we enjoyed a quiet family bottle on the sofa (Meg took the bottle, the parents just enjoyed cuddling her) looking at our New York 2 1/2 foot tall tree.