NyStateOfMind

Headed to the beach Tuesday morning with my two Swedish friends, Jessica and Annelie, and some of their kids. Since we got there early we got a spot close to the water and plenty of room to spread out our blankets, chairs and beach toys. I’m fascinated with how much stuff people with kids have to bring. Personally I packed a towel, a water bottle and my IPod. During the time we were there the lifeguards found two lifeguard chairs in the water. They were so far out that a boat had to get them back to shore, all from the storm the other day.

Went to Jessica’s house for a BBQ at night where we were eaten alive by mosquitos. We ended the night by playing the Newlywed Game, which is a really funny game whether you have been married 5 or 20 years.

Sunday was a hot and sunny day and we spent the entire day inside packing. We had our blinds open so the sun was our natural light while the air conditioning was on high keeping us from melting. Around 3.00 it was like someone shut the sun off and it got pitch black. Looking out our windows we could see a storm coming and a few minutes later the wind was knocking down trees and the rain was flooding the streets. The storm was gone as soon as it came and the sun quickly came back lightning up the sky.

This is what I was faced with when I got to work Monday morning. They had already cut down the tree that was laying across the street but the stomp is still there as well as the broken sidewalk.

I booked my ticket and on August 18^th I will set foot on an airplane that is taking me back to my hometown. After 6 years in New York it is time to go back home for a while. I’m excited to start studying and even more excited that Mike has decided to come and try Sweden with me, but the first 6 months I will be on my own. So many people I want to see and so much to do, the countdown has begun.

Last night, after a trip to the mall where I became two pairs of shoes richer and after a delicious dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, we started packing and sorting through everything we own. We should have started earlier, I think we found stuff we haven’t seen in a few years and we found hiding places that held little treasures that has done nothing but collecting dust over the years.

Today the packing continues. 24 days left.

This week was an extremely long week and on Tuesday we moved back home after a long weekend at Mikes parents house. After days of drinking and staying up way later than I’m used to, Friday couldn’t have come fast enough. The fact that I spent all day yesterday at the beach with work didn’t make my tiredness any better. Sitting in the sun a whole day drains every ounce of energy out of your body.

Today my friend Christina took me to breakfast at the Diner and after a delicious meal we looked in a few stores and treated ourselves to a coffee from Starbucks.

I spent the afternoon visiting my little munchkins. As always it is so nice seeing them and as always I leave 3 hours later with a headache. My little one was extremely upset when I was leaving and she completely understood that she won’t be seeing me for a while. When a child you have been with from birth to 3years old starts crying and reaching for you as you walk out the door you can’t do anything but be sad yourself. I never thought you could get as attached to someone as I have gotten to all of them.


Fall 2007                                                          Spring 2010

Thursday after work I met Mike at home and in about 10 minutes we packed two bags with clothes and other necessary things you need for a weekend away. Stopped at the supermarket on our way to Mike’s parent’s house. Since they are in Europe we have moved in for the weekend. Kubb, old Nintendo/Sega, piano, BBQ and Drinks kept us up until 2am. 

Had all our friends over for a party on Friday night and after 5 hours of drinking beer, playing Air hockey (prison rules) and jamming in the studio both me and Mike crashed early.

We still have another 2 full days to hang in the sun and just relax before reality kicks in again. 

Skipped Zumba and went straight to the city instead. It was raining cats and dogs but with an umbrella and sneakers we were ready to go. By the time we found a parking garage in the city it had stopped raining and the ground was already dry from the humidity.
My first goal of the day was to find sneakers. We walked down Broadway and the first store we went in to had the shoes I was looking for, in my size!! Of course I bought them and then strolled back up towards Union Square and the subway station.

Had dinner at an Irish pub in Times Square and then spent an hour walking around the Marriott Hotel. The highlight of the day and the reason we went in to the city in the first place was to see The Addams Family on Broadway. The play was absolutely amazing and I definitely recommend seeing it.

As I predicted early on this week it has been hot, humid and absolutely disgusting outside.

I have for the past 6 months worked extra for a friend of my boss. She has one little girl and her sister has a baby boy. Their (the moms) mother has struggled with cancer for the past 6 years and on Tuesday her body gave up and she passed away. It has therefore been a very sad week and on Thursday I worked all day while the funeral and the beginning of Shiva was going on.

Today I got Nikki of the camp bus and then took her to TGIF for dinner where we met Mike and Carol. Always nice to see them and hear about their crazy life. They just got matched with a new aupair and once again they picked a Swedish girl. Mike is now playing videogames and I am getting ready to go to bed. Zumba and the city is on the agenda tomorrow.

My friend Jessica is on vacation and I am watching her German Shepherd Chloe for the next few days. Yesterday it was once again super hot outside and unless you are in water you’ll melt away. When I went to take Chloe outside in the morning I took one look at their pool and decided that that was going to be where I spent most of the day.
Picked up Mike and a few drinks and we headed back over to Jessica’s house and jumped right in the pool. Hung out in the pool until 4.00 with one break to go and get pizza. Came home with a tan and weak legs. It is extremely tiring to swim and jump in a pool all day.
Early bedtime and today I’m ready for a new hot day.

Happy 4^th of July! Went to Deer Park outlets this afternoon just to get out of the house. Came home with an adorable purple Guess dress. Happy as can be.
Started drinking some beers after dinner and sat outside on the stoop watching fireworks. Decided to walk down two streets from us where there was probably about 50 people sitting outside on lawn chairs watching the best fireworks show I have seen in a long time. It’s like New Years Eve in Sweden, except today you could wear flip flops and shorts compared to a winter coat and gloves.


Temperature reached 99F today

Made plans to go out east to the wineries and some beaches on Saturday since it was going to be really hot. These plans were unfortunately changed since I had to work from 11-5.30. After work Mike picked me up in my nice clean car, that he washed and vacuumed while I was working, and we went out to dinner. I wasn’t really hungry so I gave Mike the upper hand on picking a restaurant and we ended up at Hooters. This was probably the most uncomfortable environment I have ever been in and if that wasn’t all, the food sucked.
After dinner we went to Annelie’s house to pick up some CD’s she had burned for me. They offered Piña Coladas and Mudslides and of course we accepted. Sat in their backyard for a few hours chatting and watched fireworks.



Our waitress

Papertowels instead of napkins

A wall filled with pictures of all the Hooter's girls

I was picked up by me sister-in-law Deb and her adorable daughters at 12.30 on Friday. Drove to her mother’s house to pick up child number 3 and ended up staying there for a delicious lunch. Everything was decorated for 4^th of July and we had both cold cuts on rolls, two kinds of pasta salads and dessert. Friday luxury. After lunch we went back to Deb’s house and jumped straight in the warm pool. A definite requirement when I have a house, an in ground pool.
Once the rest of the siblings got off work they joined us for a BBQ and some beers.

Can a Friday get any better?

As everybody else heads to the movies to see Eclipse me and Mike went to see ToyStory3. The movie theater was pretty much empty (maybe because it was a Wednesday night) and we settled down in the soft chairs with our 3D glasses and a soda.
We ordered a medium soda thinking that that is plenty since none of us are big soda drinkers. The guy behind the counter says:”Do you want a big soda for just 25cents more?” My answer was like all other morons out there, “Of course”. I don’t know why I said yes because I definitely didn’t need a big soda. Think about every person who buys a medium soda now all of a sudden spends an additional 25cents, at the end of the day the movie theater makes tons of money. It bothers me so much and what’s even more annoying is that I fall for it every time.
Well the movie was great and I have to say that for being a trilogy all the movies have been equally awesome.