We're going on 11 months of Georgia living and things are going pretty fantastic. Adjusting back to our home state has been quite a bit easier than getting used to NYC was many years ago.
I always found New York to be full of un-answerable conundrums. Such as:
- Why have I been hearing sirens for 2 hours straight?
- Why is there a helicopter with search lights outside?
- What is that terrible smell?
- Did someone pee on this subway car (recently, I mean)?
But I've been surprised to find plenty of Georgia mysteries as well:
- Where are all these ant hills coming from?
- Are those rotweilers fenced in?
- Why is it 78 degrees in November?
No really, why is it 78 degrees in November? (Hat is for fashion purposes only.)
House Ownership
We bought a house. It's historic. We know that subdivisions are the American jam but after a decade of urban living, it didn't feel like the proper next step. So we bought on a downtown street where we can walk to shops and restaurants and church. Sort of like NYC but with our own space and 100x less crazy. So far it's been just right. Quite but not too quiet. Close enough to our neighbors to shout between porches but not sharing any walls. Lots of modern American conveniences but not so many that we lose that "edge" we worked so hard for! :) :)
Yard Work
This might be shocking, but guess what comes along with owning a house??? We're in our mid-thirties and have never owned a single yard tool. We had an initial reprieve at our rental house because the yard work was included. After buying a house we bought a lawnmower, rake, hoe, shovel, and a trimmer. We've done some grass cutting and weed pulling but most of the work is thanks to our yard guy who comes every other week.
Although I'd be remiss if I didn't give Randy credit for an amazing grass-growing feat in our backyard this fall.
Monogramming
I knew this was a Southern thing because as a kid my Northern parents never got a single thing monogrammed for me. But you guys. Monogramming has gone on steroids! People are now monogramming their cars and water bottles (in addition to clothes and bags)!
What I drive behind all the time. Get it on
Etsy y'all!
The Carpool Line
Also on the car topic...the kids are at two different schools and it turns out my patience can't handle the carpool line. When I'm just sitting there idling I feel like I'm wasting time and polluting the air. Small Bear's school is a short walk from our new house so that's easy. With Tiger Cub, I drop him off in the morning (for some reason there is no line) and either walk to pick him up or drive but park nearby and walk up to the school. I don't actually save time with all the walking but it feels like a better use of time than sitting in a car.
Where Did Brunch Go?
I looked pretty hard for a place to eat brunch and came up empty. Is brunch a big city thing? It's such a kid friendly meal and cheaper than dinner. Not to mention flexible menu options where one person can have a hamburger and the other order pancakes. So perfect!
Adios brunch, you were good to us.
Having a Superintendent was Pretty Super
NYC living definitely came at a hefty cost - in either exorbitant rent or high maintenance costs as a homeowner. But having a staff of nearly 20 people taking care of the building complex we lived in was a-maz-ing. When the grass grew, they cut it. When it snowed, they shoveled it. They took care of our trash and disposed of basically anything - old stove, computer, furniture, you name it. Taking responsibility for these sorts of tasks (well not the snow shoveling - thank you Georgia!) has been something of a burden. However, as we approach the holidays I will not miss tipping that enormous building staff!
Proximity to Florida
Also we went on an awesome family vacation to Destin back in September...
