Summer Time in New York

Well I've discovered it's true what they say - people really DO hibernate during winter.  And I am one of them!  It's taken until the end of May for things to start warming up, and for yours truly to get her blogging mojo back.

I'm happy to say that Summer has arrived with a bang here in the Big Apple and there's a whole new energy abounding.  We're already complaining about the heat & humidity, there's free concerts a-plenty in Central Park  and weekends in the Hamptons to be had.  Bring it on I say!

Of course, I have to be honest and say that my visit from Mel (stalwart Sydney friend who has been the first to pay me a visit here in Yankville) has gone a long way to restoring my spirits and making me truly appreciate where I'm lucky enough to now live.  The cheque's in the mail Melly ;)

So thanks to Mel, between Broadway shows, dinners in SoHo, trips to Washington and languid walks through Central Park it's just been hard to find the time to blog!

 And best of all summer now gives me the opportunity to enjoy my little Stable in the woods.  Windows have been thrown open for the first time since January, patio furniture has been purchased and my lovely sunny deck is now in use for the first time in 5 months.

So this Aussie hermit has emerged from her winter caccoon and is now ready to take on a summer in NYC.  The Hamptons have been booked for the 4th July weekend, a lunch has already been hosted on the deck at the Stable and a BBQ is about to be purchased to facilitate further culinary forays.

Of course, I still regularly check my Qantas booking to ensure the flights are still all organised for my trip home for Xmas, but that's happening less often than it was.

Things are looking up in the Big Apple!

One Month Down........

As I near the end of my first month in New York and try to assimilate into my new homeland, I thought I'd share a couple of observations on the Aussie vs American cultural divide that challenges said assimilation on a daily basis.

1. Weather:  Let's start with the weather - something I had assumed was a universal cultural equaliser, but how wrong I was!  I used to wonder why my American colleagues were always so obsessed with the arrival of Spring & Summer - until I experienced my first winter in Connecticut.  My wide brown land is surprisingly simplistic when it comes to weather (ignoring the recent flooding & cyclones for a minute) - it's either bloody hot or not so bloody hot.  And I'll admit that I arrived here grossly ill-equipped to handle winter in even it's mildest form - let alone one that's reportedly the worst in over 100 years.  My long-held romantic notions of snow being pretty & soft & serene flew out the window the first time I had to scrape it off my car.  And having just spent last Sunday shovelling over 2 foot of accumulated snow and ice off my rather large deck, the love affair is well and truly over.  5 hours and a very sore set of should muscles later, I can truthfully say I've assimilated completely.  I was complaining long & loud at work Monday to anybody who would listen, avidly watch the weather report every morning in the hopes that the temperature will reach over 20F and now count down the calendar days remaining until the first day of Spring .....  How the mighty fall ..........
2. Attitude:  Americans are amazingly polite & positive.  Almost TOO polite - it makes me suspicious.....  But honestly there is absolutely NO sarcasm in them whatsover, which makes it hard for this Aussie to find common ground - because I am of course all about the sarcasm.  It's the Aussie default position after all.  Of course I haven't met an American that's gone postal yet, but am looking forward to the experience if & when it happens.  It'll be a nice change........
3. Vocabulary:  Ok, I'm going to say it - Americans just don't know how to swear (outside of bad rap music & open mike night at the local comedy club of course).  Now this may have something to do with point 2 above or it may be that I just don't know anybody well enough yet to encourage that sort of informality.  But it's a HUGE hurdle for me to overcome - those that know me will appreciate how careful I have to be!  Not that I'm endorsing a blanket use of the potty mouth, but there are situations where one simply has to go there - even if it's just in a mild way.  And frankly it makes me uncomfortable that nobody here does......  I've taken to listening to rap music just to reassure myself .......
4. Food:  Americans have truly perfected the art of instant gratification - something us Aussies are just not used to coming from the land of hard yakka & a hard-earned thirst.  Nowhere is this more obvious here in America than the supermarket.  My absolute favourite thing to do is to take a leisurely stroll along the aisles of my local Stop & Shop and marvel at the multitude of ways America makes it possible to indulge every bad (but exceedingly enjoyable) impulse on the food front - with remarkable speed & ease.  It is perhaps no coincidence that cheese in a can sits strategically next to instant weight loss pills in a can ........
5. Cars:  And I'll finish on a vehicular note.  Let's for a minute ignore the fact that America drives on the wrong side of the road - I've adjusted surprisingly well and it's now a very rare thing for me to drive headlong into a set of oncoming headlights...... I'd like to draw attention instead to the difference in vehicular size this side of the pond.  During my many previous visits to the US Northeast I've always laughed at the fact that almost everyone drives a very large 4WD - sorry SUV.  I had assumed it was some sort of inherent insecurity about anatomy size & a fundamental lack of eco-friendliness that prompted this.  However, having now spent 4 weeks in the eye teeth of a very severe Connecticut winter I now understand the need for a sturdy vehicle with big tyres.  And I do feel somewhat ashamed of my previously  misdirected scoffing......  Of course that still doesn't explain why the same thing happens in California...........

I could go on.  I haven't even touched on the Retail heaven that is American Consumerism and to which I may have already assimilated entirely too easily.  And I'm not going to even get into American Football and Baseball........  But every day brings with it a new lesson and, when I'm not complaining about the snow, a smile to my face.

Now it's about time to choose one of the 400 cable channels and settle down with my cheese in a can.....

Nonny xxxxxx