No place like it

Just in case I had forgotten the things that are great about being here, I got a reminder of four of them in my first week back!

1st – we spent last Sunday by the pool, enjoying some very warm late summer sun and catching some freckles.

2nd – we hailed a cab to go to brunch and got a whole lot more than we bargained for.
The guy had little spot lights stuck on the ceiling of the cab and a microphone and speakers, all of which he switched on as soon as we were settled in. He then proceeded to serenade me with Italian love songs for the whole journey.
It was so surreal.
The only thing that spoilt it was that he asked for money for the singing, which I thought was all wrong, as we would have given him some anyway when we paid, but instead it felt compulsory.

3rd – I saw a guy roller skating down Broadway in a shiny blue jump suit with long silver streamers flowing behind him in the wind. And no one batted an eyelid.

4th – realizing Simon must have really missed me, because he bought me a gift voucher for a massage. It was pretty brutal, the lady even had to climb onto the couch to sufficiently pummel me, but it was also wonderful.

God Bless

Oh America, America, the land of opportunity.

In one man's case the opportunity to wear:

Mauve checked shirt - fair enough I guess
Mauve cashmere jumper - thin and fitted, like a girl's
Pink shorts - falling just above the knee with a lovely hem, complete with belt and buttoned back pocket for keeping his wallet in
Brown, shiny, tassled loafers - a very slim cut on his his fairly small feet

The best part was he had pretty slender calves so with the pink and the shine of the shoe he looked like a very hairy drag queen!

And this was on the train on Tuesday, on the way home from work...

Back!!!

I’m back! After such a long, long break that I hardly remember what this is all about.

Anyhoo, I can safely say its good to be back.

I admit I was worried about how I’d feel, having been home and surrounded by loved ones and all things familiar for a month.

But as I crossed the bridge into Manhattan I experienced a welcome sense of belonging.

And of course, waiting for me on the other side of that bridge was the most loved one, who I was so keen to see I would truly have gone anywhere.