The First One Back In New York

I'm baaaack! So, technically I've been back in New York City for over a month now, but I've finally had some time to settle into our new (old) life and catch my breath. Needless to say, it's been a very busy six weeks. From reuniting with our old friends to doing some major home improvement projects on our apartment (more on that later!), Christopher and I have not let a wasted second go by since we've been back.

The main question everyone's been asking since we returned home was how has the adjustment been from Oxford to New York. Here's my honest answer: from the moment we stepped off the plane at JFK, my stress level and anxiety increased by at least 200 percent... so, yeah, it's completely back to normal.

While we dearly miss our little English countryside home and the hikes and the friends and the peace and quite, it really is nice to be back. Sure, I could do without the hot trash smell as you walk along the streets and the crowded subway rides where you try so desperately not to brush up against strangers' sweaty skin, but I guess that's just a part of living in NYC, and well, it's home.

Me and my core group of girlfriends in NYC during our annual picnic right after I got back.

So, what is this blog going to be now that I'm not "Across the Pondering" anymore? I plan on keeping it up in a similar vein, sharing bits and pieces of my life with you but also making it more of a general lifestyle blog. I plan to share recipes we make and love, trips we take and suggestions from those, home improvement projects and lessons learned. It'll be letters home to you all so that we can stay in touch and share ideas.

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Thanks for sticking with me through the hiatus of Oxford to New York. It's definitely been a transition, but I'm excited to be back!

PS- If you ever feel the urge to re-live the "Across the Ponderings" days, I've created a section in the navigation called "Oxford Archives" where you can find all the old blog posts. I secretly know that it's just for me when I get homesick for the UK, but I'll pretend that you care, too :)