I’m not sure where to start. There is a lot and I don’t want to fill tons of pages. I don’t want to bore you to tears all you thousands of people reading th… oh wait.

The first thing to say is that I can’t actually tell Auntie Monica (or phantom you) where I am. Not properly. Not specifically. I wish I could but the lawyer says that would attract the wrong sort of attention to my father’s “affairs.” I knew he was deeply in debt despite having quite a bit of money squirreled away in investments as it turns out, but I’ve since learnt he also had this whole secret property thing going on. It wasn’t in his name, he wasn’t living in it – which I just don’t get, because it is (well probably was at one point) stunning. Mr Wallace has said I can stay in the property while they work out my father’s debts (which means I get to delay my return home for a bit longer), but that I shouldn’t let anyone else know about it, or where it is. So this is me keeping my new home address a secret. All I’m going to say is that it’s… unbelievably central.

Mr Wallace (Orvin) is sort of a cross between an adorable uncle and a completely creepy school teacher. He keeps calling me ‘dear’ which I hate and he seems insistent on giving me hugs. I think he thinks he’s consoling me for the loss of my father. Ummmmmm… I never knew the guy, we’re cool.

This city is just incredible, it has to be said. I thought London was mad, but this place… I haven’t done anything on my bucket list yet. I’ve done some walking about but I’ve been too wrapped up in “dad” stuff. I’m still… I don’t know, freaked out? I can’t make any sense of the page. I don’t understand why he wanted me to have it, and the handwritten letter doesn’t help at all. It’s just the original version of the book page. Though, the phrase ‘ripe and runny with wonder’ is just haunting me. Mr. Wallace said it seemed “Thoreau-esque.” Maybe it was important to my dad, sentimental, and he wanted it to stay with a “Green”, which I am now? Always was? It’s been brilliant exploring a new part of the world under an assumed name. But Deidre B. is waiting for me on the other side of the ocean. Not missing her just yet, however. 🙂

Tomorrow I’m going to give myself a break from it and check something off. Maybe the High Line? But for tonight I’ll have pizza (the choice here is mad!) and try and get a good night’s sleep on the single mattress – currently placed on the floor of the living room.
Dx