This city is wonderful. HOT and HUMID – but wonderful. I’ve pretty much got the layout of the city down. To begin with I stayed pretty much on Manhattan, but I have ventured out to Brooklyn a few times now. I’ve even made two attempts to ride the Staten Island Ferry, but both times there was a wait of twenty minutes. Fine, I don’t mind waiting. But I wasn’t too keen on the people that I’d be waiting with – not the (I’m sure perfectly lovely) people of Staten Island, but the tourists! Ugh! I didn’t wait. I’m in love with the East Village and Lower East Side. SoHo seems okay, but the people there feel a little untouchable – that whole commerce of art thing. It’s strange. I’m not that great a fit there.

There is one advantage of SoHo (and Canal Street really) and that’s the abundance of handbags (or as they call them here purses – the purse is the thing that goes IN the bag – don’t they know that???) OMG! I’ve bought so many. It’s an addiction. I know they’re not real, but they look real. Who the hell studies the stitching. I’m sure someone does, but not me! So now I have a house that I have no idea how long I can live in, with hardly any furniture but plenty of accessories 🙂

I’ve graduated from Starbucks to nicer breakfast and coffee spot called The Grey Dog. It’s really nice, although they’re not too keen on you hanging about in there taking up the tables. It seems to be fine in the morning, but come lunch time it’s too crowded. I manage to get in a couple of chapters of Through the Night before I have to leave. I’m officially hooked. What started as this simple little drama about a family losing a son has turned into a really exciting, even creepy, little thriller. The husband is trying to grieve but at night he goes sleepwalking and he’s like another person. He’s looking for the people he blames for his son’s apparent death (I still don’t know if I believe he’s dead) and things get… well, messy. It’s very much a modern update on Jekyll and Hyde – well modern for 1960. I like it a lot. It’s made me all puffed up and proud. And a little relieved, imagine if my father’s father had terrible taste in books? With a little adjusting it could definitely be a bestseller now. Look at me! I’ve got publishing in my blood!

Something odd occurred to me today. I’m sort of in limbo right now. I mean, this isn’t a holiday is it, but at the same time I’m not working or settled? I’m not a resident. So what am I? What is this? Exploring the city is all fine and lovely, but how long do I keep on wandering? Am I wandering? Or is there some sort of purpose to what I’m doing? Shouldn’t I be finding out more about my dad? What else is there for me to do? Okay, now I think I’m actually freaking out.

On the upside, at least I’m not completely bored yet. Even if I am on my own. I’ve never really had a problem with my own company. But I’m beginning to think it might be nice to get to know some people a little better. But for now I’m fine.

Dx