Manhattan All Over My Feet

The Holbs and I decided to hold our 1st Annual Holbrooks Walk The Island.

The idea is you start at the bottom of Manhattan and then just walk walk walk all the way up on Broadway. Like the pioneers.

We started at Fulton and Broadway and walked. And walked. It was a little chilly but sunny and there were a lot of tourists downtown for some reason, and it got me to thinking about stuff.

We flew into Manhattan for the first time so Brandon could train for his new position. The company flew me out too so I could have fun, but those first few days when I was by myself and didn't know how the subways worked or where anything was and it was summer and all hot and sticky, I was just dead intimidated. When the cab from the airport dropped us off, a random guy ran up and offered to help us take our luggage into the hotel if we'd give him twenty bucks, and I remember feeling so overwhelmed by all the noise and the smells.

That night we had dinner in the hotel restaurant, which had these big windows facing ground zero. I looked down at that gaping hole and then at my husband and I realized that for a whole year he was going to be the only person I knew. It was all I could do not to cry into my pasta.

The city feels like second nature by now. I'm so much braver than I was when we first moved here. The crazy people make me smile and I've learned to breathe through my sleeve in stinky spots and I don't feel like I’m ever in any danger. The crazy packed streets seem exciting. I can't believe how lucky I am to be here. Every day that I don't spend exploring feels like a day wasted.

Our walk today was a so much fun. We walked all the way up to 96th Street on the Upper West Side, and right around 72nd we got what I'll now call the Upper West Side High, where suddenly everyone is beautiful and the leaves are crisp and the sugar from the cupcake we ate is just starting to set in.

Now that we're back home, safe in our little nest in Brooklyn Heights, and my feet are still throbbing but the delivery guy finally brought my groceries and life is perfect, I will tell you a little secret:

Having your groceries delivered to your door is something I think I should expect for the rest of my life.