Spring in NYC

We’ve been in NYC almost a full month now! (Well together anyway - remember Darrell and Penny were here for a month prior to our wedding being cancelled and then re-planned.) It’s such an odd time for everyone all over. It’s definitely made this “transition” very weird for us.

We are spending our days much like everyone else (I assume)… working remotely, starting random projects at home (some are actually finished), binge watching TV shows on Netflix and trying to get outside when we can.

It’s been an interesting challenge trying to adjust to our cramped quarters, organizing and maximizing every square inch of space… Darrell particularly enjoys that challenge. I enjoy making our apartment a home with functional decor and adding personal touches.

Dinner and a Show… One night we ordered in Chopt salads. We love our TV table haha!!

Organization

Our kitchen has definitely been one of the most challenging areas in the apartment to conquer. Very limited storage and virtually nonexistent counter space make dinner prep interesting. Last week, I rearranged a lot of the cabinets and I think it’s finally coming together. I am planning to do a post all about the kitchen eventually to show you just what I’m talking about!!

When it comes to clothing, Darrell has figured out a system for organizing his wardrobe. I, on the other hand, am still trying to figure out mine… Between all of the accessories and just trying to determine what to do with off season clothing when there’s really nowhere for it to go, it’s just a lot. I made some progress on a solution for a few drawers this morning so it’s getting better…

Every night at from 7:00-7:05 PM, people all over the city cheer, sing, clap and bang pots & pans from their windows to show support of front line workers. It’s super funny when we’ve been outside at this time taking Penny for a walk - I truly believe she thinks everyone is cheering for her!! She prances and has this little pep in her step. It is the cutest thing. But also this is just a really neat time each day to see how people are coming together in a difficult time!

Pandemic Craziness

We’ve received a lot of questions from family and friends about what it’s like in NYC since the city has been talked about quite a bit during COVID-19 news coverage. Honestly, I don’t know what I expected, but it’s not “scary” and everyone seems to be taking it seriously - taking all sorts of precautions and being responsible citizens. We don’t have any reason to be in a cab or on the subway - we can get anything we need within a block or through delivery services so that’s a huge blessing. We really don’t come in close contact with people other than to shop for groceries. We wear our masks and wash our hands, sanitize everything, etc. We’re extra careful about our shoes anyway because we walk a lot and the streets aren’t trashed but obviously they’re gross… We know where our dog potties so we know other dogs (and sadly homeless people) are doing the same in the same places… So ya know, the city just changes how you think about the cleanliness of things like shoes… And Penny’s paws… (we have special wipes just for dog paws).

Grocery shopping now evokes the same kind of excitement that Laura felt when Pa took them to town in Little House on the Prairie. (You’re laughing but you probably feel this way too LOL!) I put on makeup. I wear a real shirt and jeans instead of a t-shirt and leggings (sometimes). It’s become one of the most anticipated activities of the week. How sad is that?? We shop at Trader Joe’s nearby for most items and then we order name brand items from a grocery delivery app. For those asking why we go to Trader Joe’s when we can order groceries… It’s because of the better prices and they don’t offer delivery.

If you’re friends with Darrell on social media, you likely saw that I gave him a hair cut this weekend. It took me a very long time (I think like an hour and 35 minutes) but that’s partly because it was my first time cutting someone’s hair and also because none of the drug stores around us had clippers in stock so I used hair-cutting shears for the entire cut. Once the clippers we ordered arrive, I’ll be able to shape up the back. How did I learn what to do?? I watched a grand total of 2 YouTube videos and declared “DARRELL, I’M CUTTING YOUR HAIR!” He said sure. Hahaha. Poor thing, he had gone 76 days without a hair cut. I feel like this was a real win for me as a new wife!!

D’s before and after pics!!

Fun

For fun, we’ve been binge watching The Office and going on adventures in Central Park. I’ve started working on a wedding album and ways to capture memories from our special day. I am also trying to decide what photos to have printed and framed to hang up. The weather has been a little crazy (it snowed over the weekend although it didn’t stick) and I’m unsure how much of that is a weird spring versus spring up north compared to KY. But as it’s warming up, we’ve enjoyed taking walks and exploring the area. The featured image for this post was actually from such a walk. We came upon a community garden and I poked my phone through the rails to snap a photo of the pretty flowers!

Riding bikes in Central Park!

I am trying to soak up the sweet parts of “quarantine” and social distancing but I am so ready for things to get better so we can truly enjoy life in the big city. It sounds like most parts of the country are beginning their plans to reopen and I know NYC is getting closer to that. It will be interesting to see how the year plays out following this pandemic and all the change it has brought for many.