New York City, Philadelphia and blogging

Over the past few months, my Sweetheart and I's travels have taken us to both New York City and Philadelphia. It was my first time visiting Philadelphia and it was okay, but New York...it was my third visit to the city and I love it just as much as my last two visits there. I've always said to everyone I know that NYC is Montreal on steroids and even though I had not been to New York in twelve years, I knew as soon as I got there that my statement about it was as true as ever. I found my old friend cleaner, more vibrant and safer than ever and I was so happy to see the extent to which the city has come back to life since 9-11. Here are a few pictures from both trips, all but the last four are from New York City.

                       

I'm really having a wonderful Summer so far, it's my first free one since I was sixteen years old and it's also my first one since I was nineteen where I have not had to wear a uniform, which I am having great fun with. I've been able to buy and wear shorts outside of the hour for the first time in years and have revamped my Summer wardrobe, since everything I owned for the Summer revolved around the dress code at work, meaning nothing above the knee, no tank tops or anything too low cut and it had to match the uniform shirt which was teal. I've really enjoyed shopping and Sweetheart has really enjoyed seeing my new outfits. I also feel that I've been able to really enjoy the Summer weather for the first time in ages, since for the last two years I worked full time I had a shift from noon to 8:00 P.M., which made it very difficult for me to spend any time outside in the daylight. I've been enjoying our patio table, our BBQ and reading books outside, I've been able to stroll in the city and plant flowers and go out for ice cream and I've also been able to go on vacation with Sweetheart and his family and laze around on the beach tanning and making sand castles with our nieces and visit my grandmother in South Carolina. This has all been doing me so much good I cannot even put it into words. I feel as if I'm coming back to life slowly after everything I went through last year. It's all still there just below the surface, everything is still healing, but at least I can handle the pain a bit more easily now and when I laugh, I really laugh and it is full of life. I'm still working on healing and getting my bearings and figuring out my new life and I'm also still trying to figure out what to do with this blog. It came about as a way for me to occupy myself in the lonely days when Sweetheart was living and working in Toronto, but since he has been back so much has changed. I would eventually, I believe like to be able to share about what I went through when we discovered how ill my father was with depression and when he passed away and how that affected me. It would help me and others if I could tell his story, but for now I don't feel quite able to do that yet. I don't know how long it will take me to be able to write about it, but what might help me do that is to start another blog entirely devoted to that story and put it together piece by piece before making it public. I also feel that I should tell my father's family before I put anything out there since the availability of the story could affect them and we do not all see my father's depression and its causes in the same way. I'll be sure to let you all know, though, when any of this pans out...if any of you still actually read here that is. I know I've not been a very good blogger for the past year, but I do the best I can :)