Best week yet
Morning walks, small towns and connections
Tuesday
I’ve always loved walking around neighbourhoods and perving into people’s homes, imagining how my life might look there. It's my imaginary world and my favourite pastime. So you can imagine my delight walking around an affluent part of Charlotte, in America. We’ve all seen the films, the white weatherboard, the wrap around veranda’s ‘Porch’, the teenage girl with a huge double bed and dresser. Something so very far away from my reality as a kid.
The houses are like something from a fairytale. You imagine the neighbours all pop in to see one another, if someone is sick a pie is left on the porch, that type of thing. Az and I walked along the tree lined streets, the sun glistening down over these beautiful abodes - you can’t help but be enchanted, some of them on the smaller size, cute and modest and some of them the size of a hospital. Not quite Home Alone size but not far off. When I was younger I always loved the idea of a big family, like the Mclalisters at Christmas, noise and carnage. I have romanized this idea but the reality of it is far different. I dislike noise that I can’t escape, I don’t like mess! So this idea goes out of the window. But whilst I’m walking around this beautiful area of Charlotte, I can exercise these thoughts as a brief holiday in my mind. A life I won’t experience but actually, as I return to my gorgeous apartment and lie on my couch, I feel this ain’t half bad. There’s so much to be grateful for!
We sit on the couch and eat ice lollies and attempt to cool down whilst googling property prices for the area, there’s very little available but a 4 bed, 3 bath MAHOOSIVE house for a whopping $1.7 million. Laugh out loud. Suck a dick.
Wednesday
I’m looking for work, I’ve signed up to a few job websites and feel productive just submitting my CV. For the first time in my life, I’ve put a photo on my ‘resume’ which makes me feel like a cheesy bastard but it’s quite accepted over here to do it. I’m trying to keep my mindset stable and not panic about work and why have I not gotten the first job to come my way. This was my mentality when I finished college and it’s hard not to shame myself for being unemployed still. Why is it we put so much pressure on ourselves, I’ve just moved country and I feel guilty for taking my time finding something, in the UK I promised myself (as did friends repeatedly tell me) to take my time to find a job I wanted to do (a luxury I know) but I realise that going out to work will be a good thing. It’ll help me settle and find more peeps to potentially be friends with! WATCH OUT CHARLOTTE.
Az and I have started getting up early and going on a morning walk along our rail trail with an iced coffee ‘cold brew’ and it’s such a great way to start the day, I get home feeling so bloody smug and productive and ready to tackle my to do list, it’s important to stay active and have little goals even if its perusing TEMU (god help me) and buying random items for the apartment.
Thursday
Went to a beautiful brewery up the road where we sat outside and watched the young runners of Charlotte jog past glistening like oiled up Chippendales (are they still a thing?). There was a guy singing and I thought if this was England it’d be packed and you wouldn’t get a seat, there'd be a sea of sunburn and likely some singing along. Damn I miss the UK but there has a been a shift - I’m enjoying being here. I miss the intimacy of friendships and family and people that really know me, but they are a Whatsapp away and I’m feeling rather hopeful about this next stage of my life. I might even feel positive? WHO KNEW.
Saturday
The highlight of my week. Az is at a Warhammer tournament in a small town north of Charlotte called Hickory (can it SOUND anymore American?) I’ve decided that rather than sit around Charlotte all day, I spend the day checking it out. I’m so glad I did. It totally filled my cup! I got breakfast at a gorgeous cafe and sat outside, prices were very welcome! A coffee, a delicious and warm banana nut muffin and two boiled eggs for $9. After that I walk around the town, buy myself a necklace in the local boutique place, find some postcards to send to my mum and set off for the Art museum. It was small and perfect for my goldfish attention span. After I went to the gift shop and got chatting to (let’s call her Rose) the shop manager, she was delightful, warm and friendly. We got deep very quickly and started talking about the state of the world (YAY!) and children (my lack of and her boy who has needs) and it felt so natural and comforting to connect with someone in that way. Naturally I got ahead of myself and asked her if she liked beer, she did, would she like to meet me when she ‘got off’ work - she must have been tempted to pull the panic button but I quickly backed it up with that I was waiting for my husband to finish and it’d be nice to go finish our conversation. We swapped numbers and she said see you later Sammy whilst probably wondering WTF just happened. I then headed to this incredible charity shop in town, it had furniture, bric-a-brac along with clothes and a vintage section. I was high on life, I was on my own, no one to ask how long I’d be, just enjoying it moment by moment. I bought two fabulous and dainty martini glasses for $8.
As I headed to the local taphouse, I texted my new bestie Rose, as a nail technician in her spare time she told me she had forgotten she had her client at 5pm. For a moment I laughed and was tempted to spiral with YOU SCARED HER you crazy cow! But I didn’t. Though I did make a mental note to remind myself not everyone has to become a friend, you can enjoy these wonderful moments of connection without swapping numbers. But the thought soon disappeared because as I sat at the bar and ordered a refreshing lager, the bloke next to me said hi and well you know where this is going.. 2 beers later Tom and Martin tell me they are brothers (STEADY) and they are in their 60s, Tom is up from Florida visiting Martin. Martin lives in Hickory. I catch myself thinking what a fantastic day, I texted Az to let him know that I’m in a bar talking to two brothers and happier than a pig in shite, he sends an eye roll emoji. He sees me and knows me so well and I bloody love him.
I get back to Charlotte, shower the day off and collapse in bed so content.
On another note, I am OBSESSED with this song by Neil Young ‘Razor Love’ OMG it’s one of the most profound love songs EVER. It’s a grower, not a shower - give it a go.
Thanks so much for being here with me, its lovely having you onboard.