green chili fondue. spiked hot chocolate.

I’ve been back in New York City 18 months. During this time I’ve had three different apartments, a second husband come and go, a puppy leave us too soon and a few nervous breakdowns. I also put out two new poetry books, and I’ve had two different jobs… including my favorite and best job.

I think all of my dodging and weaving amongst the piles of personal madness I hike daily occasionally distracts me from what I’ve swung, all by myself and grown-up style. And it’s funny the things that stop me in my tracks and make me shake my head quickly with a shot of thought like, “Damn. I have my own place, with my dog from Australia, in the central guts of Manhattan… complete with balcony and a bag of Writer-like gadgets… and also blue gel ink and paper.”

Today, what sharply stopped me, was a massive sign I walked by wandering Peanut back from our daily Central Park morning roam that happily declared:

GREEN CHILI FONDUE, S’MORE GRILLED CHEESE, SPIKED HOT CHOCOLATE, HOT BUTTERED RUM TODDY…

Considering that I kicked off my Manhattan mission down the block from an old wooden steeple complete with licensed wheelchair parked out the front, a sign up the street from me inviting me in for green chili fondue and spiked hot chocolate invited a head shake and one of those “Holy Shit” smiles… it took three years to do it, but here I am.

And I also worked on book yesterday… that made me smile too. Here’s to hot buttered rum toddies and good writing blog tribe. Now all I need is summer…