Don’t you remember the date, honey? It was one year ago that I returned to you after the longest break up of our relationship evah. Seven years apart! Ok, so I never reeeaaalllly left. But Happy Anniversary to my favorite borough!

One year ago (Ok, I’m talking to you now, reader), we gave up the “better quality of life” in a small town to come back to where we belong. Sometimes we wonder why we ever left, but all of us (well, many of us) have a love/hate relationship with the city and hubby and I were in “hate” mode. It wasn’t the crazy rat race that bothered us, it was that the city was becoming more like a suburb, so why not live in the country with clean air and more land and less expenses?

Well, easier said than done. It’s hard to wrap your head around not being able to get what you want when you want if you’re from the city that never sleeps. But hey, we lasted 7 years!

So, one year back. How is it?

Answer: Still happy! Still not pissed off riding the overcrowded subway or seeing people litter or having cars cut me off. I mean, yeah, I yell and scream, but that’s good for ya. It lets off steam. Otherwise, you get ulcers.

The best part about being back is that we now take advantage of what NYC has to offer. Whereas 7 years ago, we just kind of hung out around our neighborhood of Park Slope when not working on the house, we no longer take anything for granted. Any Broadway show or concert we want to see, we make sure to book. We try new restaurants now instead of eating at the most convenient place. After a year of being back, we still feel like tourists in our own city! (Well, the hubby is from Dublin originally, so it’s only been HIS city since 1986.)

We have neighbors that are like family on the Bed Stuy block we live on. Our renovations are almost done (sort of). I’m in touch with old friends from every decade of my life and BTW, I’m not the only one who returned to Brooklyn after a hiatus.

So, one year in….it’s still good.

* 1 month back in Brooklyn.