As I sit here at my desk, the window in front of me is open and there's a strong, warm wind blowing in a drying my hair. It's glorious; it's 76F and wonderfully balmy. Or barmy, from the point of view of a Brit who is definitely not used to this kind of weather in October. I got all the winter woolies out at the weekend and me and the husband ventured up into New Hampshire to see the fall foliage - what amazing colours! It was a little chillier up there. We saw the first snow in the White Mountains and took heaps of pictures of all the pumpkin people and harvest and Halloween paraphernalia. I love this time of year! I am so looking forward to Halloween; here it seems like the Yanks start gearing up for it at the end of September and everyone seems to make an effort in dressing their doorways or windows or gardens. You can get black trees with baubles! It's like Christmas but spookier! I'm really excited about the whole pumpkin thing. I grew up in the north east of England where we used to hollow out turnips with spoons. It was an all-day job, but they do smell rather delicious when they have a candle burning in them and they biodegrade in a really alarming and satisfyingly grotesque way. And of course, you can eat the mash. I'm not sure what I'll do with all the pumpkin innards; I'm really not up on pumpkin recipes, although I am sure they are legion.
I've been told that the temperature is going to suddenly drop. One day we'll be skipping around in our light jumpers, the next we'll be pulling on the thermals. It's all good; when it's colder I'll be writing even more instead of looking out of the window and yearning to go sailing one more time...
Ah! I'm loving it!
The last few weeks I've felt a little bit lonely for the first time during our 7 months here. It's a weird feeling, I'm not normally prone to loneliness at all. I like spending time on my own, I am not the sort who needs people around me and constant activities. However, I have been really missing my good friends from home. It would be lovely to meet up with some of my best girl buds for a drink or a moan or a laugh. It's so fricking difficult to meet new peeps in your thirties unless you have a child or work with folks. The New Englanders are very friendly and welcoming, but they have a reserve - not unlike the Brits - and it's hard to break that wall down. And I've realised how often us Brits bond with humour: a self-deprecating, dry, ironic humour that is widely misunderstood over here. I love the Americans' positivity, but it can be a little alienating in a strange sort of way. We have a couple of friends from the husband's work who are fab, and we're slowly meeting others through joining various clubs and wotnot, but it's a bloody gradual process and sometimes I feel like a bit of a saddo.
However, I've had no excuse not to write! I have been tackling my chick/wit lit novel and I'm on the final leg of my first draft.
The writing is actually going extremely well. At least, in the sense that it's pouring out of me. I'm not convinced that it's particularly good; I think I might have some serious editing and rewriting to tackle in due course, but the flow is there and that's what I'm excited about. I am just shy of the 100,000 word mark and I reckon I'll be finished my first draft in about 2 weeks time. Then it'll be time to bring out the Champagne! In the meantime, I might have to try one of those pumpkin spice lattes...
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8 comments:
Oh look. Your blog's turned pumpkin coloured!
I have to say, it does sound LOVELY over there and I think I'd be equally excited about Halloween. It's SUCH a big holiday over there isn't it?
Are there any writers groups you could join to meet people (though my experience of writers groups is that 95% of the attendees are most definitely odd!)? Or a book group? Or some other kind of group? Yep, I could see how meeting new people in your 30s could be difficult. When I moved to Brighton 10 years ago I only knew one person so hooray for meeting people through work and friends of people from work and friends from Uni who moved here etc etc. I think I'd definitely be nervous about moving somewhere where I didn't know a soul now (I'm not quite adventurous now as I was in my mid-20s!) but that said it sounds like you're off to a good start with hubby's work mates etc.
And well done on the chicklit book. You're nearly there!
KayJay, if it's any consolation, that 'slightly blue' feeling is classic six month thing when you're an expat... Calistro's suggestions are good though too and husband's work mates.
Excellent news on the novel progress.
Oh Kay Jay, you have made me so homesick again! The Fall was my favourite season. Believe I can't remember a single warm halloween - somehow under the costume you had to fit some serious layers!
JJ is sopt on 6 mos is when you really hit the wall as an expat. Any local charities that interest? I'm sure there are writers' groups about or evening an evening class in how to cook pumkin. Good luck!
I loved being in the US for fall. I went up north in Michigan to see the colours change (and get pumpkin for halloween) and it was lovely. So beautiful. It is bloody cold here and I doubt I would not get quite the same thrill wandering around parks here!
Great news on the word count, c'mon c'mon c'mon, you're nearly there! I don't like sweet recipes with pumpkin, my favourite thing to do with it is make a very bland soup with pumpkin/milk/stock and blend, then make some fiery harissa (pounded garlic, salt, chillies, cumin, coriander, in quantities to suit, mixed with enough olive oil to give a dropping/spreading consistency, keeps for ages in the fridge) and blob it into a nice hot bowlful to taste. Yum!
Thanks to all for your comments! It's great to hear from others who have gone through something similar, whether we're talking writing or being an legal alien...!
Liz, it's just gorgeous right now - oh the colours! I really can't get over them, every day my view changes. Weather is still in the high 60s-mid 70s but apparently we're getting cold at the weekend. I don't care, I love it here. Bring on the cold! (Dunno if I'll still be saying that in January - I've heard about the icy winters...and then some.)
Zinnia - thanks for the recipe, it sounds exactly my type of thing, hot and spicy, mmmm...
On the lonely front - yep, I've joined a writers' group and am doing some evening classes, but it's such a gradual process of getting to know people without coming across like a total desperate loon. Ho hum.
Anyway, thanks to all for reading and commenting!
Hi, I see you haven't blogged for a while - I hope everything's OK. We're guessing you didn't see Liz's recent post on the Novel Racers asking for people's intentions for 2009. Please could you have a look at the post here http://novelracers.blogspot.com/2008/11/race-2009.html and leave a comment to let us know what you'd like to do? Or if you'd prefer to let us know 'off the record', feel free to email me at the address on my blog, or JJ at the address on hers. (I would have sent this by email with a cc to JJ, but I couldn't find an email address for you.) Thanks.
With others on 6 months being the wall for ex pats, also if it cooincides with a change of season it is double lowering of spirits I htink, adn I have been an ex pat in several corners of the globe! Pumpkins! YOu lucky soul we managed to grow one here this year far too wet and none in the shops alas!!
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