FROM THE OTHER SIDE
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Showing posts tagged chilli sparkles
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The great moving challenge - from Columbus Circle, to Columbus Circle!
I totally love moving - said nobody EVER! Moving to NY was kind of exciting but it was still totally stressful. It was just easier to deal with it knowing it meant so much to me.
One year later (yes peeps it’s been a whole year now!), I had to move again. This time the move was not brought on by a desire for change, but because my very dear friend and house-mate Nicole decided to move home. Actually decided feels like too strong a word, but nevertheless, she is gone.
Nicole leaving has evoked all kinds of thoughts and feelings for me. The biggest one being how much she has come to mean to me in the past 12 months. It hasn’t always been easy spending so much time together, but with our cohabitation coming to an end, it rather suddenly became clear just how strong our bond had become. More than a friend, Nicole became my family. I have a wonderful family and sister, who don’t need replacing BUT, I’ve come to think of her as my New York sister just the same.
It’s been rather like having a bandaid ripped off with her going. I mean I knew it was coming down the track. But in the end her departure happened far more quickly than expected. So I now find myself in unfamiliar territory, much more alone (not lonely) and navigating a new phase of life in NYC. I’ll be honest and admit there have been random ‘what am I doing here’ thoughts. It will certainly take some adjusting to.
So, with my family leaving and so much change in my world on the home front I decided there was only one thing to do. That was to stay in the same building we’d come to love living in together so much. Which meant the great moving challenge was confined to a lift shaft and 12 floors. I can’t say that made the move a great deal easier in the long run though. I was so busy at work it was largely left to a paid moving company who spent 7 hours on the job. One bedroom, 12 floors, 7 hours, many $!
I moved last week and five days later had managed to get my new digs into respectable order. I now have a one bedroom apartment with Hudson River views which I am rather enjoying, particularly at sunset. I am paying more, but I know I made the right decision in staying put as post move the settling in is feeling far better than it could have with new everything going on around me. Besides, I’ve become fond of my doormen, and I’m loyal, I don’t want new ones!
Chilli Sparkles is taking her sweet time to settle in. She is still turning right when she gets out of the elevator. Sometimes she hesitates, but overall she is heading in the wrong direction at this stage. Of course she also misses the love and attention that is back in Australia in the form of her Auntie Micole!
In more change, the weather is really warming up and Spring is here in earnest. I am loving this time of year, it is so pretty and energy lifting. So I am practicing channeling that love into enjoying living in the moment.
Here are some pics of the new abode:
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Sign of the times, Ferrara Cafe is back open!
In case you don’t know, Ferrara is the little coffee shop in Central Park as you enter from the corner of 59th on the West side of the park. Otherwise known as my entrance.
Ever since we’ve lived the LUWS (my name for the lower upper west side - which could also be called Columbus Circle or even the Lincoln Centre area) I have been building a relationship of the friendship variety with Jose, the lovely smiling face behind the counter who I talk to pretty much every morning. Yes I buy coffee from him, I need to drink it while I walk young Chilli Sparkles. But also, I like chatting to him, he has even been helping me practice my Spanish.
So you can imagine my dismay when after returning from my Christmas vacation Ferrara was closed and Jose was no where to be found! Instead, there was a sign saying that Ferrara had closed for January and February. Apparently it’s just too cold in the depths of winter and I guess Jose needs a break. Which led me to drinking foul American coffee bought for $1.50 from the fast food stands in desperation. Regularly.
Anyway, back to the news of the day, this is a super exciting development for many reasons.
- Surely this means there worst of winter is now over
- I can re-commence my Spanish lessons
- If I forget treats for Chilli no fear, Jose supplies them
- And he provides water for the doggies, which is non existent in the park right now for the poor thirsty
- I get to drink real coffee in the morning once more (of the skinny latte variety)
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Hi all, check out my new puffer coat - mum FIIIIIIIIIINALLY got around to buying me a decent one. It’s super warm. Actually when I’m doing my sprint training, I get a bit too hot. But let’s face it, I look cool and that’s the main thing.
Took mum to the park this morning and decided to give her a fright but heading out on pond, which has frozen over. Now I know where that human saying ‘on thin ice’ comes from. Because she was screaming Chilli Sparkles, you are on thin ice young lady, and I really was.
Anyway, don’t know why she was panicking, I’m only 15 pounds, and I thought it was super fun. Now I know that I can walk on water!
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Hi it’s me CS, checking in from Green Leaf. As you can see, it’s not the barrel of laughs mum pretends. In fact there is wire fences and frankly they are treating me like a dog. Which I am clearly not. In fact I’m surrounded by dogs here and it’s doing my freaking head in - such annoying creatures, humans are way better.
So mum, I see you are off larging it in the snow and Vegas. How can you leave me and go and have fun? Don’t you love me anymore? Most importantly when on earth are you coming home. And when am I coming home? I am coming home right?, this is not like a jail I’ve been sent to for barking at the stupid mutt on level 21 or something is it? I cant say I wont do it again, it’s my end of the floor! But I know you know that, so I can only assume I’m outta here shortly.
Just so you know this is what I’ve been doing while you’ve been having fun. Every night I get locked in a 4 x 4 box with a glass window. It might as well be a cage, despite what they told you about it being all hotel like. It’s so not, you have to come and see because I never want to come to a dog hotel again and I know you will agree this is not the place for me. The place for me is with you. Got it?
The days are better. I will admit to having some fun when they put me in the doggy daycare. Not because of the dogs in there mind you, just because I like the toys and the rides. They’re pretty cool really and at least I get to run super fast and show everyone how superior I am. Sometimes they think I’m having fun and I’m actually happy. Just so you know, I’m not happy. I just look happy.
Every night, because I know it annoys them I cry all night. I’m not really sad, just making a racket so they call you can beg you to come and pick me up and take me back to the Island. Have they done that? They better have. I miss New York City. I miss Central Park. I miss you and Auntie Micole. But I’m no cry baby, let’s get that straight, I just know how to work the system.
By the way you should see how dumb the dogs here are. Pathetic. Just saying.
Have you done anything about buying me a present? Really want the turk-knee, but I’m up for as many treats as possible, you have been super mean leaving me here and I deserve it. Now that it’s been so long you really need to up the present stakes. Major style.
So can you write back and give me some info on when we all get home? I used to think vacations were great. But this vacation sucks!
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Chilli and I go vacationing
I am currently on one of the best vacations of my life. First up 8 days in Park City Utah, what a beautiful place, I really enjoyed both the natural beauty and the old school colorful architecture. But of course, the best part was being with an awesome group of my buddies, carving up the mountains. And while Park City is divine, it was the Canyons that really stole my heart from a carving POV!
I left PC four days ago and have since then been hanging with my sister, bro in law, 3 kids and another group of friends in Aspen. I have been totally in my element here, surrounded by my loved ones. And I have had some of the best on snow days of my life, pushing myself hard with a group of advanced skiiers. Talk about fun, I’ve always loved snow holidays, but I feel right now just quietly kind of obsessed with the whole thing. So exhilarating and so much fun to share the feeling.
Tomorrow sadly my vacation is over, but don’t feel too sorry for me as I am off to Vegas for the CES annual conference. I’ve always wanted to get to CES so it’s an enormous reminder I am very much living my dream right now. LIVING MY DREAM!
So you may be wondering what is going on with Chilli Sparkles? First up she was minded by my house mates amazing folks. She actually sent me an email during this period:
Mum where are you? I know you’re not in Chit-car-go cause you’ve been away for three nights and Aunty Micole went with you and you had lots of bags. So what’s the go?
OK here.It is snowing and the dog across the hall is pissing me off. This is my end of the 21st floor. If I can get into her apartment I’ll rip her head off.
Well things are sort of OK. Old Tom is a pushover. I take him for a walk around Central Park every morning or should I say I pull him around the park. It’s hard work getting him up the steps but I manage. I don’t get off the friggen lead but if I did he’d only get lost and I’d have to find him and bring him home. The squirrels laugh at me but I’ll give the hell when you get back. You are coming back aren’t you?
There was this dog in the park yesterday. A fat sausage dog, it’s mother was big and fat too. All it wanted to do was stiff all over me. I got really cranky so i jumped on it head with my front paws and growled and it really loudly. I fixed it just like I’d fix that mut that lives across the hall on my floor.
Took Old Tom to the throwing and kicking park a couple of days ago. He practiced his throwing and kicking for about 40 minutes. His kicks are good, nice and straight and fast but he needs to work on his throwing……… He had fun. It was good to get him out of the apartment for awhile.
Well Auntie Micoles grandmother with the white hair, she is a bit hard to con but she took me to the clothes shop and changed my coat. I gots lots of treats.
Oh yea that reminds me I’ve found a new shop… The wine shop. ……it a place just for dogs to get treats. Every one makes a fuss of me……I let them feed me if the give me a. High five. I thought if I gave them a high ten I get 2 treats because 2 fives are10… But they couldn’t work it out…. More trainning needed.
Oh there is the stuff I really like it’s called um…. Turk knee. Well, old Tom dropped some on the floor and he’s too slow to bend over and get it so I got it first and ate it up. Better than the crap I get on the street. So I want some more please. You and Auntie Micole can bring me home treats from where ever you are.
Oh guess what old Tom and Sandra sleep in your bed. I think Tom would let me jump on it but not Sandra.
Well see you soon I hope!
Don’t forget the Turk knee. 2 lbs would be ok to start with.Since then, Chilli has gone on a vacation of her own. She is currently overseas (well from NYC) in New Jersey at the Green Leaf pet resort and hotel. I haven’t heard from here yet, so I figure she is too busy having fun. If I do though, I will be sure to post an update here.
Anyways, ciao peeps, have a party at our abode is Aspen to ready myself for now. Mwah.
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