Bay Ridge ~ Four Years Later

It's been four years since I moved to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn from the West Village in Manhattan, and I haven't regretted a minute. So much has changed in my life over that time -- mostly for the better. Most notably that I've had a change in landlords and a relatively modest rent hike for my floor-through, and I retired from my office job this past March.

I remember my move as if it were just yesterday. My cousin, Linda and her college-aged son, Mark, came in Linda's van. We filled it on two trips and I left 12 Fifth Avenue for good, after living there, rent stabilized, for 18 years. Kevin was along to assist.

Some of the boxes from the move remain unpacked. Wonder what's inside!

The first thing I noticed upon my arrival was the window display across the street at McAteer Florists. Live, pure-white, giant turkeys in a pen of straw. It was a bit surreal but I knew this was going to be my kind of neighborhood.

The day after the move, I just had to return to look at them. A young mother was there with her three little kids. She sounded just like Fran Drescher in The Nanny when she shouted, "Look, kids! Turkeeeys! Turkeeeys! Aren't they adorable?" Yep, this was home for sure.

And so it has remained home to me. I am thankful for so many things this year, including the love and support of my friends. I am especially grateful to have Kevin as my downstairs (and only) neighbor in the building, and our friends on the ground floor, in Ammari Deli, who take in our larger packages from USPS and UPS.

This Thanksgiving, Kevin will be having a dinner with friends, and I'll be making mashed turnips, basically the way my mom used to. I'll be spending Christmas with cousin Linda and her family. Oh, and as for the turkeys, they were sent back to a preserve the Monday after that Thanksgiving weekend, never to return. Too much upkeep I was told.

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving -- whoever you are and wherever you'll be.