1.  We’ve become regular bird watchers in our back yard, what with our popular bird feeders and bird baths. Everyday we see many cardinals, blue jays, finches, titmouses and chickadees, and often I realize what I thought were birds singing is actually Troy calling out to his new friends.

2. I never again want to live without a garbage disposal and ice maker.

3. When I am about to exit or enter a store at the same time as a man, I always know that no matter how old he is or what he looks like, he will do whatever it takes to make sure I get in or out of the door first in the sweetest, most submissive way you can imagine.

4. Google Maps has our house in the wrong place and leads people directly to a dead end several blocks away.

5.  Not only do we have a Harry Potter closet underneath Huck’s staircase, but we also have a very scary basement with an ax in it, and sometimes when we take friends down there they think for a few seconds we’re going to kill them.

6.  Apparently outside of New York City, the bag boys are supposed to take your groceries all the way to your car and then place them safely into your trunk while you stand back and watch.  I can’t seem to memorize this and am the world’s most awkward customer every time.

7.  Huck may never be the same child now that he’s discovered self-service car washes and the bank drive-thru with pneumatic tube.

8.  The man who sold us our car has sent us three thank you notes so far.

9.  No matter how hard we try, we can’t seem to come close to the amount of walking one does in NYC.  (I am reminded of this throughout the day thanks to a very obsessed Fit Bit owner.)

10.  The Fayetteville Farmers Market is the happiest place on earth, especially when the band “Farmer and the Markets” sings.

11.  Yesterday I almost stepped on a tortoise in our back yard.  (Mental Note: Never leave our bedroom doors open.)

12. Bugs love to bite everyone in our family except for me.

13. My New York feet are not handling all this barefoot livin’ with dignity.

14.  Here are some professional updates: I had a great week at the amazing Boys and Girls Club of Fayetteville teaching a drama camp every morning for Arts Live Theatre, but the subsequent camps have been canceled due to low summer enrollment.  Troy’s about to teach a couple weeks for Trike Theatre with two other teaching artists in nearby Springdale, and he’s also about to begin volunteering at the beautiful library.  I get to play Calpurnia in JULIUS CAESAR this fall, performing in parks and high schools with a wonderful theatre company called Classical Edge. Next on the gigantic summer list of to-do: one of us finds a full-time job.

15.  You know that section in “Mr. Roboto” when Dennis DeYoung goes nuts shout-singing “THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!  I WANT TO THANK YOU!  PLEASE THANK YOU!”  That’s how I feel these days. I’m full of aggressive, panic-stricken gratitude.