After a year and three months away, I’m finally missing New York a bit.  Not the oh-no-why-did-we-move-away kind, but the wouln’t-it-be-nice-to-magically-appear-on-Fort-Washington-Avenue-for-the-day kind.  People and places are creeping into my dreams, and I know what Ft. Tryon Park is beginning to look like and the church construction is getting close to completion and the Harvest Festival is next weekend.  Maybe it’s because I’m working with four wonderful New Yorkers everyday who will eventually leave me and return home.  Maybe it’s because I have a good friend who just opened a show on Broadway last night or because friends visiting the Big Apple keep posting pictures with tall buildings and bright lights in the background. Probably it’s because my favorite season is in the air and so many familiar sights and smells take me back to the place I happily spent 15 autumns. Whatever the case, I like it.  My love for New York is returning while I get to live in my new favorite place surrounded by slowly turning leaves and a sweet dog who’s out of breath from having just played fetch in our back yard.  Now she’s literally up on her hind legs eating berries from a tree.

Last weekend was Fayetteville’s sweet film festival that epitomizes the difference between New York and here. Before we left last summer, I acted in a short film with brand new Fayettevillian Russell and New Yorker Natalie called ALL DOGS MUST HAVE PEOPLE, and I remember being slightly distracted due to an apartment full of boxes and a to-do list that never ended.  I think I’m still working on that list.  It was the last bit of acting I’d do in New York, and I like that it ended up on a medium sized screen in Fayetteville.  Because of a 5:30PM time slot, PROOF rehearsal and Troy’s work schedule, the two of us weren’t able to attend the festival, but Huck got to go with his friend Lydia to represent the Schremmers.  He and Troy and our house have cameos in the film, and Huck took his movie star status seriously by choosing a dressier than usual outfit and slicking back his hair a bit.  Since Huck was the original reason for our relocation, it’s only fitting that he gets the red carpet treatment now and again.

New York film festival, anyone?