Hands down, the top thing I miss is my Panera hazelnut coffee with half 'n half!!! I would stop at Panera's on my way to work and get my fix of hazelnut coffee with an asiago bagel (toasted) and lo-fat cream cheese. These days, the closest Panera is an hour away in Wichita. So needless to say, a trip to Wichita demands a stop at Panera for coffee, no matter what time of day it is!On a side note, I do NOT miss my job, which is what necessitated my stop at Panera. That cup of coffee helped me look forward to my morning, before I got to work. Let's just say that my job was not the most positive environment and I wouldn't have wished it on my worst enemy.... wait a minute, maybe I would. It would be the perfect hell for my worst enemy...
Ok, on to some of my other favorite things, the things I miss since I've moved to the land of rural-ness....
My son and his wife, who are still in Ohio with their beagle "kids", Remy and Max. I miss going out to eat with them (and my mom), hanging out on the outside deck at the winery in the summertime, and playing board games (at the winery and at home). We had sooooo much fun at the winery, often laughing til we cried. Wine seems to heighten the funnyness of everything!
This is the hardest thing about moving to another state -- leaving your kids behind! :-(Oh, and they are neck and neck with the Panera coffee, vying for first place in the "things I miss"... Josh will most likely NOT find it amusing that he's competing with a cup of coffee...
Luigi's Restaurant in downtown Akron; I think it's been there since the 50s. To-die-for salads just mounded with mozzarella cheese and the house dressing. The absolutely best pizza and baked spaghetti. I also miss Pancho's Southwestern Grille in Greensburg. I would go there on Sunday afternoon in the summertime, sit on the patio with a good magazine and a margarita. My downtime, by myself. It was my "thing", and I looked forward to it.I miss all my girlfriends, and meeting them for lunch, or dinner, or a drink at the local watering hole while we listened to various Ohio local bands and danced; Gretchen, Denise, Diana, and all the other wonderful friends I met through them.
Slightly grainy cell phone image of Denise, Gretchen and I (above) when we went to see Joan Jett in Cleveland, Ohio a few years ago. We had a ball, and stopped at this little dive restaurant afterwards to get gyros that were deeelishus!
Denise was ALWAYS having picnics at her house, and inviting tons of people. Yeah, she's one of those social butterflies and I just tagged along with her, getting the small doses of social-ness that I need only occasionally. Here's all the girls (above) two summers ago at one of Denise's picnics; I'm in the middle in the blue flowery top. Let's see, that was about 20, maybe even 30 lbs ago (gasp!) (digressing again) I'm aspiring to get back down to that weight one more time before I officially get OLD.... you know, the big 5-0.
Now, my mom is probably stunned that she has not made my list.... BUT I talk to her every few days and I see her more than anyone else, since she has visited me here twice now. I've been back to Ohio twice to visit everyone, and I was in Arizona two weekends ago to spend time with mom and my sister, and my sister's BFF from Ohio. So, in a strange way, I don't really miss my mom, because we still get our "dose" of each other.
One last favorite thing, and this one is easy to get via the internet. Anthropologie's Capri Blue Jar Candle, in the Volcano scent. It's a bit pricey for me, as far as candles go, but I smelled this particular candle in the Carmel dressing room when my sister and I were shopping, and fell in love with it! You will love this candle, and if you want to try a smaller version, try the Capri Blue Candle Tin at only $12. Mmmm, a small indulgence yet so wonderful!So these are just some of the things I miss from my city life, BUT I will honestly say that my new life here in Kansas more than makes up for the things I miss. And I will save that for a future post.... the things I love about my new home in the country!
I think it would be very hard to move away from kids. You never know with my husband's job it could happen, but I like to think that we would just take them with us. :)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how some of the small everyday things that we take for granted are the very things that we miss the most when we leave a place? Loved your post! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAhh, that must be tough. Hopefully, you will plan regular trips up that way.
ReplyDeleteThe other day I met a commercial pilot who recently had moved his wife and family from Hawaii (they lived there for 10+ years) to Philadelphia--now that must be true love to agree to that deal.
Hazelnut lattes and margaritas (two of my favorite drinks). Fun to see pics of your friends and family. Beagles make good 'kids'.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your visit!! Wow...LOVE the music! yep...Wow...LOVE that music! :)
ReplyDeleteI am reading and catching up to see who you are and am just enjoying myself all over the place..tapping toe...doin' some chair dancin'
Hugs..
Mona :)
Love your new header!! The beagles are so cute! And I'm a margarita gal too! :)
ReplyDeleteIt would be very hard for me to leave the civilization that is Chicagoland. I was given a cinnamon crunch Panera bagel just yesterday. Haven't had one in ages. Love to go there for the free internet and endless coffee, so much better that Starbucks.
ReplyDeleteHope I never have to move away from my daughter, and my plan is actually to follow her wherever she may end up after she graduates! (wonder if she knows that?)
Oh, that candle! There is an Anthropologie store 5 minutes from my house, I will have to pick one up!
On the other hand, look at those great open spaces, the clean air, the animals. I'd love that, too!
It is SO HARD to stay in shape in Kansas! I'll be sending skinny vibes your way!
ReplyDeleteI would miss all the vegetarian and vegan options we have out in Cali. It's been a long time since I ordered a salad in a restaurant and received a few leaves of iceberg lettuce drowning in ranch dressing, cheese and bacon bits. LOL
Thanks for sharing your handsome son, and his lovely wife and the Beagles! I bet you miss them bunches! Now the coffee..LOL..I gave up coffee in favor of lower blood pressure! Up here we never got into all the different kinds of coffee..now a good cup of egg coffee would be hard for me to pass up:)
ReplyDeleteMissing my kids is a big reason I still travel so much. I long for a life in one state....one house, but the sacrifices are too great right now. ugh.....why can't life be simple again?
ReplyDeleteThose beagles are too cute. I can't imagine how much you must miss your son and family. When we moved to our farm we only moved 20 miles so it wasn't any big deal. There is not much I miss about living in town though. OK maybe the fact that English Toffee Cappuccino (my favorite) is now at least 5 miles away instead of 2 blocks and no pizza delivery when neither one of us feels like cooking, but that is about the only things I miss about living in town. :) Great post!
ReplyDeleteOh, I would miss my kids terribly if I moved that far away. Although they seem to have no such qualms about moving away from us - the two youngest already have post-graduation plans that involve moving to other states. :(
ReplyDeleteI am checking out that candle - I love a good candle! Thanks!
I moved away from family and friends once..and I hated it. Finally back home and three of the seven have ...sigh...left me. That's ok. I still have four close by. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah..it's people that count. (and coffee!)
Thank you for the hint on the candle. I love candles.
Luigi's....a good miss! I must say that is the BIGGEST (aside from all the fam) thing I miss in Ohio. So, upon returning for a visit, my mom and her hubby know that no matter what time we land....253-2999 (i have the # forever burned in my head) must be called and picked up just before we enter the house. Then, since my stay is usually just over a week, the last night is yet another pizza and salad and then I can return to SF completely fulfilled that I did everything in OH that I missed. :-) Good post and I bet you do miss the kids, I am sure they miss you too!
ReplyDelete5-0 - old! ?1?1?! I'm over 60 and I'm middle-aged!
ReplyDelete