Royal Oak

I’m from here.  Yes, here.

I’ve pointing to my hand a lot lately.  For some, it’s an odd way of telling people where you’re from.  But, anyone who does it this way is bonded by that special state called Michigan.  I actually started putting this list together in the months before we moved to Florida.  As the days dwindled down and our home began to resemble a warehouse of boxes, each event turned into, “the last time”.

“This is the last time I’ll see your kids.  Next time they’ll actually be able to say, ‘Auntie Caroline.'”

“Oh my gosh, this is the last time I’ll be at a Coney Island.  This is my last lemon rice soup!”

“This will be the last time I pick up a prescription from this CVS.”

“This is this the last time I’ll be running in this neighborhood.  This is the last time I’ll run past this house, this bush, over this sidewalk crack…”

You get my compulsive point.

We’re adjusting to Florida as well as expected.  You can’t beat palm trees and sunshine!  But you also can’t beat the comfort of “home”.  Soon enough, I know our little piece of Florida will feel like home too.  But in the meantime, the following is a list, in no particular order, of  things that I miss most about Michigan.

1. The Michigan Left.  Yes, you know, the portion of the median that allows you to turn around nearly every 100 feet?  Man, those were annoying when I was learning to drive.  But man, I miss those while I sit at a four minute light waiting to turn left in Florida.
2. A Friday night Tigers game at Comerica Park
3. Canadian accents, eh?
4. Downtown Royal Oak
5. Lemon Rice Soup from National Coney Island.  Did I mention that above already?  Can you tell I’m hungry? Is the sky blue?
6. “Supporting Michigan” products.  I always tried to buy local in MI, even if it’s a bit more expensive.  There doesn’t seem to be the need for that support here.  Maybe they don’t need to label oranges here “Florida Grown”.  Because…well…duh.
7. 96.3 & Blaine and Allyson in the morning
8. I’m preemptively missing hockey already.
9. People. knowing. how. to. drive.
10. McClure’s Bloody Mary Mix.  But thanks to a certain curly friend and her kilt-wearing husband, we’re stocked for a solid couple weeks.  Okay, we’re good for a year: 
11. Hard-working Midwestern work ethic.  People like to relax down here.  A lot.  And not return phone calls to potential customers.  A lot.  I’m not bitter.
12. An evening Up North.
13. Not having to carry an umbrella everywhere…or worry about wearing a white shirt.
14. Spending money on quirky gifts and hilarious cards at Catching Fireflies.  I’m sure My Main Squeeze doesn’t miss this.
15. Trader Joes.  The closest store is about 2 hours away.  Oh how I miss you, Trader Joes!  You and your extra friendly employees who sometimes smell like a mixture of cinnamon and pot.
16. YOU!

Things I don’t miss:

Have fun with THAT this weekend, suckas!