Things I do miss...

As time has gone by sitting here waiting in this apartment... I have been making a mental list of things I've come to realize I do miss from my life in Massachusetts.

1. I miss my job at the quilt shop! I am enjoying having weekends to spend with my husband - but I miss being in the shop. I miss the people, the fabric, the creativity, the fabric, the colors of the fabric, the patterns of the fabric, the books and quilt patterns, the fabric... Oh and did I say I miss the fabric? I do.


2. I miss knowing where the heck I'm going and how to get there! We lived in MA since 1981 - 26 years in the same community. I knew what roads to take and when to avoid particular routes. A trip anywhere now first requires a Google Maps search and a print out of the route. I'm always thankful that I'm pretty good with maps and have a good sense of directions. No sense in learning too much about this area since we are moving up into PA... then the real learning will begin!


3. I miss having 80 feet between me and my neighbors... we are on the lower level of a 3 level apartment. Someone upstairs has - tossed a pumpkin off the deck into the backyard. I've also recently found a very old can of wasp spray, plastic tops from soda bottles, and cigarette butts. My dogs use this space - does this careless disposal explain why one of my dogs has had diarrhea over the past several days?? I don'no? Our next place will be at the end of the unit and we are our own upstairs neighbors - so I know that I won't be pitching stuff off the deck.


4. I miss my set back thermostat... my husband askes me each night AFTER I'm in bed if I turned it down... and he doesn't turn it up when he gets up. Sure hope the next place has a set back thermostat.


5. I miss the sunshine coming through the windows... I guess I should say that I also miss windows. Apartments aren't big on windows... a result of squashing things together. The next place is a bit bigger square footage wise so we will have more windows there. I also think the back faces mostly south... so that will be a good thing.


6. I miss having a space to make a mess and not have to clean it up... like my sewing room. I have had to give that room up several times over the years as one or another child returned home but in that bigger house there was always a place to hid away your stuff.


7. I miss 'nice and pretty' local news... the Springfield, MA murder rate is about 15 a year. There have been at least that many needless deaths in the few weeks I've lived here. Apparently the murder rate in Philly runs at a rate of a murder a day... aren't there 365 days a year? And that doesn't count the poor 4 year old who killed himself with his fathers gun last night or the poor young mother who committed suicide 2 weeks ago following a minor car accident... my heart just aches. I need to find something else to watch in the morning after my husband leaves.


8. I miss my DVR. You know a digital video recorder. We don't have one here - but you can rest assured that we will in the next place. I could be recording the shows I use to watch at 10 PM... like Saving Grace or Journeyman and watch them in the morning instead of the news! Since I'm getting up at 5:30 AM I just have to go to bed early... oh and my husband isn't all that interested in watching Project Runway and some of the other shows I watch.


9. I miss knowing where everything is in the kitchen. Tom set up things in this apartment... I can't find anything without first opening pert near all the cabinets. And then of course many things are still in boxes in uhaul storage.


10. I MISS MY MUGS! I have collected handmade pottery mugs for about 26 years... I love my mugs. They are all different, used for different beverages, and used at different times of the year. Those thick heavy mugs are great for keeping coffee warm longest on those cold mornings... and the ones with thin walls are great for that summer cup of coffee. Hot Chocolate just has to go into one of the big mugs... just so you can use 2 packages of mix! I miss my mugs...