There's No Place Like Home

How is it suddenly post holidays and the New Year?  Wow, the Fall flew by.  I measure time in several ways, such as: between dentist check-ups, football season, when it is time for the Masters, and how Christmas comes before I am ready for it.  Well, the Browns totally disappointed once again, but that is my normal so I just learned to enjoy my Sundays in the leather Lazy-Boy watching them fail.  And Christmas was very close behind a late Thanksgiving, however, I still managed to get the gifts bought, wrapped and sent and even made Mom's kolachi.  I did get a by from my sister on cookie baking but sadly, that means no frozen sour cream cookies in my freezer.  It is just not the same without a frozen Christmas tree to enjoy in February.  Decorations were at a minimum, but that is OK, because I headed to O-H-I-O for Christmas with family.  Which also means, since I have moved, that I have little to do but enjoy the fruits of others' labors.  I fear I am going to owe my sister and niece a lot of payback for all of their fantastic entertaining.

The view from the plane window upon approach to Hopkin's airport was foreboding, because the weather remained the usual Cleveland winter grey for the entire visit. But, if we didn't have the horrible winter weather to complain about, what, besides our faltering sports teams, would bond Clevelanders together so tightly?  Upon arriving at the airport, my first thought was, these people, even all bundled and pale in contrast to what I left, are my people! We are tied to a common denominator - we love our city and, perhaps, we love to complain about it!  Not that I would want to move back, at least from November through April, but visiting is still coming home.  Old friends, family and neighborhoods, I am attached to them forever.