One of my first winters here was the winter of 1977. Anyone in Rochester remember that winter? Let me refresh your memory. It snowed so much one day that they wouldn't let us leave school. Yes, they did not cancel school that day. They let us come to school and once there, then they decided it was to much snow and the conditions were so bad that they were not going to send us home.
My friends that was the time before cell phones and the internet. Technology consisted of phones attached to walls, handwritten letters, stamps, typewriters and mimeograph machines. What fun! I cried.
When I finally got home to Carol, I cried all night..... how could she "bring me to a place that keeps you in school overnight?" I was not having fun....
That miserable winter was 38 years ago, and I am still here....Why? Because I really am a closet winter lover ? No... So to help me figure this out, during this record breaking winter, 38 years later, I am going to list 25 reason why I love living in Western New York. When I hit 25, I am going to push it one more to 26. just because.... Here we go...
25 +1 reasons I love living in Western New York
1. Just about all of the people I love the most in the whole entire world live here.
(except for Josh, who has escaped to southern California for a few years, he'll be
back!!and Tracy, and well, that's another post)
back!!and Tracy, and well, that's another post)
2. I met my husband here.
3. I love the people I have met here as friends and who have become "family".
4. Wegmans.
5. Rochester is a very pretty cool city.
6. People who live here, don't know what traffic really is.
7. No tsunamis
8. You can get to a foreign country in an hour and a half by car.
9. Winter does end.
10. After so much snow and cold, you really appreciate summer and warmth.
11. George Eastman House.
12. Rush is the sweetest little "Hometown".
13. I know and love all my neighbors.
14. When we say hello, the people in the local pizza joint know our voices and our order.
15. Going to Wegmans is a social event.
16. I love accessorizing with scarves.
17. Lilacs.
18. No mudslides.
19. No sharks.
20. Our house & The Tiki Bar.
21. Chase's Farm Market.
22. You can stay in all weekend and blame it on the snow and cold.
23. Almost always a White Christmas.
24. If it's not a white Christmas your happy about that too!
25. Wegmans (I know that was #4 & #15, but I really really love Wegmans!).
and
26. Carol and David welcomed Andrew and I into their lives and house and made it "Home".
Okay, so I know why I am here....I know I will be living here at the end of my life, but I would like to live in 12 months of nice weather at some point in the middle here! Yes, I am in the "middle" of my life.
I digress...
When Grandma Austin was alive, I used to spend time with her at her house. One night during one of our conversations, she told me she decided she would live to to be 100 years old and no more. She was 90 at the time. She said she thought that would be enough and it would be a good life. Grandma Austin lived to 100 years and 4 months. It was a good life. I am living my life in the shadows of Grandma Austin. I have internalized all she taught me. She taught me much. So, I think I will live to 101 years old. That will be a good life.....
And so, as Jay and I sit here in our living room, enjoying the warm and coziness of it, we are counting the days until we escape the last few weeks of winter on our yearly trip to Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Jay's hometown.
3 reason's I love Arecibo, Puerto Rico (since I'm making lists):
1. Mom is there.
2. The app on my phone (he he he, I have a phone with apps!) says it's 82 degrees in Arecibo and
0 degrees in Rush at this very moment!
3. Palm Trees.
Hey, thanks for stopping by to read! Stop back soon.
Snuggling with the Little Red Rose!
Janet
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