What I Miss From Home

My friend Jennifer recently asked me what I miss from home, and right now I'm listening to my brother-in-law, Steve's band playing live on the radio thanks to online streaming, so I thought I'd use this moment to share my list of things I miss:

Comfortable furniture. Our bed is hard and our couch isn't horrible, but not great and small (really a loveseat). Back home I have my wonderful purple couch, and our memory-foam covered bed. Here, sometimes we linger in the Bagel Cafetin because their couches are more comfortable than ours, but it still isn't acceptable to recline on them.

Zachary's pizza, all Asian foods, especially Chinese, Korean and Thai, San Francisco Sourdough bread (thanks to Beth who brought us two loaves of Acme!), Arizmendi pastries, Berkeley Bowl

Our families. Big time. We are so lucky to live near our families most of the time.

Our friends, big time. Meeting new people is great, but nothing compares to a shared history.

So many friends expecting babies and so many babies growing and changing. Our niece, Simone is running and dancing and last time we were there she was just getting her land legs (though she was already a great dancer). It's hard to be away from all that.

The ease of language.

The ease of not standing out.

The Jewish community. Not many Jews here at all. I joked to one of my teachers whose girlfriend is Jewish, "Since you know both the the Jews in town..."

Our cats. Jack is becoming more and more feral without us there to trust, and Bean is at risk of being kidnapped by any member of my family or torn apart by them fighting over him. I still hear a sound or see a slight movement out of the corner of my eye and think it's one of the cats causing a ruckus or settling in to the bed.

Just knowing how to do simple things. Here, we have to buy new gas when the canister runs out. A couple days ago I told our landlady that our gas was low and could she call the guy to replace it? She asked if it was all the way gone and explained that that's how it's done. You wait until it is entirely gone before replacing it. So, I asked, you just don't have gas for a day? Yep. She conceded to our request to call anyway, but then I felt a little like a spoiled brat, not using the canister up the last breath.

I was missing English books, but we just got a whole bunch as visitors left theirs behind for us or brought us requests.

Our home. At times it drives me crazy, keeping up with it, but I do love it so.

I was missing good shampoo, but Beth and I found some in a salon and now I'm happy.

My big fluffy bamboo terry robe that Peter gave me. And my flannel pj's. Peter had beth deliver a robe he ordered for me and it's great but not the same.

Down comforter. We bought big fuzzy blankets that we call, appropriately, the fuzzies. Peter's has deer on it, mine is turquoise and has a Pegasus and the one we share has pandas. They're that kind. And they are not as good.

Potable tap water, though that's not a huge deal.

Our new good knives and all the other wonderful luxuries of our new wedding gifts.

Having an oven (we don't have one), and all the things I can make in it: Chicken Marbella, Lasagna, cookies, etc.

The community at East Bay Arts, the school where I worked the last two years. I get tastes of it on facebook, which is so nice to have, but it's not the same as being a part of it.

Things I don't miss: working, so much more stress, costs of things, American politics (not really avoidable, but a what year already), my messy house, being so busy.

Things I rejoice in here:
Mexican food, the wide availability of sweetened condensed milk, the eggs -- so delicious and deep yellow yolks!, figuring it out, the sun of late, having so much time, relaxing, traveling, seeing new things, meeting new people, learning more Spanish, Vermilion flycatchers, there are bees everywhere right now, sipping cappucinos or cortados, the wonderful choices of drinks like aguas frescas, licuados (milk-fruit drinks), and juices, the recent discovery of delicious Eggs Benedict at the french restaurant and their yummy buffet, street ice cream, street tortas, street food in general, our domed ceilings, the lovely balcony, spending hours solving mind puzzles or logic problems, sharing all this with our visitors, the chirpy voice of our landlords' grandson and his hugs, so much opportunity, having so much time with my new spouse, the joy of missing people and the appreciation of their places in my life.