2. The Neighborhood in San Rafael: Miss living two blocks away from the Farmers' Market. Miss the Friday night fabulous restaurant smells on Fourth street. Miss the Belli Deli and Sol Food. Miss walking through the cute little quaint neighborhood across the street full of Victorian houses I will never be able to afford.
3. The culture: Miss ALL of it! Freaks and all! Miss the cool things to do on the weekends like sledding down hay bales covered in snow on Thanksgiving weekend, the antique car show and the chalk art festival in the summer.
4. The great friends: Miss the Salt-of-the-earth folks! Miss the camaraderie inherent in struggling through a particular stage of life together. (BTW, I stole this picture from Annie Ballard. Hope she doesn't mind!)
5. A great hairdresser: Miss hanging out with Katie every couple of months and seeing what fabulousness she could concoct. Miss not having to pull my own hair through a shower cap with a crochet hook-like device, creating a babydoll-head-like appearance in a ridiculous attempt at maintaining some semblance of upkeep as I descend deeper into my fat/haggard appearance I have affectionately named "residency chic." My loss is Georgia's gain. Katie, may you create gorgeous humidity-proof coifs in your new Southern abode!
6. Hiking in China Camp: Miss going to the top of the ridge and looking out over the bay. Miss my favorite spot on a clear day where I could see all three bridges at once. Miss the oak trees. Miss the deer families that would walk up to you without fear. Miss the wild Turkey flocks and the occasional peacock. Miss the fun talks with the boys on the trails.
7. Primary Choristering (I'm pretty sure that's the technical term): Miss my calling. Miss watching the kids sing their little hearts out. Miss getting in trouble with Tracy on the piano bench for talking too much. Miss "Primary Idol." Miss making a complete fool of myself for the benefit of those little ones whose singing was so heartfelt.
8. Pacific Heights: Miss the architecture, so vastly different from house to house... Victorian mansions next to uber-modern fortresses with anatomically correct robot statues. Miss the Palace of Fine Arts and playing hookie with a picnic lunch with Wayne and the boys. Miss walking the half-mile to school with carpoolers who were all 6+ feet tall and having to take three strides to their one. Miss stopping to smell the roses at the house with the garden always in bloom.
9. The weather: Miss the cold during the summer. Miss the fog on the bridge that looked like you were entering Narnia as you hit the frothy wall of white. Miss the anticipation of coming back into the warm sunlight of Marin at the end of the day. Miss the ocean breeze coming through my Westward facing living room window. Miss dressing in layers and keeping an umbrella handy no matter what time of year it was.
10. The Golden Gate: Miss hearing Wayne tell me about his daily runs and the cool sights of the day on the trek. Miss the vibrant red color of the bridge juxtaposed against the blue sky or green hills. Miss watching the barges and cruise ships pass under. Miss the Blue Angels flying over during Fleet Week. Miss the sailboats and windsurfers out in the bay on a nice, lazy day. Miss seeing Alcatraz stuck out there in the middle of the frigid waters. Miss the "Free Tibet" protesters. Miss the jumper traffic jams. Miss the rainbow tunnels. Miss seeing the sun rise above the city. Miss seeing the sun set over the Headlands. Miss the anticipation of the city that was embodied in such an iconic structure.
3. The culture: Miss ALL of it! Freaks and all! Miss the cool things to do on the weekends like sledding down hay bales covered in snow on Thanksgiving weekend, the antique car show and the chalk art festival in the summer.
4. The great friends: Miss the Salt-of-the-earth folks! Miss the camaraderie inherent in struggling through a particular stage of life together. (BTW, I stole this picture from Annie Ballard. Hope she doesn't mind!)
5. A great hairdresser: Miss hanging out with Katie every couple of months and seeing what fabulousness she could concoct. Miss not having to pull my own hair through a shower cap with a crochet hook-like device, creating a babydoll-head-like appearance in a ridiculous attempt at maintaining some semblance of upkeep as I descend deeper into my fat/haggard appearance I have affectionately named "residency chic." My loss is Georgia's gain. Katie, may you create gorgeous humidity-proof coifs in your new Southern abode! 6. Hiking in China Camp: Miss going to the top of the ridge and looking out over the bay. Miss my favorite spot on a clear day where I could see all three bridges at once. Miss the oak trees. Miss the deer families that would walk up to you without fear. Miss the wild Turkey flocks and the occasional peacock. Miss the fun talks with the boys on the trails.
7. Primary Choristering (I'm pretty sure that's the technical term): Miss my calling. Miss watching the kids sing their little hearts out. Miss getting in trouble with Tracy on the piano bench for talking too much. Miss "Primary Idol." Miss making a complete fool of myself for the benefit of those little ones whose singing was so heartfelt.
8. Pacific Heights: Miss the architecture, so vastly different from house to house... Victorian mansions next to uber-modern fortresses with anatomically correct robot statues. Miss the Palace of Fine Arts and playing hookie with a picnic lunch with Wayne and the boys. Miss walking the half-mile to school with carpoolers who were all 6+ feet tall and having to take three strides to their one. Miss stopping to smell the roses at the house with the garden always in bloom.
9. The weather: Miss the cold during the summer. Miss the fog on the bridge that looked like you were entering Narnia as you hit the frothy wall of white. Miss the anticipation of coming back into the warm sunlight of Marin at the end of the day. Miss the ocean breeze coming through my Westward facing living room window. Miss dressing in layers and keeping an umbrella handy no matter what time of year it was.
10. The Golden Gate: Miss hearing Wayne tell me about his daily runs and the cool sights of the day on the trek. Miss the vibrant red color of the bridge juxtaposed against the blue sky or green hills. Miss watching the barges and cruise ships pass under. Miss the Blue Angels flying over during Fleet Week. Miss the sailboats and windsurfers out in the bay on a nice, lazy day. Miss seeing Alcatraz stuck out there in the middle of the frigid waters. Miss the "Free Tibet" protesters. Miss the jumper traffic jams. Miss the rainbow tunnels. Miss seeing the sun rise above the city. Miss seeing the sun set over the Headlands. Miss the anticipation of the city that was embodied in such an iconic structure.
I just miss it all!!!!
For all those friends who have scattered throughout the country (or if you're still there), PLEASE sign the guestbook at the bottom of the page. We would love to map out where you've all ended up. Not to mention, a few friendly faces to admire while we struggle through this bout of homesickness might help a bit too!
13 comments:
Man, We miss YOU guys! Things just havent been the same since you guys graduated, and I am not just saying that. Funny how I made better friends with the 3rd years than people in my own class. Anyways.
I do love living hear and your post here has made me want to visit China Camp more often. Christine and I have made a point to visit the surrounding areas and we haven't hiked through China Camp yet. I rode my bike through there once and I had a marvelous time. Did you ever see Phoenix Lake? That place is pretty rad too.
About the half mile walk with the tall dudes. Anyone who reads this should NOT feel sorry for Dr. Van Cleave here, they should feel sorry for the guys. I walked with Shana to school once she walked so fast that I was sure we were going to go backwards in time. She can jam on those stubby lil' legs! (no offense Shana)
Man... my grammar is atrocious. I knew I should have had Christine proofread my post for me. Danggit all to heck.
ALright, that post did nothing but agrivate my own homesickness... thanks a lot. :) Amen to the whole thing. I only hope time will work its magic, someday.
Jason, when we first started dating, I couldn't keep up with Shana in the grocery store. Still can't, especially when I try to follow with the cart.
LOL! Get out the way world, shanana's coming through! For 4-10, she cruises mighty fast.
About this post, Shana, you made me tear up. What the?
I LOVE the Bay Area, and as long as I am anywhere else, I don't know if I could ever be satisfied.
LA sucks, even Santa Monica, in comparison to NorCal!
Awww...you hit some heart strings tonight! Marin was lots of fun, and you recapped so many great things about the north bay. I LOVE being cold(er) in the summer too!
You guys are coming back, right? Less than 2 years to go?! You can DO IT!
That was beautiful, Shana. I feel like that too. LA is so "not" San Francisco! But its only temporary. And you do have the beach nearby. That must take up some of the slack?
It's almost like you don't know how good you have it until you leave. At least that was how it was for us. Oh the nostalgia! We actually are planning on moving back in about 1 1/2 years after Drew is done with his military commitment. Woohoo!
Yes. We will be back (and great to know the Ballards and Nelsons will be around, too!)
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of very cool things about this area, too. And I love my residency. It was certainly the right choice. When we first got here, there were too many things to think about and be distracted by to get homesick. Now that things are settling down, and we've been deprived of those things we loved about the bay area for a couple of months, it has started to sink in a bit.
Jason and Christine, you'll have to email me about the ward in its present state. I hear it's very different.
Annie, PLEASE email me with the oreosmoochies invite. I haven't been on your blog in ages (not since the post where I stole this picture). I have been dying to know what you guys are up to. OS? Endo? Korea? All I hear are rumors.
nokandy@gmail.com
wow. i thought you'd eventually warm up to the fact that so. cali. is way better than san fran. techinically its not no. cali. yet. i saw that minnie driver is prego was at santa monica beach the other day and thought of you. smiles!!
Do you know what I want to say to you about that post....? haha yes, you pulled at our heartstrings and now i'm sobbing. thanks. thanks a lot. i've actully been avoiding reading some peoples blogs becasue it just makes me too homesick.
The Bay Area is one the most beautiful places on the planet, its true. I am glad you guys are going to end up in a place you both love so much. AND I'm glad that we will be able to visit you there! I am still craving those Chinese Dumplings and that home-made icecream!!! Two more years huh?
Oh I miss you too! Thanks for the post! You know the really sad thing is lately I have been really homesick for San Francisco. All I can think about is "when is the next time I can go back to visit". Life was good there. I hope you are doing well. I think about you often here in my new(or your old) town.
Okay I don't know how I came across your blog, but I think I was led because my husbands job just told us that we might be transferred to San Francisco, and me being a life long Utah Mormon is scared in every possible way. What? leave the comfort of my Mormon town? (I know pretty small minded of me) But this post eased some of my anxieties, thanks for posting this.
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