Last week I visited my hometown of Defiance, Ohio, for the first time since Christmas. The nine month stretch was the longest I had ever been away from home.
As always, the time was too short and only served to remind me of all of the things I miss about home. Not everything, of course. For example, I don't miss the twin bed that Paul and I have to share in what used to be my bedroom. I refrain, however, from complaining about it because our own spare bed is also a twin. Sorry, visitors.
Of course I miss my family and friends, so I'm not including them in the list of things I miss. That's a given. But there are at least 7 other things I miss about home -- some specific to Defiance, others not at all.
7. Carpet
Almost the first thing I did when I arrived home last Tuesday night was kick off my sandals and dig my toes into the living room carpet. So soft! So comfy! I like the look of our apartment's hardwood floors -- not that I had any choice in the matter -- but I'll take carpet any day.
6. Recliners
My parents have three recliners: one on each end of the couch as well as a La-Z-Boy rocking chair that also reclines. I have a fairly comfortable couch and two fairly uncomfortable chairs, none of which recline. I like our furniture, but some days I just want to put my feet up. And not on the coffee table.
5. The Trolley Stop
This ice cream shop isn't in Defiance, but rather about 90 minutes away in Huntsville, Ohio. I always associate it with home, however, because we only visit on the trips between Columbus and Defiance. We didn't stop each trip -- it's seasonal, and I'm not sure I've ever seen it open after dark -- but if it was open, we were there. On Friday I had a black cherry cone and kicked myself for missing the Sunday special: a $2 banana split.
4. Food
Defiance food ain't fancy -- Applebee's is very nearly the classiest place in town -- but the quantity more than makes up for it. In Defiance and the surrounding small cities, you'll probably find more buffets than restaurants with cloth napkins, and I'm OK with that. Especially when the unlimited breadsticks and dessert pizza are so yummy.
3. The Farm
My parents themselves don't farm anymore, but their house is surrounded by acres upon acres of fields owned by my paternal grandparents. Last week corn lined one side of the driveway and soybeans the other. In fact, the combine made the first pass through the soybean fields -- but not before I grabbed a few to snack on.
2. The History
The house was built by one of my ancestors -- a grandfather preceded by a certain number of "greats" that I always forget -- in the late 1800s, and we have the cornerstone to prove it. My bedroom was my grandfather's when he was growing up. I'm sure the apartment building I live in now also has some history, but as far as I'm aware it's limited to the psychic who lived here before us and displayed a sign in what is now our bedroom window.
1. The View
From my bedroom. Need I explain?
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