Wild Rose Country

Or...
Big Sky Country OR
Big MALL Country..
Whatever you wanna call it
It's a wonderful place to live.

Alberta, in case anyone is still wondering
(Nancy probably is...she's a Yank...Yanks don't know about western Canada ;) lol)

The richest province in Canada
Home to Banff and Jasper National Parks
Snuggled in the Canadian Rockies
Home of the World's largest shopping mall
(No, the one in Minnesota comes in second)

We lived in Edmonton for 4 years
Before moving back to the "Big Smoke"
When we were leaving there, I was so ready to come home
Missing everyone is tough
It makes you have tunnel vision
It makes you not appreciate how wonderful you have it
Because you just want to see everyone again

Well, we miss it.

Something about this time of year makes us miss it more.
We used to pack up my Honda and head to Banff
Almost every weekend from Victoria Day until Labour Day
Sunroof open, driving along the Icefields Parkway
With Jann cranked
(Always had to put Ms. Arden in during this trip)

We miss the people - almost TOO friendly, we thought
(Our neighbours actually baked us oatmeal cookies the day we brought in...
...we thought we were trapped in Pleasantville!)
We miss the traffic...or the lack thereof.
We miss the restaurants
(What is it with us and food?)
We miss Boomer's old vet...she was the greatest.
We miss the sun being up until 11pm is the summer.
(We could get 18 holes in after work)
We miss going to Oiler games, well...when the NHL was playing.
I miss Save-On More grocery store....yes, food again.
We miss our old house.
(Next to the new one we just bought, it was our hands-down favourite)
We miss NO Provincial Sales Tax..
(We noticed it the most in restaurants...I know, I know...)
I miss country music being COOL
(Yes, I'm a fan...got a problem with that?)
I miss Edmonton.

While I was there, more towards the end of the 4 years at the peak of my missing everyone...
I used to joke that "Happiness Is Edmonton In the Rear View Mirror"
Now there are days when I'd give anything to be driving the Trans-Canada towards it.
With Jann cranked, of course.

Don't get me wrong. I am in LOVE with the house we just bought and am ecstatic that we're moving to 'the country'...

It's just me 'missing' again.

Grass isn't always greener.
Actually, it rarely is.

Think about that.