Homesick HOLLAH

Okay, I don't say "HOLLAH" in real life unless I'm making fun of someone, but I felt it was appropriate for this posting, seeing as I needed an "H" word that meant the same thing, (roughly) as "SHOUT OUT."

Can I just say how much I miss Chico, California? When my mother decided to follow my grandparents to Paradise from Oakland, CA when I was 9, I wasn't happy about it. I must admit that growing up in Paradise/Chico area was OFTEN boring, and I couldn't wait to leave.

I moved out as soon as I could to Utah, where I stayed for two years, then it was on to San Diego for 6 months. I was so sad to leave San Diego. Being 5 miles from the beach is NEVER a sad thing... unless it's hurricane season. Anyway, back to the point, I kept feeling pulled back to home, and I reluctantly left my San Diego to return. I stayed another 8 months, and moved back to Utah. Thankfully, I met my sweetheart and we moved back to my hometown for the next 3 1/2 years. I am so grateful for that time I had there. I won't go in to all the details right now because it would completely distract from the main reason I am writing this, so I will leave that story for another day.

However, other adventures were calling, and we moved away again. This time to Las Vegas, Nevada. After a year and a half, we'd had enough and moved back to Utah where we have remained for the last almost 3 years, and where we will continue to remain until my husband finishes his bachelor's degree in December.

I haven't been home since I left it behind on November 21, 2005. I miss it very much. I didn't really miss it until this year when we started thinking about the next step in our lives. Where will we go after school is out? We've been contemplating either Las Vegas, or Chico. We are both hoping to call Chico home again after school is out... at least for a year. We both miss it tremendously, and we would rather have our son experience Chico's eccentric, hippy-dippy style, than Las Vegas' hell on earth atmosphere. The only thing keeping us from making that decision is that we will have family in Vegas, and none in Chico. We still have our dear friends there, but truth be told, I have no family there anymore after my grandfather died.

So, we have the pull of family being close in Vegas, and the pull of all of Chico's wonderful outdoor beauty and fun that Chico has to offer...

Until we make our FINAL decision, I will post a few things that remind me of home.

The first thing, is R.W. Knudsen mango spritzer that we had the other night after my horrible day turned out to be nothing. We bought some good, (non-caffeinated) sodas to cheer me up. One of the sodas was the mango spritzer, and I immediately missed home with one sip.





I missed home so much it made me dizzy.



Now on to some other things that remind me of home:

Sierra Nevada ANYTHING. But, since we don't drink alcohol, the only thing I have from them, is this mustard.



And of course, my homesick Hollah wouldn't be complete without Nag Champa... One sniff of this incense, and I am immediately transported back to Downtown Chico...



Just a few things I have to remind me of home until the day when we (HOPEFULLY) move back.

With Love,
Suz