I went back to NJ this past weekend for a lovely visit with Little Sister, Little Bro, and I even had a chance to lunch with Aunt and Uncle back where I used to work in Abington, PA. Also had a short visit with my favorite renter Lisa at the old homestead on Rowland Street.
I spent most of my life in NJ and probably would have stayed forever in that old homestead until I met (for the second time) and married The Husband. Somehow we ended up here in Central NY. Having lived here for almost 10 years now, I think I forgot why I left NJ. Every time I go back, I am reminded again.
Although every inch of open space (slight exaggeration) was taken up by a road, a home, a strip mall, etc. when we left, to the point where I thought there was no room for more...there's more. New apartment complexes (so they can fit in even more people), a beautiful old house "rehabbed" and added onto to make new senior housing (see above parens), just more more more of everything, including traffic.
When I stopped before my ride back home to get some grocery-store sushi (which was very good BTW) I had to park in the next to last parking spot all the way in the back. Not really a big deal, I don't mind the walk, but seriously... Why is everyone in the grocery store on a Sunday at noon-30?
Those storm clouds disrupted my sushi picnic in the car with some serious rain, but that just reminds me of my new home, also not a big deal. The 18-minute trip from Shop Rite to the Tacony Palmyra Bridge on the other hand, only 2 or 3 miles, was a true reminder that home is where the heart is.
I am happy to be back in NY State.
Your mistake was going to Cinnaminson Shop Rite at 12:30 Sunday, or at all. Heavy post-church crowd on Sundays, and meandering morons (many of whom are Philadelphians avoiding the soda tax) the rest of the week. New Jersey (especially South Jersey) ain't what it used to be, and not for the better.
ReplyDeleteHi Joe! Like I said, now I know why I left! :)
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