11 months later...what do I miss

I was asked before I left the states, what I thought I would miss from America. I firmly answered the smell of cut grass. Spending many years of my life enjoying the summers of North Carolina, the smell of cut summer grass is one of those things that when I smell it, I am taken back to a time of innocence and life exploration. I count this as one of my luckiest joys in life as it is miserable for others suffering from allergies and sneezing attacks. In Tossa, there maybe be 100 blades of grass at one time in one clump so I do not get the lingering grass when it is cut. The city ground crew tasked with keeping the many plots of grass well trimmed think I am stalking them as I seem to sit and stare while they toil in the Mediterranean sun. I think back on cutting the grass at my own house(when Carme allowed me to for I think she enjoyed the smell herself but she would never admit it). the work in the summer heat seem to intensify when you are pushing that mower up a hill and down. Sweet mercy, it was worth every moment of my life.

Still I thought I would compile a list of some of the things I am missing from the good ole US of A and share them with each and everyone one of my 3 regular readers.

1.Fireflies. I don't know if it is living in Spain or living near the beach but there is not one stinking firefly in this country that i have seen. I was so looking forward to speaking a little catalan with the local lightning bugs but there s not one here. sigh.

2.Coldstone. Oh how ingenious to take slabs of heavenly flavored ice dreams and mix them with all the candy one could possibly fit into a 20oz cup as long as you obeyed the rules of physics. Maybe that's why i am wondering if i am diabetic...hmmmm,

3.Ukrops. well not just Ukrops. Right now any crappy grocery store will do. You see here, they do not bag your groceries, you are on your own. Crush your bread before you get home, your bad. Also you have to pay to use a shopping cart. I think I mentioned that before but it's a harsh fact of life that makes life a little uncomfortable here. it's like those carts you rent for a dollar in large malls. And you can do all this for 50 cents or a Euro. I find this hilarious when I buy more food that I can comfortably carry back to the apartment and push the cart all the way home. i look like kind of ridiculous but hey, it's too far to carry and risk cutting off the circulation in my fingertips and too close to drive. As I am pushing this independent 4 wheel drive monster and fight to keep it on course, I think, they think this cart is only worth 50 cents. i should steal a bunch of them and resell them to some black market for like 2 Euros.

I am sure to add more to the list later but this is just for now.