Back in the USSR, boy

I'm back in Minnesota after 4 days in KC. We hottubbed, we parade-watched from the balcony, we fell in love with our friend's new Brookside home, we went out to a million dinners with old friends and generally felt like we were back at home. Except, of course, we weren't. It was only sort of weird to be in our house and only sort-of weird to work again there. I think I'll be back quite a bit as I realized that I can't stay away that long from the second job and I want to be sure that the contractor does the "right" work on our house while we're gone.

South Hyde Park only had 2 houses for sale. The ones that were on the market when we left have all sold, including the giant mansion on Gilham next to the chapel. A family bought it and they're dousing it with remodeling funds.  I am envious and elated, at the same time. That giant lot would have been amazing, the carriage house alone was enough for friends and the rest of it was simply splendid.

In Central Hyde Park, there's only one house for sale, and it's by owner. I guess the drastic changes on Armour Boulevard really did make all of the difference. This, of course, means that we could list our house there, but I think we're going to rent it for another year since everyone wants to keep staying there.Because there doesn't seem to be much harm in that right now; they're taking care of the house and I still dream about the Troost village coming back or perhaps I have just invested all of my heart into the house and can't imagine yet saying goodbye. Both of us had twinges of pain in the city, asking ourselves if we did the right thing. I had mine when I drove around CHP and saw the leaded glass that I've been missing. Of course, I missed our friends in KC, sitting on the hot tub and imagining everyone soaking in the lake after dark with some beers makes nostalgic.

But Minnesota has plenty of lakes, too. And so, we came back to MN. My heart is here, too. I still remember my extended stay here when I was 11, the happiness I felt last weekend when riding the Avatar ride in MOA, the plans we have for the rest of the year with the new friends that we have, people that care about the news and will talk about the drug crimes in Mexico and the darkness of the Republican rule in Iowa.  And when I came back to work, tons of people said they missed me and I really did miss them. So yes, I did the right thing....