Bloglander

Cheers to the mid-size city by the river, my home. To all of its grittiness
and subtle beauties, to its modest residents and unexpectedly varied urban
scene, to its self-consciousness and self-deprecating sense of humor, to
its neighborhoods, and to the shared experience of belonging someplace
completely average and loving it and hating it all at once. Cheers to the
river that cuts so vigorously through the center of town and to the many
spots along it to feed marmots, eat blackberries, and to sleep
undisturbed. Cheers to the not-overly-quaint park that borders the river
and cheers to the large servings of ice-cream at the carousel always under
repair and to the garbage-eating goat also frequently clogged. Cheers to
aging architecture that softens the skyline and reminds us of the booming
city it once was and cheers to cheap apartments with vaulted ceilings that
now occupy them. Cheers to conveniently located watering holes centering on
a main arterial and cheers to their non-west-coast-like oevres. Cheers to
the taco trucks open till three and cheers to the drag queens that pour out
of the local establishments at that time and call you honey. Cheers to the
potholes and to the unplowed streets in winter. Cheers to the cougars in
the bus plaza and to the dead-end skywalks and to the mysterious
unoccupied, art deco food court. Cheers to the flute player in the king hat
who serenades my neighborhood every morning. Cheers to the unassuming.
Cheers to the resilient, hard-working residents who make time to pig out at
the park every summer. Though not glamorous or worldly, no city can hold a
torch, or a light, or a parade to my working-class, lilac-fragranced city
by the river. You and your ground squirrel-loving residents will be greatly
missed. Cheers to my family and friends, and friends of friends, and
acquaintances. Cheers to eight years well-spent, my love.