Small town news.

I'm in Turlock visiting my mom for a few days. She had a doctor's appointment today, and things continue to look good for her. Earlier this week, her blood pressure took a big drop while she was receiving her rituxan chemo treatment for her lymphoma cancer. Today, the doctor decided to stop the treatments for a few weeks, and do a PT scan in early May, after Mom returns from a trip back east with her sister.

Mom and I ate lunch after her appointment, and as I was driving back to her house, it occurred to me that I miss living in a smaller town. Turlock isn't a small town anymore; its population is closing in on 70K, I think. But I live in the Sacramento area, where town blends into the next town, where the sense of community is a little bit harder to grasp.

We ate at the local Togo's, and the long wall of the restaurant is covered in sports pictures from the local high schools and university. And maybe that's part of what I miss.

I miss walking into a store and seeing a teacher from back in high school.

I miss driving past a building and remembering what used to be there 10 years ago.

I miss spending time with people whom I've known for 10, 15, 20 years.

I miss being able to get across town in less than 15 minutes.

I miss local politics.

I miss living in an actual city, with an actual mayor and actual city council.

I miss having old friends who've hardly seen me in 4 years tell me that I'm looking slim and that I've lost weight (it's happened the last two times in town; gotta love it)

Just some thoughts for the day.