11.16.2012

10 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 4 & 5

I will be foregoing my weekly Fitness Friday post today for a continuation of the 10 days of Thanksgiving. Today we have number 4 and number 5 of the 10 things I am thankful for this year.

4. Where my Parents Live

I have posted about this a million times before, but the place I grew up is so beautiful. It is pine trees and clean air and swimming in the cold river on a hot summer day. It is the sound of birds in the morning and the smell of pine and the wandering up and down through the mountains. It is a great place to go home to. I can't wait to go home for Christmas and play in the snow and bake cookies and play a few rounds of Rummikub and read my book near the fire. For some reason it's that much sweeter at Mom and Dad's house.


Hiking with Dad

Lovely snowy day

5. Public Transportation

One of the best things about living where I do is the fact that I don't need a car. I could probably write a whole post about this too. I have talked a little bit about the Casual Carpool, which is how I get to work, and it only takes about 20 minutes. Going home, I take the bus, which also only takes about 25 minutes. There is also the option of taking the train or a boat. I also walk a lot, and it is nice to have the option to do so. Other than that, there are options for bike shares, car shares, rent by the hour and more. One thing I recently found out about is Get Around, where you can rent out your own car if you don't need it, or you can rent a car by the hour if you do. I love that my monthly transportation cost is roughly 150 dollars and that's including all transportation and gas!

My favorite - the F train

Do you enjoy going back to the area you grew up in? How much do you spend a month on transportation?

9 comments:

  1. I do not enjoy going back to my hometown in North Dakota, as I kind of hate it here honestly... BUT - I almost think of the lake as place I also grew up as we spent SO much time there when we were growing up. I love returning there and can't wait to go there for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is so peaceful to be at my parents. I think it's because it's one place where I actually get like someone else takes care of me... My mom is just one of those ultimate moms who is always making sure you have something to eat/drink/snack on. I play cribbage with my dad and Scrabble with my mom and hopefully we'll play banagrams this year (Phil won't play word games with me so I need to get my fill with family).

    I spent VERY little on transportation each month. April - early November I use nice ride, which cost $60/year I think? Other than that, I typically get gas maybe once a month? Or every 1.5 months? It's awesome!!

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  2. That's how I feel about going home to the farm. I can't imagine growing up in a better place and it sounds like you were just as fortunate. What a beautiful view on the hike with your Dad!

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  3. Those are two awesome things to be thankful for! I grew up in pretty farm country in PA... I definitely appreciate growing up there, but it's hard to imagine ourselves living there now. As for transportation, we've managed to hold on to one car, but not because there is good public in Houston! We live close enough for him to bike to work, so it's worked out well. Have a great weekend!

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  4. Public transportation isn't great here, but it's good enough that I can take the bus home from campus two days a week (plus a 10-15 min walk from the stop to my door). I'm thankful that we're able to manage with just one car, as we really don't have the money for a car payment and insurance on a second vehicle right now.

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  5. Ahhh I love going home!! That place where your parents live is beautiful!!

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  6. This is a great series! I live in Colorado and am grateful for it every day. It makes commuting OK that I can see the Flatirons of Boulder getting grander and grander as I drive to work.

    My mom still lives in the house I grew up in starting when I was 10. It's not as majestic there as it is here, but it's home, too.

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  7. I don't even want to think about how much we spend on transportation every month. With 2 very active teens I know it's a lot. Ugh!

    I like visiting where I grew up for a few days. I moved a lot as a child and I don't think I have a hometown kind of connection to where I grew up.

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  8. I spend about $40/month on gas, for shopping etc. I ride the bus for free (special program for students)...so it's never really been a concern. Although, my latest thrift store circuit is beginning to up the cost of gas, ahahhahaha.

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  9. I live not *that* far from where I grew up. I love this part of California. Except for the traffic. The traffic sucks. I would be all over public transportation if it was possible to get to work from my house by bus or metro. Sadly, it's not.

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