Ghost Town

I am thrilled to be spending some time with my family, but honestly, I hate driving to Detroit. It’s not the amount of time spent in the car (TEN HOURS THIS TIME). We make several lengthy drives a year to and from St. Paul, and I love those trips. The difference? The two destinations are similar. It’s suburbia, after all. But I think I finally realized on this trip down south why I have always favored the Twin Cities trips.

The reason why struck me as I drove down I-75 and passed Fenton, where I was often forced to spend agonizingly painful days with my ex’s family. Those trips were chores, and as I got closer to my destination, I realized that most of these places did not hold fond memories. I thought of all my old haunts and all of the bad memories associated with them. Of course, at the time I thought I was living a great life, but as I look back, I find I want nothing to do with those memories, people or places.

Without a doubt, I am enjoying the time spent with my family, whom I have not seen in a year, but there is nothing about this area that draws me back or makes me wish to stay. Actually, I’m repulsed by that idea.

But the trips to St. Paul? I have always love the Cities from the first time I made a trip to MN in high school. I have nothing but fond memories for the area and the people. I look forward to the trips to spend time with Scott’s family and feel the time is definitely well spent. There are no ghosts for me in St. Paul. I love it there.

At some point Detroit place ceased to be home, and I am not sure when that happened. When I first moved away, it seemed like I was on an extended vacation. But let’s be honest – the U.P. is my home now. It’s where in three months my daughter will be born and where we will, for the foreseeable future, live our lives. And while I constantly feel guilty that the time we spend with my family will be limited because of distance, I can’t picture moving back here. Ever.

As always, there will be tears when I head out on Tuesday, not knowing when we’ll all see each other again. But I will also breathe a sigh of relief when I hit the freeway and shake the dust of this ghost town from my boots.

***

In other news,

I bought a new car.

I know this isn’t the greatest picture, but it was a long day, and I really had to get inside to pee. But I should point out how glorious it is to see green grass on the ground instead of four feet of snow.

Okay, well maybe there is ONE good thing about coming to Detroit every once in awhile, especially when the snow banks are eight feet high at home.

I’ve never purchased a car; I have leased for the past 13 years. Buying scared me and if it hadn’t been for SB coaxing me in that direction, I wouldn’t have looked into it. I don’t want to say I was forced, because after much consideration, it was the smarter move in the long run (and dammit, I hate it when he’s right).

The process as a whole was pretty easy but mentally exhausting, as most large purchases can be. I’m also always overcome by paranoia as I leave the lot with a new car, not wanting to be THAT PERSON who gets in an accident moments after I leave the lot.

But yeah, kind of a big deal for me. I haven’t driven a small car like this for many years, but I’m thrilled to have something that gets farther than a few trips around the block before needing a fill-up.