While my heritage is New England, my family relocated to the South for work reasons back when I was a college undergraduate. My younger brother and sister were then raised in the South and it became their home and their culture. My wife’s family is also anchored to the South. My wife and I have remained in New England all these years, raising two daughters and a great crop of friends. In our minds, the benefits of living in history-rich New England well outweigh some of the downside (taxes and often miserable late Winter-early Spring weather come immediately to mind). We are frequently trading good natured barbs with our Southern family about which part of the country is preferable. A few years ago I penned the top ten reasons why I’m a Yankee, and not a Southerner. Here is that top 10 list. Sometime I’ll post my brother’s response to my offering.
10. Can delay cutting my lawn until May, sometimes June!
9. I don't have to eat grits, or explain why.
8. Can never remember if your president is Jefferson Davis or Davis Jefferson.
7. I’m close to the source of that true heavenly sustenance, maple syrup.
6. Tried but can't pronounce "dog" in three syllables.
5. One hour from mountains, one hour from ocean, one hour from Boston.
4. Can hone my driving skills to NASCAR level by dodging potholes and frost heaves.
3. Air conditioning supplied by nature all summer long.
2. Experience snow falling in dark woods on a crisp night, just like Robert Frost did.
1. Somebody has to do it; I was one of the fortunate few selected among the many who applied.
2 comments:
Hilarious!! Considering what our area looked like this morning on my way to work, I am surprised there are no references to the Fall colors!! When I opened my eyes this morning I was actually looking down at the rug. I thought to myself, "Why does my tan rug look orange?" I then realized that the yellow from the trees outside was changing the color of the rug!! Do that in North Carolina!!
Tim
Don't publish your brother's list. We're not interested up here in New England. If he don't get it, there's no need for us to be subjected to his attempts to rationalise kudzu.
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