What I WILL Miss

I've been asked this question many, many times: "Are you going to miss it here?" The answer is an emphatic "YES!" Here are a few things I will miss horribly.

the smell of fairy liquid
traveling to places I had only dreamed about in the past
roundabouts
CONVENIENT public transport
the NHS
free prescriptions for me and the kids (and, yes, I realize they're paid for through taxes, but still, what a system)
free eye & dentist exams for the kids (yes, I know...)
free orthodontia (yes, I still know...)
free eyeglass lenses & frames for the kids (yep, still know...)
hearing an English accent everywhere I go
walking, both in the countryside and in town
uniforms
being a tenant
flowers and constant green grass
cool summers
fields and fields of rapeseed blooming, snowdrops, poppies
the kids' schools and the way they teach to boys
British meat - I like it better especially the beef, but I will never be a fan of lamb
PUBS and the whole pub culture, everything about it
my friends and friendly neighboUrs in the UK
football matches on the telly
learning something new everyday, whether weird or interesting
the oldeness of it all
school schedule & term breaks - this is a biggie
packing my own groceries - weird but true
hearing Girls Aloud and Take That on the radio
ridiculously cheap airfare (if you plan ahead) to places you never thought to visit but turn out F.A.B.

On the other hand, I am looking very forward to:

hanging out with people I love and missed
Chick-Fil-A sweet tea
7-11 coffee
my washing machine
driving on the side of the road for which my car was intended
being able to gets parts for my car because there are others like it
swimming in a naturally warm swimming pool vs one that says it's heated in the summer when it's not but should be because it's FREEZING
seafood that isn't a fillet of fried fish or a prawn
$1=$1
Target
screens in my windows
crickets & lightning bugs
closets and storage
MY KITCHEN & APPLIANCES - I am so lame
gigantic stretches of beaches that are warm and sandy (vs. a 'shingle' beach)
sushi
convenience
rediscovering the US of A with the kids and revisiting some old haunts