The longer I live away from Indiana, the more surprised I am when I step off the plane. On this last trip, I kept notes about things that caught my eye:
- Billboards are everywhere! Uncle Dean calls them “litter on a stick.” Washington does a great job keeping signage to a minimum height.
- It’s FLAT. Hills that I remember being huge are really just little bumps. I attribute some of this to my childhood memory and some to the scope of the hills that I see around me now.
- People drive fast. In Washington, all lanes of traffic flow within 5mph on both sides of the speed limit. In the Midwest you might be flowing in traffic right next to a cop and you’re all going 20 over.
- There are lots of potholes! Midwest weather really does a number on the roads. The Pacific Ocean keeps our temps mild out here in Seattle so potholes are pretty rare.
- All of the trees around our house are so much bigger than I remember. It sounds silly because of course they have grown since I lived there, but it catches my eye every single day.
- The clothing choices are different. In the Pacific Northwest, everyone dressed like they are ready for a hike.
Hopefully none of this sounds like I’m making fun of the area. Indiana will always have a special place in my memory!