Home is where the frozen heart is

After spending a glorious week in California (Palm Springs and visiting family in L.A.) it's back to the never ending winter here in Toronto.

I had such an incredible time and really, I mean really didn't want to come home.
So much so in fact, that when we did arrive home, I found myself checking out neighbourhoods and homes on MLS and researching the best school districts in L.A.
I could SO live in California.

Great weather- obviously being #1 on the list.
We have family there.
Great economy and plenty of career opportunities. Albeit, having to start over is a wee bit daunting...
Amazing (and I mean Amazing) grocery stores and restaurants.
I love you Trader Joe's!
Lovely homes and cool architecture. (Reasonably priced I might add.) Especially when you compare to Toronto's over inflated real estate market and often ugly boxy brick houses.
People are so friendly and laid back.
So much to do. Especially if you love being outdoors.
Hiking, cycling, walking the dog (no coat and booties required) surfing, skiing. You name it, you can do it in Cali.
Excellent shopping. Bonus that you wouldn't need 18 different types of winter coats and boots.
Great people watching. Keith Urban was on my flight and Eugene Levy was at the airport when I landed.
Hiked past Moby's house on my morning walk and I just missed Orlando Bloom at the local coffee shop according to my sister-in-law. rats...
So you never know who you'll bump into in Los Angeles.
It's easy to live a healthy life style and stay fit and optimistic.
Everyone is so into fitness! Plenty of inspiration.
It's on the ocean.
Delicious wine. My favourite pinots all come from California. Not to mention that the wine is a third of the cost as it is here in Ontario. damn taxes.
It's green. I love all the varieties of trees and flowers. It's a gardener's paradise. We picked fresh lemons and made lemonade one day. Seriously. I mean where is the justice in the world?
Oh and the biggest bonus of all...
Rob Ford doesn't live there.

So needless to say there are plenty of reasons to want to live in California.

But for now we are here.
And for better or worse, Toronto is our home.
Business is good.
We live in a great neighbourhood.
Lulu loves her school and has a strong sense of stability. Which is very important to me.
We have a lot of great friends that I would miss if we moved.
My family is here.
I do love Canada and all that it stands for. So I would miss that for sure.
Free health care. Whoopie!
And sure, the weather really, and I mean really sucks. But it builds character. Right?
At least that's what I keep trying to tell myself every time I venture out and freeze my ass off.
Bonus that in the winter you don't need to wear make up. Especially blush.
My cheeks are always a rosy shade of pink from the wind chill.
And I don't have to wash my hair every day. Hats rock.
In fact I don't really have to get dressed at all.
I often drop Lulu off in my PJ's and no one is the wiser.
Gotta love big puffy all covering winter coats and snow pants.
Speaking of pants..don't need to shave my legs so often. Those pasty white bad boys are completely covered up, so who really cares about stubble? Also a bonus that I don't have to unveil the lovely little blue broken veins that no amount of self tanning cream will conceal.
I don't really see or hear my neighbours for half of the year as they go into hibernation for the winter.
Trust me, this is a very good thing.
Just wish they would shovel the driveway and sidewalk on occasion instead of always waiting for us to do it. grrrr.
But hey, shovelling works the biceps, triceps and quads! So their loss.
And at least we don't have to garden. Screw you weeds, tiny squishy rotten apples, and pesky wasps and mosquito's.
Yay no bugs!
The water is crazy cold when it comes out of the tap. I love a nice cold glass of H2o. Don't you?
My back deck doubles as a fridge and freezer when the need arises.
Snow is pretty. So are green leaves and flowers. Oh how I miss you green trees...sniff sniff
And let's face it, winter is a perfect excuse to be lazy and anti social.
Which is kind of okay once in a while. Summer can be so exhausting with all that going out and having fun.
Right?
And hey, we save a fortune on babysitters and restaurant tabs.
Sitting by a fire, drinking red wine reading a good book is the best. Sitting in the sun, drinking white wine, reading a trashy magazine...oh how I miss you summer....sniff sniff
T.V.  I love binge watching all my favourite shows on HBO. Currently obsessed with Downton Abby.
I'm a television junkie, what can I say? And I feel too guilty watching during the fleeting summer months.
And last but not least...winter gives you something to bitch about.
That is until the heat and humidity of July & August set in...

But in my mind...I'm going to California....(some day)