After a long six or so months, I am back in Walla Walla. It's a city where things don't ever seem to change too dramatically so even after 10+ years of living away from my home town whenever I return it still feels like home.

Sure things change but the feel of the place is still the same. But I don't necessarily expect that things will always be this way. That's the problem with time, distance, memory and nostalgia.

So the highlights? Well, I guess I'll make a quick list to summarize. Then I'll make a longer, fuller, more developed post later.
<ul>
	<li>The flight attendants from Chicago to Seattle looked like they'd be more at home in a dinner in the mid-west than serving soda on an airplane. There was nothing cosmopolitan, worldly, sexy or classy about these ladies.  On a whole their hair was too blond and their roots too brown, their lipstick too bright and poorly applied and the honey-ies and darlings were a little over the top. I mean, where did they find these women?<!--more--></li>
	<li>There's a billboard on the highway from Seattle to Walla Walla that welcomes you to the city of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakima,_Washington" target="_blank">Yakima</a> it declares that: Yakima is the Palm Springs of Washington. I am not sure about that. And I couldn't believe that this was the first time I'd ever seen this sign. The Pam Springs of Washington?! What does that even mean?</li>
	<li>But the best billboard about 45 miles from my hometown said: Walla Walla wine is rock'n roll.  Yep. The wine is "rock'n roll." I can't help but wonder if that makes it too cool for me. But I hope not. I like wine.</li>
	<li>We stopped at a dairy factory called <a href="http://www.darigold.com/" target="_blank">Darigold </a>between Yakima and Richland and bough cheese curds. These are delicious and when they are room temperature they squeak when you eat them. I think that any food that's both fun and tasty wins a special place in my heart.</li>
	<li>In Walla Walla, the traffic is seemingly nonexistent. It's amazing. No cars honking. No traffic jams. No speeding. And a couple of times at intersections we were the only car there. Oh and the sidewalks are even.</li>
	<li>Finally, there's My Bed. To date, this has been the biggest highlight. When you're suffering from a difference of 10 hours between Sofia, Bulgaria and Walla Walla, Washington visions of beds just dance through your head.  And as my MoM and dAd can attest, I've been making full use of my bed falling asleep shortly after dinner and getting up just in time to join them for their morning walk.</li>
</ul>
So, all in all, things in Walla Walla are pretty great. Now I am going to go grocery shopping with my mom. Then maybe I'll have a coffee and I expect to spend the afternoon by the pool.  It's pretty great to be on vacation for 2+ months. And even better to spend part of it with your family!!