Living on the edge of Suburbia

I have repatriated to a suburb near Houston, Texas.

This is a somewhat facetious statement as this "suburb" is more than 50 miles from Houston in another county.

I call it living on the edge of Suburbia!

The entire island of Singapore fits inside the Beltway 8.  Like a good researcher  - I googled this fact to make sure it was correct…. (bypassing Siri altogether - that is a post for another day)

Beltway 8 is 88 miles around.  If you could drive the coastline of Singapore it equals 86 miles.  If my subdivision was outside of Singapore - 50 miles puts us in the ocean, Indonesia or Malaysia… a whole other country!!!

While this fact doesn't seem to impress expats, Texans seem blown away by the concept of a country so small! 

You Know . . . 
"Everything is bigger in Texas" - I don't know who originally said this, so I can't give credit where it is due.

Another fact is Texas is NOT the largest state in the USA, despite what the natives will tell you.  Alaska is the largest state! Texas is second, but it isn't even close.  Texas is almost 1/3 the size of Alaska! 
So a native Texan claimed it didn't matter because you can't use or get to most of the land in Alaska as it is mountainous, covered in snow and pretty desolate!

Really . . .

Have you been to west Texas ? ? ?

It is VERY desolate, mountainous, hard to get to and either covered in snow or so parched by the sun the ground looks baked and cracked!!!

Anyway, I don't mind living here on the edge of Suburbia as I have lived in far worse situations . . . 

I call it the edge of Suburbia because our subdivision is the last, typical subdivision (where the developer tries to fit as many houses as possible in the space allotted) before you get to houses with acreage and animals, and then, farms and ranches.
If we had more time to find a place to live when we repatriated, I would have found a place over the edge (on the other side of Suburbia) - a place with some acreage.  That way, I could have had chickens (hens, NOT a rooster) and a larger garden.

The one thing that bothers me about Suburbia is that one must drive everywhere.  The nearest grocery store is 5 miles away!  I can't walk to a tea room, or the butcher or baker.  

I really miss walking everywhere.  I still walk, but it is just for exercise, not to get somewhere.

So with every negative, I try to look for a positive. 

I am thankful that:
I can drive myself and I don't ever have to pay for parking in Suburbia!
Parking spaces are huge and there is no need for reverse parking.
I don't have to worry if I'll have enough cab fare.
I don't have to check the bus schedule to make sure I'll make it in time.
AND - I am VERY thankful that I can go somewhere and appear fresh and clean and not look like a sweaty pig having waited for my taxi in the heat and humidity with my makeup sliding off my face and my hair frizzing by the second!!!

This is a taxi in Singapore  - - - Doesn't it look like it should be in Texas ???

I hope my fellow suburbanite repatriates get into their huge SUVs and count their blessings as they drive in their air-conditioned car to the nearest Target.

Enjoy your day!