Smash's Dec Envelope (more DSM)

Look at all this loveliness from Smash. More pointed pen work. And I think it would be very inspirational for valentines.

And there was a bookmark, too. 

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the goodies I get in the mail. 

Technically, I did just tell you. Maybe I'm saying that the words I choose do not reflect the magnitude of my appreciation. Yeah. That's better.

Here is my list of favorite things about life in DSM.

1.  The longest it takes to get to the airport from anywhere in the city limits is 14 minutes. From the furthest suburb - it might be 21 minutes. And the airport is roughly in the center of the city. 

2.  Bauder's ice cream - nationally ranked, within walking distance of my house. It's an old fashioned soda fountain and they make the ice cream in house. Ice cream isn't even that high on my list of lusted-after-no-nos- except when somebody says *Bauders* and then it takes a ton of willpower to not go. 

3.  La Quercia cured meats - a newer company - the founder lives a couple blocks from me. He had a perfectly good career but the prosciutto he had in Italy and the abundance of hogs in Iowa inspired him to start a company to rival the products he enjoyed in Italy.  You'll see it on menus in fine dining establishments all over the US.

4.  Fancy Breads. A local bakery that has my third favorite bread in the whole world. My first favorite is no longer available. My second is the baguette at Fairway Market in Stamford CT. Fancy Breads, here in DSM, has some weird distinctive flavor that many people are addicted to. I can't explain it.

The airport and 3 things to eat.  I'll have to work on this list. There must be other things about DSM that are wonderful. It's compact - doesn't take long to get anywhere and there is always plenty of parking.

I have always enjoyed the people I meet here. Most of the time people are pretty friendly and polite - even at places. you might not expect it - like the DOT. I still have PTSD from that one lady at a post office in *a big city.* Yikes. 

I won't name the big city because I think you can find ornery people anywhere. And I have experienced tons of very nice people in very large cities.

Actually, I just recalled one of MrW's cousins who grew up in DC. She spent some time visiting us and when we would head out on errands - she thought it was pretty amazing how friendly people were - and I have heard that from other transplants - so I guess the Midwestern *Nice* is an actual thing - and I appreciate it.

Oh, this is getting too long. But, I remember my daughter bringing a friend from Chicago to visit for a weekend and she thought our neighborhood was *Pleasantville.* And Iowa has been one of the most eager-to-sponsor-refugees. There were/are 20+ different languages spoken at our neighborhood high school. And that is why people are so nice to me at the DOT - because I speak English. They are polite to the non-English speaking people, too. But, I can tell that it's an extra layer of work - and can be very challenging. 

Even the postal workers have to try hard to communicate with people who are struggling. For example, I have watched them explaining to people that they are not at the right office to pay their taxes. 

Apologies for the length of this. I have to start the Feb postings ASAP - so no time to edit.