Day 44: Don’t forget your gun.

That’s the review I read last night on a supermarket nearby the Ottawa Hills home. Don’t forget your gun? Lovely.

During my lunch break today I drove through the neighborhood to scan the walkability. Yeah, I know. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. But it was cold, icy and I was wearing heels. I found a library (!), but no supermarkets. Bummer.

This evening, I met my realtor to look through a couple homes in Alger Heights. A couple around my age jogged by and said hi. A guy dressed in his business-casual duds pulled into the driveway across the street. He nodded, too. Another younger couple walked their dog down the sidewalk. Nice. Young people. There’s something very appealing about that. And after Dan and I parted ways, I drove right up the street to Ken’s Fruit Market to grab a few things for dinner. To think, I was so repulsed by Alger Heights from the get go. I refused to even gave it a chance. Now, I’ve fallen in love.

But really, it’s this damn supermarket notion. I am ridiculously obsessed.

I drove down Franklin Street on my way back to Eastown and passed a place just down from Ottawa Hills that advertised beer and groceries. People were loitering outside; it looked like a prime spot for fights and drug deals. Better bring your gun here, too.

Thank heavens for my supermarket obsession, otherwise I would still be walking the line between my two very different loves. I’m really quite sick of the indecisive feeling, to tell you the truth. Anyway, I called my friend Laura who lives in Ottawa Hills to inquire about the store. Good call. With each word out of Laura’s mouth describing the neighborhood, I grew more and more excited about the big, beautiful, brick home in fairytale land.

She said people hang out on the school lawn during the summer. Kids are all over. Sounds just like Wilcox Park! The neighborhood association has monthly happy hours. Eastown is only half a mile away, closer than Gaslight Village. And Calin is only getting older, which means he’ll soon be able to ride his bike with me (why didn’t I think of this?!), making a gunless grocery store only half the distance. And she told me about walkscore.com. I’ve been dreaming of something like this.

I could just hug you right now, Laura!