Leaving Brazoria County

My wife and I are leaving Lake Jackson. Going to Keller, a northern/northeastern suburb of Fort Worth. It's for the best, really, since she found a better-paying gig with less work, and I can teach a lot more kids in a more condensed area, without having to drive an hour in any direction. So, in effect, I'll be making more money and hopefully spending less, and my wife and I can spend more time together.

Here's what I'll miss about the Houston area:

1. The Astros - This is almost enough to tell her that we're staying.
2. Traffic - Sucks there, but it's nowhere nearly as bad as D/FW. Except the Katy Freeway/West Loop area. But with the construction almost complete around the city, it's almost a pleasure to drive down here.
3. Midtown/Uptown - Great restaurants, great nightlife, great exotic shopping. If we're feeling bohemian, we can go to Montrose. If we want to be high-falutin', we can go to the Galleria or Highland Village. All that area isn't too big, and we can get around easily.
4. The Astros - Like I said, this was almost a deal breaker.
5. Charlie Palilo - on ESPN 790; possibly the best sports-talk host in Texas. And believe me, I will miss listening to him!

Here's what I'll miss about Brazoria County/Lake Jackson:

1. Traffic - It's an easy drive (far, but easy) to Houston on 288. It'll get easier once the overpasses are finished near Manvel and Pearland.
2. Buc-ees - Need I say more? Well, yes: Their coffee was awesome! Plus I could always count on them to have a nice, clean restroom. Oh, and their breakfast tacos rocked my house!
3. Cafe Annice - Honestly one of the best upper-scale restaurants I've ever been to, and I've been to New York, Chicago, Dallas, San Antonio and other large cities, and Annice is seriously up to par. My wife loves the butter; I love their artichoke dip and pastas. LJ has a jewel in this place, and I hope it survives.
4. My students - Awesome. Polite. Talented. Smart. I wish them all the best, and know that they'll live up to their potential.

Here's what I won't miss:
1. Mosquitos - Holy crap.
2. Oyster Creek Drive - Can the LJ city engineers PLEASE get some synchronization going with these lights? You can't drive from Dixie to 332 without stopping at every light! Plus, the new light at Oak and Oyster Creek is on crack.
3. High gas prices - We were looking for a house in Keller this week, and I paid 15 cents less per gallon. And D/FW is one of those metro areas that is required to have the environmental policies in place. What the hell?
4. TX Highway 6 - Can we please get this to be a freeway?
5. Driving an hour north for anything other than fast food or a crappy theater in LJ.
6. Time Warner Cable.
7. Mosquitos - Holy crap.
8. Humidity - Holy crap!

We're planning on July 14th as our last day here. Of course, we'll be packing soon and making rounds of our favorite places around the area until we leave. I promise I'll keep everyone posted more frequently from now on.

Peace.