poor mum

Last visit to see Mum went well, but she's still trying to convince
us that Maine is better than Vermont and that we should move there so
she can have me near her again.

Her: "You know, you don't have to live in Portland if you hate
driving in it..."
Me: "Portland driving is not the reason I won't move, Mom."
Her: "You could live in Westbrook."
Me: "I don't like Westbrook."
Her: "You could live inland elsewhere, then."
Me: "I don't want to move."
Her: "But there are hiking trails here!"
Me: "Vermont has those too."
Her: "There are lakes and ponds everywhere here!!"
Me: "I like the pond where we live."
Her: "Vermont doesn't have ocean!"
Me: "Good reason to visit you."
Her: "If you lived here you could see the ocean all the time!"
Me: "Yeah, colder in the winter because of that."
Her: "But it's not as cold inland, you wouldn't have to live ON the
ocean..."
Me: "Then the ocean view is a moot point."
Her: "People are nice here!"
Me: "I like the folks where we live."
Her: "There are better jobs!!"
Me: "And just as much stress, and higher cost of living."
Her: "I'm here!"
Me: "Your choice."
Her: "By what's so special about Vermont, anyway??"
Me: "Family, friends, and my happy little hometown."
Her: "Tell them to move!!"
Me: "The town won't move."
Her: "Well, what's so special about it?! It's just a little town!!"
Me: "Yep, but nowhere else have I felt such a wonderful sense of
belonging until the day I drove my truck over its gleaming bridge of
charm."
Her: "Dammit!"

Then I said, "Mother, the grass is not always greener. Tell you
what. Convince Dale, his mom, his brother and his wife, his dad, and
his stepmom amongst a few other people to move to Maine, and I'll
consider moving. It's not exactly easy to convince them myself when
I like it just fine where I am."

Poor lady. Even if I wanted to move, a huge detterent is the hassle
involved with such a thing. Imagine ripping such deeply embedded
roots from the ground after years of struggle to get them planted.
Not to mention finding another job, finding a place to live, packing,
etc! I mean, I've nothing much against Maine (other than the colder
weather right on the ocean, similar to being on Lake Champlain in my
book). I just happen to like it fine here. So does Dale.

Her closing statement was, "You convince them!"

And this lady purports to understand that I am only convincing when I
believe something myself!!

LOL