Neat Things about Spokane that Surprised Me

In no particular order:

1. Manito Park
2. Watching the crazy squirrel inhabitants of Manito Park (one is staring me down right now)
   
3. The fact that you can rake your leaves directly into the street and the City of Spokane takes care of them for you. An incredible perk, seeing are there 10 times more leaves in Spokane vs. anywhere-else-I've-lived.
   
4. Our incredible neighbors. I can't imagine a friendlier, better welcome to a new city. I mean, Laurie brought me a bag of cheese on my second day here!!!
   
5. Nordstrom.
6. Our really lovely house.
7. Wild Sage and Sante - two of the best restaurants I've been to. Oh! And Cafe Marron!
   
8. Lower gas prices (which slightly makes up for the fact that you have to get out and pump your own gas here! Come ON Washington!!)
9. Dick Newton, who just might be the world's best general contractor.
10. Four "local" ski areas - Mt. Spokane, 42 Degrees North, Lookout and Schweitzer. (I'm still partial to Mt. Bachelor, but at least there are good options up here!)
11. The Spokane Symphony
12. Auntie's Bookstore
13. (13 and 14 are excellent additions suggested by Mom and Dad) Saunders Cheese Store (see #4)
14. Wine Festivals - an afternoon of wine tasting at Barrister, Arbor Crest and others, with friends and parents.
    

That's all for now, but I know there are more. The first four months of Spokane-habitation have been great!