Tale of Two Cities

I have noticed some differences between my former city of Ramsey and my current city of Duluth. The average June temperatures in Ramsey are (high/low) 78/58. The average June temperatures in Duluth 66/49. Duluth is cooler and the air smells fresher. Maybe the white pines perfume the air here. Summer is delayed. Peonies haven't opened yet up here while in Ramsey they are past their prime. In Ramsey I heard the tornado siren once a month. I hear the monthly siren tests in Duluth too but I also hear church bells ringing which I like. Also when a ship comes into port they sound the horn with one long blast followed by two short blasts. The lift bridge usually responds with one long blast followed by two short blasts. I think that is a very fine tradition although they are probably in contact over the phone and the horn sounds are unnecessary. On foggy days the coast guard sounds a horn every few minutes all day long. Ramsey had some elevation changes but nothing like Duluth. I live on the east hillside neighborhood. If I walk directly to the lake I end up at the rose garden. My walk is entirely downhill. Some blocks are severely downhill. I'm talking downhill where your toenails touch the ends of your shoes downhill. If I walk away from the lake that is uphill for a while. If I walk parallel to the lake it's not level. Today I walked west to Enger tower. That was downhill then uphill and a few blocks of level terrain. My feet and legs have adjusted to the hills now. The roads in Ramsey were pretty good. I saw a few potholes but they were rare and in my old neighborhood, the neighbors petitioned to delay street maintenance to save a few dollars in the short run. The major roads in Duluth are good but near my house some potholes are big enough to contain a human body. I have to take it slowly through those potholes. Luckily I have the best route figured out  now. The sidewalks on busy roads in Duluth are in good shape but the sidewalk on my street have, in spots, heaved up and down so much there is no way a wheelchair or a stroller could get through. I didn't have a sidewalk in Ramsey but I know in the Twin Cities you have to keep your sidewalk shoveled or the city will do it for you and send you the bill. Not everyone in Duluth shovels their sidewalk. At my new house I didn't even know I had a sidewalk for the first month because it was covered in a couple feet of compacted snow. In Ramsey we weren't allowed to park on the street overnight in the winter. In Duluth you can park on the street overnight in the winter. But, and this took me a few days and asking total strangers to figure out, you can park on only side of the street each week. This week we park on the odd side of the street. Next week we will park on the even side of the street. The parking on opposite sides goes on all year long. Sunday night between 5 and 9 pm is the time to switch the parking. My road isn't wide enough for two cars to pass if cars are parked on both sides of the street. Driving home on Sunday evenings means a lot of yielding and coordination. This alternating of parking makes plowing and street sweeping easier. I really can't compare all aspects of the city. The pandemic has ended some of the city services. What I can say is that the Municipality Storm Water Protection Team really thinks outside of the box.