I get asked a lot how I like living out in the "country". I say "country" because we are in a neighborhood, it's just that our houses are at least 1 to 10 acres apart and our house borders ranch land on two sides. But it is very different the neighborhood we lived in before. Just like anything, there are good things and bad things. I know you are dying to know them so I thought I'd make a list.
Pro: I can stroll outside in my pajamas to get my newspaper in the mornings without risk of being seen.
Con: I may step on one of numerous prickly plants if I forget to put my shoes on.
Pro: Kids can run and scream and play at all times of the day without disturbing any neighbors.
Con: I'm not within shouting distance of help.
Pro: I can go all day without seeing or talking to another soul.
Con: I go all day without seeing or talking to another soul.
Pro: I can come and go undetected by anyone.
Con: I miss the greetings of the neighborhood children as I pull into my driveway.
Pro: Lots of wildlife to watch.
Con: I walk outside on constant alert not wanting to step on snakes, tarantulas, rats, etc.
Pro: No cockroaches.
Con: Just centipedes, scorpions, mice, and the occasional snake.
Pro: Lots of hills for sledding.
Con: Lots of hills for mowing.
Pro: Can leave the windows open at night and not hear one car, train, or plane.
Con: Can lie in bed and wonder what exactly is making that strange howling noise outside my window.
All of this aside, I must say the things I miss the most are our old friends, the knowledge that at anytime I could step outside and probably run into a neighbor. We would chat about what we were cooking for dinner while our kids would play in the yard. I knew if I had an emergency I was surrounded by people who could and would help and it would only take minutes to get that help.
So to that question "How do you like it?"...I reply, "It's wonderful, but it wasn't so bad before either."
3 comments:
So, are you saying that lots of kids running and screaming outside disturbs the neighbors? Hmmmmm.... maybe that's why the house next door keeps going up for sale.
We miss you!!!
I, myself, enjoy the sounds of kids having fun...but you know how some people are:)
KAra-
I found your site, through your comment to mine. And I could SO relate to your comments about the pro being that you see no one, and that being the same con. I promised myself after our last neighborhood, that I would never again live without a family-ish community. I was so lonely. It's different seasons for all of us, but I too so enjoy chatting about dinners, kids, husbands, weather, etc. Just seeing and knowing is so comoforting to women.
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