Went to the Big City

[DunPainted]

Went to visit some friends in Southern California this weekend. Being a Southern California native, now living on 25 NE Wisconsin acres well off a road in a town of 600 people, one can only imagine the overwhelming eye stimulation and traffic.

Missed my son, hubby and animals. My cell phone ran out of Wal-Mart minutes....didn't know my cell phone number. Guess I'm meant to stay in this tiny town where the most exciting thing is Lena's Dairy Fest Parade.....and a blackberry is something that you hunt in a summer forest.

Didn't know how to open the rental car with all the keychain buttons. Wasn't sure how to roll down the windows with "the buttons". Glad I knew how to use a debit card for gas purchases. Not used to paying the cashier first. I admire Southern California folks who are well groomed, nicely clothed. All I have are jeans without manure splatter and "goin-into-town" cowboy boots.

As usual, when the clock ticked at the 24 hour mark, the panic-stricken, sobbing coward came out. Guess I didn't pack my Big Girl Pants.

Decided to COME HOME EARLY. Poor Northwest counter guy. Remained calm while this deranged woman created a puddle on his counter. He gave me a box of tissues....didn't know if it was to wipe my eyes or clean his counter. Needless to say, his computer found room on the first flight to Green Bay.

The ticket taker didn't let me board with my little carry-on box with wheels. Said there was no room in the "overhead". The woman literally pried it from my hands, assuring me that it'll be waiting in Green Bay.

Well, my little box didn't arrive. That's okay....I was happy to feel the two degree fresh air on my face that let me know I was "home". As I came in the front door, there were loving hugs and fuzz therapy to be had.

Mostly, I missed doing horsey chores....can't imagine a life without them! Someone asked how many "mouths" we feed on our ranch? That was a curious question....but counted to 21! This old high school croney just shook his head in bewilderment. When I let out one of my good ol belly laughs, another person told me to "settle down". Wow, my friends here find the boistrous laughter infectious!

Thanks for letting me share! Sometimes you have to get away to appreciate life!

Cindy

Cindy

 

[Farmhand]

 

[horsefeather]

I can SO relate! Couldn't imagine life without my animals. Used to live in San Diego several lifetimes ago

I absolutely LOVED it, but that was before the 50 billion people found it

Heck, our town is getting too big for me. My hubby & I want to move to a much smaller town!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Oh Cindy I can SO relate. They call me the hermit lady in the hollow. I so rarely go anywhere except the grocery store, feed store and maybe walmart once in a while. I love my hollow with everything in it and the "world" just holds nothing I need. Happy holidays !

 

[Shari]

Yes, I can also relate! Glad you arrived back home safe and sound.

Cities are scary places.

 

[capall beag]

Mostly, I missed doing horsey chores....can't imagine a life without them! Someone asked how many "mouths" we feed on our ranch? That was a curious question....but counted to 21! This old high school croney just shook his head in bewilderment. When I let out one of my good ol belly laughs, another person told me to "settle down". Wow, my friends here find the boistrous laughter infectious!

Oh Cindy,

This made me laugh so hard!!

I have been told since I was a kid to "settle down". I went to boarding school for a while and got many detentions for my laugh being unladylike

Who said I wanted to be a lady!

I think it is funny what you experienced.

I must say I am comfortable in the city all dressed up or knee deep in the mud in the woods but I prefer rural life!

I grew up just outside the city and my relatives think we live in the backwoods, but my "small town" has 18,000 people!

I would like to live in a smaller town but the schools are very good here, it is beautiful and the work is plentiful for the hubby so my romantic notions of real rural living will be only in my imagination for now!!

Sorry your trip was so emotional and glad you are back safe and sound on your little 'safe haven farm'!!!!!

 

[Hosscrazy]

Well, I technically live in So. Cal., but absolutely 100% stay away from any of the crowded areas!!! My little neighborhood is very small town, and the only place I go is very rural with country roads an lots of horses!

"I admire Southern California folks who are well groomed, nicely clothed"

Uh...come visit me sometime!!!

Liz R.

 

[keeperofthehorses]

Boy, do I ever understand this. I fly down to S.Cal. every few years to visit family. Weddings, funerals, graduations; that's all they get me for.

From the minute I step off the plane in Burbank, I might as well be on Mars. The first thing I always notice is the small, shiney cars and how danged fast they drive. I learned to drive in that mess; I can't believe it bothers me now. Then it's the air. The sky is this wierd shade of grey-lavender. By the time I get over the grapevine and down into the anal cavity that is my former hometown of Bakersfield, I'm so homesick for Idaho that the tears are flowing and my head is throbbing. I can't sleep for all the noise. Everything is so rush rush rush. I don't have the right clothes, shoes, hairdo, vocabulary (my sister nearly clocked me when I told her to "Settle down, mare." I meant it affectionately for pete's sake). And, god forbid, I smoke, which is the next best thing to a felony down there now.

OK, I do miss a couple of my favorite restaurants. And it's always entertaining to see the family and friends. But all I can think of when I'm down there is "I WANNA GO HOME!!!!"

 

[Miniv]

TRUST ME - I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!

Larry, Bri, and I make an annual visit to see Larry's dad in Boston suburbia ..... and after one day - I am hiding up in the family's finished attic ..... just to see the sky!

There are no pets.....so Bri and I resort to keeping the TV on Animal Planet for sanity.

Even Larry feels it, and we've shortened our visits down from 2 weeks, then it became 10 days, and now it's 7 days.

We always try to break away in that week to visit friends with animals and get OUT of the CITY every time.......often seeing folks who post on here (as a matter of fact.)

Nope, the city life can stay where it is......

MA

 

[DunPainted]

[SIZE=14pt]WOW!...........Thought I was the only one![/SIZE]

Mary Ann, going up in the attic thing to see outside is SOOOO me!

Ohhh, I sure remember the brownish haze that settled over Los Angeles and Riverside counties. Couldn't see the mountains 20 miles away! There was always a constant allergy battle.....none since moving here! Hmmmmm

When I woke up the first morning for some tea at the breakfast table (first one up).....I couldn't take the blinds being shut any longer! They're always shut! Folks were very uncomfortable with "making myself at home" in this manner!

Anyway, they made their coffee/bagels.....and headed into the living room to watch the BIG SCREEN TV....on Saturday morning! Call me sensitive, but it would've been nice to have company for breakfast.

Well, as the folks watched whatever was on TV, I got dressed and went for a walk through the beautiful hillside condo community. Coming from NE Wisconsin, one can imagine how happy I was to see GREEN in December, wearing only a T-shirt. As I returned, my guests were equally worried and perplexed, as I was thrilled with finding a pine cone and amazed the trees changing color this time of year. "After all, it is December and officially winter". Oh my, our trees start changing in August, I explained. It was incomprehensible that we're further north and sunlight gets shorter, thus the photosynthesis creating the change. That was too much to ponder....and went back to the TV.

Sure felt like a hick as we entered the restaurant. I asked if we could have "nonsmoking". The hostess was charmed, my guests were mortified. Seems the source of embarrassment was my lack of knowledge that ALL restaurants are smoke-free. OOPs!

Having been the general contractor for our ranch, built three years ago, I was intrigued about California's construction techniques. While at the restaurant, someone asked if I liked the tongue-n-groove walls. "They're nice, but it's not actually the real thing." WHAT? "Trust me, I varnished a 23-ft ceiling worth of knotty pine T&G". While leaving, I wanted to check out the bar and how some of the interesting architecture was put together. Again, I managed to embarrass my guests who whisked me out of the restaurant.

By Saturday evening, with the BIG TV's surround sound blaring which could be heard through the bedroom and bathroom walls where I was huddled in a corner with a book and glass of red wine........I CRACKED!

Without family/friends who understand my need for the low roar of chaos, barn chores, and missing a daily dose of fuzz therapy, I grabbed my bags and RAN!

Drove straight to the airport (1-1/2 hours away) at 11pm....only to find no airline ticket counters open. OH BOY! Well, I humbled myself and returned to the house of horror (too scared to get off the freeway and get a hotel). Thankfully, my hosts are night owls. Understandably, they were less than impressed with my behavior, yet offered to LET me STAY UNTIL I COULD FIND A FLIGHT SOONER. However, if I had to wait until Monday for my scheduled flight, that "might work".

Thank God for His angels who whisked me away in the morning, and able to get Miss Cindy on the BIG BIRD to Green Bay within the hour!

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest! As it turns out, this fiasco served as a blessing on so many levels. My husband/son missed me terribly, and have a renewed appreciation for a wonderful life, beyond my wildest dreams.

You folks are the best.....

Cindy