The mouse was in our office supply drawer in the desk. Yep. He was in there, and he did some things to let me know he had the upper hand. Damn mouse. I cleaned most of it but saved it to show Josh. He confirmed it was a mouse, but assured me that he really believed it was the one we had already gotten. I knew he was right. I hoped he was right. How do these darn things get into your desk drawers? This was the bigger thing that had me perplexed and wanting to understand. I mean, seriously -- how does he get in and then back out of there? Pain in the butt...
The road near our house was going to be closed starting today, for a few days, while some road work was done. Josh told me about it, so I would take another path for a few days. He also told a friend of ours, while I was there. I said, "Why don't they post a sign?" He said, "What do you mean? They will, once they close the road." No..."I mean, why don't they post a sign that says "beginning on June 26, road work...". The both laughed at me like it was the funniest thing they ever heard. This is what they do in the city, but they kindly reminded me it was not the interstate, and since we knew, they only had to tell about three more people and the message would be out. Well, I would hate to be the person who missed the message, traveled on the road, only to hit the road closed sign, and have to turn around. But that's just me. Luckily, their laughing at me rolled off my back. And, lucky for me on a second level that my future father-in-law is the current road commissioner so we have the inside scoop on what roads will be closed when.
This week, I have lived here a year. Hard to believe. It has passed quickly in some ways; and in other days, it has been a long journey for us. My transition has not been easy. Our transition has not been easy. We have pushed through it and here we are, a year later. I have learned many lessons, more than I have even put here, about my new lifestyle. I can't say that I am fully a country girl at heart yet, but there are many things I can appreciate.
When my family visited us recently, I was able to appreciate their experience in enjoying a peaceful day sitting outside. I was able to watch their surprise at the storm blowing in (much like a scene out of a the Wizard of Oz!). I enjoyed hearing them ask questions about the corn that was growing, watch my nephew ride on the tractor, and see my sister, for the first time, drive to my house and see we really do live "in the middle of nowhere". So many things that came up, they were just learning. For me, it has become almost second nature. Telling them what could go in the trash, and what had to be recycled or sent to the junk pile, was almost out of my mouth without thinking!
I still like to go to Chicago. I still like the city...the suburb life. I like the variety of food options. I like going to a place and knowing that not everyone will know you were there tomorrow. However, on the flip side, I do like laying in my hammock on our land and enjoying the quiet. I like no traffic. I like the nice people (even if they are always in my business, a part of the move that I still can't adjust to). I like that we can leave our windows open at night and a real breeze comes through. I like watching them plant the crops, watching them grow, and then seeing them harvest -- a full life cycle -- and the basis for many of our needs in society. I like watching Josh mow our grass as I stand at our kitchen window, and think "this is our life".
There are so many things that I am becoming accustomed to. There are still days when I think "where they heck do we live?", but all in all, it's a new life...it's our life. It isn't perfect (what is?). But it's ours and we are creating it in a way that suits us both. We all make choices, and this is ours. We have a wonderful old farm house that we live in, that needs updating but we can see the future within in more now than before; it has become home. We have pieces of the city and of the country within us and around us -- and it is the best of us. We are together. It doesn't matter if we live in the city, the country, or a card board box (although I think we would both skip the latter), we are finally together. It's been a year, but it seems like yesterday. We began a new chapter. This city girl may not have truly gone country in every sense of the word, but she sure has survived and is making her way -- day by day, even if they do sometimes still laugh at her ideas around here!
