You
asked how the change has been. We've adjusted to small town living
very well, I think. We don't mind that the local grocery closes at 8, 7
on Sunday. That the library doesn't charge overdue fines and does
provide inter library loan services. That we can take a walk at dusk
and walk in the middle of main street and there are no cars coming
either direction. That on these walks we meet the nicest people who
share the peaches they just picked off their tree. That this little
town is so dark and quiet at night. That the post office closes for
lunch between 2:30 and 3:30. That the mail is not delivered to your
house if you live in town. That some tourists drive a
little too fast through town. That many, many motorcycle clubs come
through here to stay and play. (I actually love seeing all the bikers
and bikes. Especially when they all line up out front of Limpia Hotel.)
I
am enjoying the small town community vibe. I grew up in a small town
and hated it! Everybody knew everybody and their business. And that's
probably the case here. But my business is being retired and living in a
gorgeous part of Texas. I'm sleeping so much better these days. No
traffic stress, no noise stress. I must say I do miss having access to
movie theaters. A lot. There is a small, old theater in Alpine with 2
screens but so far they have not been showing my kind of movies. They
seem to cater to kids and hero movies. We made a trip in early June to
Odessa so I could see a couple of movies and we also did HEB, WMart,
Home Depot. But it's a 2.5 hr drive and an overnight stay. So we can't
do it that often, really. Don't really want to, doncha know?
We
miss the dining opportunities in Austin but are fortunate to have some
very good food trucks in Alpine, just 24 miles down the road from here. And a Sweet and Savory bakery food
truck just opened right around the corner from our house. Alpine has a
Japanese food truck, a Thai, a Cuban inspired, a Cow Dog eclectic hot
dog truck, and a couple of others we have not tried. And Marfa has a
pizza place that is worth the 24 mile, picturesque drive. They make a
perfect....and I mean perfect...Margherita pizza.
Oh,
one more note....we recently drove out to the McDonald Observatory. (I
found a letter from my mom and she said that 2 of my uncles helped build
it. They were iron workers.) The drive to the observatory is
stunningly beautiful. Found out if you are a local, you get in free to most stuff. We will
certainly go to a star party some time. At night, big scopes...woohoo!
