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HetFlexK 51M
155 posts
7/7/2015 3:30 pm
peace and quiet


ndependence Day (July 4th) came and went without a bang. My lovely is not a big fan of fireworks displays - she might appreciate the colors but doesn’t care for the noise - and I am old enough that I pretty much feel like I’ve seen it all, so we don’t feel like we missed much. Yes, some years are better than others, and I am undeniably prone to a moment or two of awestruck silence when I witness the professional displays that cities/counties often put together, but for the most part it’s nothing new or exciting to this old man. Knowing the loud BOOMs and THUDs would bother my girl, I did what I could to be a loving and responsible Father, and made sure we were in an area where they would either be seriously muted, or non existent. Having lived in Central OR. in the past, I knew that fireworks can often be banned because they are a high fire risk, and am happy to say this year was no exception. During the full, 24-hour period that was the 4th of July, punkin and I saw no flashes of light, and heard zero loud booms. It was wonderful.

On our last night in Lincoln City (July 1st) somebody who just couldn’t wait for the 4th to arrive began setting off fireworks. They didn’t sound like the kind of garbage you buy out of one of these roadside stands that usually pop up on the 1st day of July either. What we heard contained explosions too big to be considered safe for “family” use. Since it was obviously a personal display, it did not last very long, but while it did it kept both of us awake and on edge. By the end of it, I was all too happy to be taking off the next morning, to get away from what I was certain would be a very loud and busy weekend at the beach. Redmond turned out to be a blessing for us, and even though it too was uncharacteristically busy, it was blissfully quiet.

The birds in Redmond are no less plentiful than they were on the Coast, and the din they create at times is still rather annoying to our ears, but thankfully the place we are staying in was better constructed than anything we stayed in while we were at the beach. I estimate we spent time in no less than ten different houses in Lincoln City, but not one of them was nearly as quiet as the place we are staying in now. No matter the room, I can easily find peace and quiet without the aid of a fan, or other white noise device. This was never possible while we stayed at the Coast. Never. When I go outside though, it’s the same old story. Birds in nearby trees are saying something, repeatedly, at a very high volume. This means punkin and I spend a lot of time inside during the day, but considering the temperatures, that’s not a bad thing. Since returning to Central OR. I have also witnessed something I recall writing about in the past; during the hottest part of the day you can actually go outside and hear nothing but silence, because it’s too damn hot for the birds!

This place suits us. It is quiet, and there are not a lot of people around. The ones we do encounter are uncharacteristically friendly - something else I remember about living here - and at first it’s quite disconcerting. We’re coming from big city Portland, where people rarely smile, or wave at you randomly, and if they do you figure they’re 1) up to no good 2) going to ask you for money 3) mistaken when they think they recognize you 4) maybe a bit crazy? On our second day here, punkin and I went for a short walk, and we crossed paths with several friendly folks who said “Hello” or simply made eye contact and smiled. When I told my lovely to get used to it, she asked why, and I could only respond that it was the kind of demeanor the neighborhood made an effort to cultivate. Even knowing a good portion of the dwellings in the area are used on a regular basis for vacation rental purposes, and therefore occupied by total strangers, the full-time residents want to maintain a friendly, positive atmosphere. I think it’s wonderful, and find myself happily returning those smiles and greetings, even though I am a hardcore antisocial introvert. Something about honest positive emotion and interaction speaks to me I guess. I want to respond in kind, and I feel better for doing so.

Where we are, at the moment, is temporary, but being here gives me hope we can find what we’ve been looking for. Being able to afford it is a whole separate thing…


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