Bittersweet

 That pretty much sums up today.  Hubby and I took the boys and decided to make a day of it in the country, it's been awhile since we've been down there and we were sure excited to go and check on things and just soak up the peacefulness of our little piece of paradise.

The Boys are ready for their roadtrip!

We stopped on the way down and looked at some modular and mobile homes.  Trying to decide if  something like that would work on our pretty little piece of land.  We spent a couple of hours daydreaming and measuring what would look best in that little nook at the end of the cul de sac, over looking that peaceful little lake that most everyone else has forgotten exists. We found several that had us imagining how beautiful they would look tucked away back there.

The boys were pretty excited about going down, they seem to always know.  They start pacing and looking out the windows as we get closer.  Their noses leaving little smudge marks and tails wagging.

As we turned down Glen Arbor something didn't feel right... it wasn't the beauty, it wasn't noticeable right away... until we saw the ruts in our dirt/rock road.  It looked like a big truck had been down the road, a really big truck.  As we got closer to the end, where we should have seen the tangle of brush and branches that marked the of the road, we saw it... no brush or trees on one side for that matter.  Someone had cleared a path, dozed it out, leveled off a huge section of what we were told was common land that would never be developed. I am sure eventually it will be nice, but right now it looks garish and harsh.  It looks intrusive.

Gator is not liking the looks of things

The main reason we bought that particular piece of property is because it's secluded, quiet, peaceful and remote.  When we were told that the opposing property was common ground and wouldn't be developed it sealed the deal.  It isn't that we don't like people, okay hubby doesn't, but with all the insanity that we have around us daily, we needed the quiet. The front of our house is a main road here in town, we listen to cars and people non-stop.  Our weeks down there have been heavenly.

Those days are gone now, the privacy that made it special is completely history, now we need to think about whether or not it still has value to us. 

Ironically, we had already driven pass the building that I have been dreaming about making my place.  It's still for sale, waiting.  We both love the people and town that it is located in.  The town square, the gazebo by the train tracks, the slower pace. 

Now here is the bittersweet part, both of us loved the place on Glen Arbor, but for reasons neither of us could quite place our finger on we have stalled on moving forward with even preparing it for a house some day.  We go down and enjoy camping, fishing, relaxing, we just haven't started preparing it.  I am sure some of it is the year round residents there tend to be very cliquey, or maybe it is the fact that they don't really stick to the rules about keeping things neat and clean, or maybe it was something neither of us could grasp.  Today I am 99.9% sure we decided that if we even keep our place it will forever be a weekend get away.

It's not a bad thing, it's not a good thing... but somehow I feel like we lost something we treasured.  I don't know, maybe the new neighbors are super nice, I just don't feel the need to find out.  I don't go there to socialize, I go there to hide.

Hubby and I were talking on the drive down there today, wondering if eventually finding a place that we could commute to by bike or walking wouldn't be better.  Debating on whether or not we could ultimately live in that gated community that often had some very closed minded people.  We spent a lot of time today daydreaming, plotting and planning.  We never came up with a coherent final thought, maybe that was the cosmos telling us to slow down and wait...

The end result is that we are still in search of our dream place, and who knows, maybe it is right where we are... I guess time will tell...

Dad and Neeko were having quite a discussion

On the flip side the boys had a great ride, got to smell lots of wonderful new scents, caught a glimpse of the pretty Lucy that I think they would fight each other for, and we managed to meet up with the wonderful Karen that makes the incredible smoked dog bones that they both love so much.  They were full of kisses and wagging tails for her, so much so they sweet talked her into a special treat just for being adorable.  They got to traipse down the hill and sniff out all the goodness that the country brings.  Neeko got to run around looking for turtles, silly boy - it's winter, and Gator just hung out with Mom.  He's slowing down and wasn't so interested in running anywhere, he was ready for a soft bed and yummy treat.  We even stopped in town at the local grocery for some fried chicken, Gator has a passion for chicken.

Gator is watching the moonrise too

 Driving home we got to watch the most beautiful moon rise, I tried as hard as I could to take a picture, but it simply wasn't meant to be.  It was so beautiful though, rising slowly up, starting out so pale almost invisible against the soft pale blue of the evening sky.  By the time we pulled in the driveway it was shining like a giant glimmering globe in the deep navy sky, beckoning you to linger and stare at it through the leafless branches of the maple, full of hope and promise.

Bittersweet day... but one that I wouldn't trade away for anything...