Ridgecrest is a quiet place

Ever since we got back from Boulder, Ridgecrest hasn't seemed that bad to me. I know part of the reason is that the Colorado trip was so stressful. And part of the reason is that Boulder is now suddenly a sad place for me, because Clifford is dead.

Ridgecrest is a calm place. Ridgecrest is a quiet place. I don't know anyone here so there's nothing to feel sad about. Each morning I go out with my broom and knock down the webs that the black widows built the night before.

Boulder is a very active town. It just buzzes. The first night we were there, we went to IHOP for a quick dinner. And there was one of my coworkers, having a quick dinner with his wife and a friend. I went over to say hi. The next day, the babies and I went to the grocery store. And there was another one of my coworkers, pushing HIS baby in a stroller. We said hi. Although that was quite a few coworkers in a short time, when we used to live there it was not unusual for us to run into people we knew every time we went out to do anything. I think this was not because we knew so many people, but because in Boulder, people are always out and about. They do not hide in their houses, watching TV and eating, they go out in the world and do things. People go for walks, walk their dogs, ride their bikes, run, go to restaurants, go shopping, go to the library. Both the climate and the design of the town are very conducive to activity.

Ridgecrest is different. The climate is inhospitable and the town is too spread out. Although we don't know a lot of people here, we are starting to know some -- from Weight Watchers and the daycare and RB's work and our neighbors and the clubs we've attended meetings of. And there aren't very many choices of places to go. But we hardly ever see a familiar face in a restaurant or store.

Our house in Boulder seems much friendlier and more neighborly than our house in Ridgecrest. We have that beautiful front porch. When we were there last week I left the front door open most of the time (the screen was closed so the babies wouldn't leave on their own). People kept dropping by and we kept going outside. The big front window looks out on the street where people are constantly going by with their dogs and strollers. In Ridgecrest we also have a big front window, but we don't look out of it much. And most people's houses are dominated by a big garage, often with no front window on the house at all. People's lives seem very private here.

Right now I guess that's what I'm looking for -- a little privacy, a little quiet time. Ridgecrest is not a bad place to be if you just want to be alone for a while. As long as you don't mind black widow spiders.