Clothes on the line

I will have you all know that I just got done hanging clothes on the line. Yes. Hung them outside to dry instead of in the dryer. It was FUN!!!! Not real sure why exactly, but I had fun hanging wet clothes on a wire stretched between two metal poles in the ground. Maybe it was the weather worn wooden (I love alliteration) clothes pins, maybe it was the warm Montana sun on my arms (notice I said warm, not breath sucking hot and humid as I assume it is in Houston), maybe it was just knowing that life moves as a much slower and kinder pace here...no need to rush your clothes through the dryer when you can hang them out to dry.

That's a perfect example of how I'd compare life in Missoula to life in Houston. Everyday Cierra and I walk to the park (it's about 8 blocks away), with Ryland in the stroller...we WALK there yall. Kevin has the car most days and I really don't mind. We have to cross a semi busy street to get to it and EVERYtime the cars stop to let us pass. Missoula is cool like that. In Houston if you saw a lady pushing a stroller holding the hand of a three year old you'd just zoom on past and think she was a loony for walking somewhere she easily could have driven....not here, you step up to the curb and traffic halts. Love it.

Not to mention how great it feels to WALK places. It's that same feeling as hanging clothes on a line to dry. It's almost old-fashioned, but in a really good way. Like going to the farmers market to get your veggies...well the veggies you don't grow yourself in the back yard. And going to potluck with the neighbors every Thursday night. Neighbors who cut their kid's hair themselves. Neighbors who hold your baby so you can eat. It's just that kind of life here.

Yesterday morning when I'd noticed our bread (brand name, Montana Wheat...no Mrs. Bairds up here yall! they buy local...LOVE it) had gone moldy I just walked three blocks to the bakery and bought a small honey wheat loaf fresh out of the oven. Maybe you should re-read that sentence. In case you decide not to, I'll repeat it for you. I WALKED TO THE BAKERY AND BOUGHT A LOAF OF BREAD FRESH FROM THE OVEN. Oh, and I ate it (still warm) with some home-made strawberry rhubarb jam I got at market. It was as good as it sounds...maybe better.

And the park we walk to? It's a huge grassy expanse sitting under a mountain....and it has a splash pad....and an awesome play structure. It's full of Moms and kids and day camps and nannys. If you're there at lunch time you'll see the occasional Dad meet his family there for a picnic on his lunch break. Today a 10 yr old boy set up a lemonade stand that offers free refills...he never leaves without making $50 a day he tells me. I may have crossed paths with a future business mogul. Even though I'd packed snacks and drinks I still bought CC and I a cup of pink lemonade (as did most of the Moms)...you gotta support that kind of entrepreneurship. There are usual a handful of college girls laying out (I try not to focus on them, they haven't had babies....they're 20...you get where I'm going here). It's probably the greatest park in the history of parks.

So I just filled yall in on my day...feel free to be jealous. Missoula is amazing. Oh, and on Sunday....we went hiking :)

One day I'll take my computer to a wifi cafe downtown and post some pictures to go along with these stories...and I can assure you that they'll just show you that these things I'm describing are even better than you can imagine!

happy sigh,
E