Living in the country

From day to day, I live my life, and sometimes I start thinking that I live an ordinary life. 

And then some little thing happens to remind me that I truly live "far from the madding crowd." For example, we had some business matter in Ohio, and the result was that we would send our representatives a check. I asked when they needed it, and they said something about "dropping it in the mail today" and they'd get it in a few days. I found myself explaining, with a straight face, how that wouldn't be possible because

Our business bank is online-only, having no branch in Hawai'i. We never found a bank with a branch in Hawai'i that could conduct business and wire money, etc. Therefore, to transfer money would take 3 days.

But even if I could write the check today, I don't get mail service at my house (or piped-in water, either, for that matter). So I have to get in my car and drive to the post office and drop it in their box.

I could do that today, but I might as well do it tomorrow because there's only one pickup per day.

That's when it dawns on me that I live out in the country. Way out in the country. I live in a town with no stoplights. In the evenings, we can hear a car driving by our house from three blocks away. Then hear it fade away again. The nearest Starbucks is an hour and a half drive away. However, there's a great kava cafe that also serves expresso and Italian creme soda only 8 miles away (20 minutes). I may not be up to date on the latest fashions, or know the newest trends in music, but I love living in peace and quiet and closer to the earth. It's worth the small inconveniences.