We've been in our new home for about 2 weeks already. It's amazing how fast the days go by here. We've taken the drive into town (Show Low) and to St. John's.
There isn't much in St. John's we need, the Ace hardware store, a movie theater that plays just one movie at a time, a pharmacy, a few gas stations, some dollar-store type places (not $1, but cheap stores), and the ALCO store. Actually, we kind of really like the ALCO store. It's a mini dept. store and their prices are as low as those in the Phoenix area. That's unusual up here. Usually everything here is more expensive because of lack of competition, or added fuel costs to get the stuff up here.
Show Low is the "big city" that services all the towns around here - about 10 of them. It's where you find the grocery stores, franchise fast food, national chains like Kmart, Home Depot, Big Lots, WalMart and Fashion Bug. If you're going "into town" you ask everyone around if they need anything because no one wants to make unnecessary trips 35 miles away.
As for life here on the hill, it's so peaceful. It's quiet. There's no traffic. Only an occasional barking dog in the distance, almost always wind but sometimes it's a nice gentle breeze. I love that I can get through my day without feeling rushed, without having a million places to go. Even though I saved a fortune by shopping the sale flyers and hitting 3 to 5 grocery stores a week in the Valley, I enjoy that I shop at just one place at a time here. I just have to shop smart.
Having Tim here 24/7 is a real change too. I enjoy knowing he's close by, but the house is so big, there's still many hours that go by where we don't run into each other. My favorite part of this move is that now, for the first time ever, we eat 2 to 3 meals a day together as a family. It's nice to be together throughout the day, although Adam the Hermit objects to leaving his room - he does it anyway.
Every morning I wake up thankful I live here now.
