When Texas Comes to Colorado

We moved into our little house about 3 1/2 years ago. It's a new development and we had no one living around us for the first few weeks. It felt like we were living on a movie set. It looked like a neighborhood, but no one lived in the houses.

One by one we would see people pull into driveways, or a moving truck pull up, and we would go introduce ourselves. The Husband and I both agreed before we moved in, that we would do our best to get to know all our neighbors, and buck the trend of people living in isolation in the suburbs.

Well, we succeeded in making friends with folks on both sides, across the street, and around the bend too. No one had backyard landscaping to start, so everyone sat out on their front stoop or driveway, and got to know one another.

One day, a lady kept making laps around our circle on a cool orange and white scooter. Like this one.

The Husband and I had been talking about scooters, they were just becoming a "thing" around Denver. After the fourth or fifth lap, I shouted out to her..........."what are you doing? .....Showing off?". She pulled over, we introduced ourselves, and a new friendship was born. She lived around the corner and as it turned out, her husband was a former Marine like mine, and they even share a first name. Over time we got to know ScooterGirl, met folks from their street, and had a big 4th of July street party with the whole neighborhood.

It was everything I had hoped for. New house, new friends, a REAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

Except one thing.

Nothing ever stays the same. Just as they one by one moved in..........one by one our literal "circle" of friends began to move away. Not everyone, mind you. But enough to change the "vibe" so to speak...........and it made me sad.

As fate would have it, of all the couples in the neighborhood, we really got along great with ScooterGirl and her "The Husband". We even took a vacation together. We were closer in age, and had similar interests.

But alas, she was from Texas, and a lifetime as a Colorado native has taught me......... that wonderful people move from Texas to Colorado. But somehow...........in the end........they always go back to Texas.

And I miss them all.

So ScooterGirl left Colorado last year too, took her "The Husband" with her, and we're still not over it. She might think we are, but that's just us putting up a good front.

We've kept in touch with calls and emails, but we miss having them around the corner. And no one rides a scooter around the circle these days.

Twice now, her "The Husband" has come and stayed with us, to see his beautiful blond sons, who still live here. He came this past week, and it's great to see him, and have "THE HUSBANDS" talk and hang out. I love the house, full of people, noisy and messy. Good friends, good conversation.

But I'm really looking forward to December, when ScooterGirl will come with her "The Husband" and we will ring in the New Year, with all the neighborhood together, just like old times.

Hurray!!!! More Texans coming to Colorado. And hopefully next year, Colorado will visit Texas.