Friday, August 31, 2007

Sounds of Silence

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Tonight, as I sit here in front of the computer screen, trying to maintain my cool with sugar free cherry flavored Popsicles and oscillating fans, I actually have a *quiet* house. My daughter is out with her boyfriend, my grandson is just about asleep, and my husband and son just left for a weekend fishing trip. It feels weird to have such silence. My house continuously seems busy and noisy from sounds emitted by music off the radio, my daughter talking on the phone, voices and sounds from TV shows, my son playing guitar, the dog barking, my grandson asking many questions, and so on. Tonight, since it's *quiet*, I am made aware of different noises. Periodically, I will hear our cats, as they scamper from room to room in the distance -- jingling the bells on their collars, then the sound of the dog's toenails clicking as she walks across the hardwood floors, and slowly searching through the house for the cats. It's summer, so the crickets are outside chirping . I can also hear the sounds of cars driving on the interstate in the distance. Oh, and I must not neglect to mention the whir of the oscillating fans, which I would be miserable without.

It's amazing how noisy silence is.

Peace

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm also enjoying the quiet. I have some music playing in the background but softly. I can hear the crikets and my doggie snoring. I'll be sad when I have to close my windows and I can't hear the outside world anymore as the cold starts to creep back into my world.

Anne said...

Simon and Garfunkle.

I had the same feeling sitting outside in the middle of the night. It was still, but far from quiet. In about a month, I'm going to envy all the activity at your house!

Flo said...

Hope you enjoyed the peace and quiet. It's rare when those moments happen and we get to enjoy them.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Anonymous said...

I do not like when the house it totally quiet. I turn on the radio or something just for the noise.

home fitness

Pat said...

Or the opposite can happen. You can be out on a run in busy traffic and other city noises and nothing distracts you from your running.

Miss Rachel said...

This "sounds" lovely. ;-) I know just what you mean about the "loudness" of silence.

Oh - Simon & Garfunkel of course.

Dori said...

Sounds like a lovely evening. I was at my new house out in the country and I enjoyed hearing the crickets, too. Except one got into the house somehow and he was REALLY LOUD! I hope he's gone by the time we go back.

I ran the Disneyland Half today and will put up a race report soon. You asked me to tell you how I liked it, and I recommend it even though it costs so much. Very well organized.

Irene said...

Evelyne,
I'd rather have warm weather than cold, too. ;)

Anne,
Winner! The activity kind of comes and goes, especially with college aged "kids."

Flo,
Likewise! Yes, sometimes it is nice to have the house to myself, and relatively "quiet."

Pat,
That is so true, ane I know exactly what you mean! I'd like to have a run like that again.

Anonymous,
Me too. It's usually music.

Rachel,
I guess those sounds are always there, it's just that they're not noticed when all of the regular noises are there.

Dori,

My mom had issues with those crickets! She said she would pay a quarter to anyone who could find the offending cricket. Us kids said it wasn't enough... LOL... I look forward to the details of the Disneyland half marathon!!! I think that is one I'd like to do someday! Congratulations!

NotSoccer Mom said...

oh, silence! that is the one thing i love about my son being off at a sleepover or playdate!

Irene said...

NSM,
Absolutely! :)