Getting Crowded

The county I live in is growing in population extremely fast.  Much to fast for me and it seems some of my family is having some of the same thoughts.  It is shocking to see the growth in our area and the traffic, oh. my. word. the traffic.  I was in the highway business and am pretty tuned in to traffic issues.  What I am seeing just blows my mind by the growth in traffic, not just where I live, but every where I travel in a 3 county area.  I see different numbers for population in our county and the numbers shock me.  They have more than doubled in the last 15 years or so.  It must be all those yankees that always bad mouth Texas and Texans that seem to be moving here.  They sure do tell us how dumb we are and how great it was back in so and so and they had no choice they HAD to move here. Yes, they have no problem saying something like that to your face with much disdain in their voice. 

There are predictions that in 10-15 years it will double again.  I just don't see where they will put them all.  We don't live as densely as areas on the east coast and up north, but this is Texas for crying out loud.  To the transplants, it won't seem like such a big deal to live so close to your neighbors that you can hear them fart in their own house and deal with stop and go traffic every where you go.  But to this native, who has never lived more than 25 miles from where he was born, it's down right distressing.

The son brought this subject up a couple weeks ago and it bothers him too.  This is the son that was ready to move to Dallas because it was bigger and more exciting.  The son who wanted to attend college at the largest university in the State and probably the nation.  Now he sings a different tune.  I guess having your own family will do that.  Our solution was that we would all move to a small town somewhere else (in Texas).  Since he works from home location isn't an issue.  However it is an issue for son number 2. 

Lots of suggestions and discussion about moving.  Fun to think about and talk about but, I am not sure I could just pull up stakes and leave my elderly parents with just my brother to look out for them.  So it would have to wait.  But, then I am not a spring chicken either.  I hate the idea of a move and all that entails.   ( I am talking myself out of it obviously) Waiting until that time, when my parents are gone, may be to long for me also.  All my grandparents except one lived into their mid to late 90's and one was almost 101.  I expect my parents to be of similar age from what I see.  That's still off aways.  That puts me near to my parents current age.  I can't imagine moving then.  But I really like Abilene or San Angelo, or maybe Brownwood, then there's.....

Happy Trails.