Current Life In Easton

The city in which we are currently residing has blocked off the major thoroughfare through the town center with large concrete barriers. They did this so people can dine outside while at the local restaurants.

The ambiance is..."spectacular" (quotes added intentionally to denote a teensy bit of sarcasm). Nothing says appetizing like dining on hot dirty blacktop in what resembles a construction zone while inhaling the emissions of the vehicles passing very closely by. Yummy.

The restaurants are understandably gleeful and their voluminous patrons are seemingly so glad to have restrictions lifted that asphalt dining works very well for them.  That's terrific for them.  I, however, have been steering very clear of all of this because I've seen lots of photos and videos that clearly show a severe lack of social distancing despite the governmental mandates and I'm not comfortable getting up close and personal with strangers at this time. We refer to the downtown dining area as Coronaville 😄and that is no place I want to be.  It's okay if you scorn me because of that and tell me to "just stay home then!".  We prefer to err on the side of caution and are happily staying home, thanks. There are less germs and car emissions here.

The kicker is that because the city blocked off the major crosstown thoroughfare, the traffic is being directed onto our street, which is very very unfortunate. When we rented this place as our interim home between selling and buying homes, we did so because it was a quiet street in an historic neighborhood.

Now it very closely resembles the Jersey Shore on any night between Memorial and Labor Days.

I can use that comparison because I lived at the Jersey Shore for 30+ years and I know all about the shenanigans that comes with living in a tourist hot spot. For part of that time I was actually an avid participant in the shenanigans so I'm kind of an expert.

The shenanigans to which I refer includes traffic backups, horns honking, people shouting at each other, drunken debauchery, etc. All of this is now happening right outside my windows. I can no longer take naps or open those windows for fresh air.

The worst offenders of the noise pollution I am paying big monthly rent to be subjected to are the vehicles who badly need new mufflers and/or those whiney little cars that the owners think are so cool but are anything but (I'm of the age to know what real cool is/was);

motorcycle riders who rev their engines for absolutely no apparent reason (I ride my own so don't even go there - I know of what I speak).

But the absolute worst offenders are the loud music players.
Don't get me wrong, I still crank it up in the car - an old fuddy duddy I am not! - but what I am witnessing just outside my windows are decibel levels that are making those windows rattle and the floor under my feet shake. I kid you not. This is especially "fun" just as you're dozing off.
And if that isn't bad in and of itself, I have to tell you something else...

people are listening to some realllly bad music.

I mean, I might not mind so much if every few minutes someone pulled up outside and played something good that only mildly made my ears bleed, but alas that is not the case. Many of the cars are blasting rap/hip hop music.  Enough said there because even though I am actually fond of some rap/hip hop, having it reverberate your brain is not ever good. But they are not the only offenders.  In fact I've been quite surprised by some of the stuff people are driving around listening to.  Yesterday, for example, someone was blasting Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog. And just a few minutes ago I heard I Am Woman by Helen Reddy loud and clear as if it were 1972 and I was at her concert. I promise I am not making that up.

Easton*. The gift that keeps on giving.

 

*It's okay if I don't care for Easton just like it's okay if you do care for Easton. Some people like spinach and others abhor it. You can't chastise someone for their opinion or taste(s) just because it differs from your own.