What? I can't hear you over the train...

When Dear Hubby and I first started looking at houses we found one we really liked that was on this beautiful golf course. We loved the neighborhood, the yard was pretty, it seemed to have everything we wanted...the only problem was the train tracks running along the back side of the lot.

When we looked at the house, Hubby asked the realtor, "what about the train noise?"

The realtor chuckled and said "You'll be living in a Chicago suburb, you will have train noise no matter where you live."

When I was in high school, my mom sold our house and we moved into an apartment that backed up to train tracks. The tracks were really close...like "don't stick your head out the window when the train goes by or you may be decapitated" close. I can remember the whole apartment shaking when the train went by. But I don't remember ever having any trouble sleeping because of it.

Hubby and I didn't end up buying that house because we did feel that train was just a little too close. You can see the train when you step outside the house we did purchase. Here's a picture of what I can see when I'm on my back deck. This is the Metra. I know, it's kinda hard to see...I need a better camera....hopefully for my anniversary? Oh, and just to let you know...you can click on the pics so you can get a bigger view...that may help.

I took a closer one of this train a few minutes later. I asked Hubby how far that is cuz I'm not good with those distance thingies. He says maybe 1/2 mile.

All I know is that I hear that train EVERY time it goes by. And it goes by a lot. Not only the Metra but all kinds of trains hauling things. It's rattles, and blares its "train horn" (whistle is just too soft and sweet of a sounding word...whoever came up with that word to describe it...I'd like to just take away his, his, his, word using license! so there!) Even Tony exclaimed yesterday morning "Jeez! how many times does that thing go by?". I tried to count, but my ADD got in the way...I only got to 9 trains yesterday morning....then something distracted me....I think it was a box...

So I haven't been sleeping real well here in our new house.

Maybe it's because I'm getting older...I'm not a teen that can sleep through anything anymore...

maybe it's my new mattress...or just sleeping next to Dear Hubby every night...it has been 6 months...

Even my one deaf ear isn't helping....yes, I'm almost deaf in my left ear. It's something I could get fixed with surgery...but it comes in handy at times...I can lay on my right side and not hear Hubby snore (that's a BIG benefit)...I can use the "I'm sorry I didn't hear you" excuse when I forget to do something (just don't tell my family that)...I only need one ear bud when I listen to my i pod (so I don't have to listen to my kids horrible music)....Nahh! I'm not ready to fix it yet.

There are benefits of living so close to the train. When Hubby starts commuting into the city, it's only a minute down the road (and they have this cute little area labeled "kiss and drop" so a spouse (or significant other) can just pull up to the station and kiss and drop off their loved one).

And I am looking forward to hoping on that train into the city with some girlfriends some time soon....wanna come for a train ride anyone (bring your ear plugs!)?