Things that go bump in the night

We all experience things that to “bump in the night” but it seems there’s much more of it living in an RV than in our sticks & bricks “Big House”.

Some of this is no doubt from living closer to others than we did before.  Our previous backyard was a bit like a sanctuary and the only sounds were birds and the sound of the waterfall emptying into the pond.  Sure we had our wildlife sounds, but these sounds are so different.

The other night, actually it was 4:00 am so it was morning I guess, there was a strange cry.  I jerked awake and listened at the window to see what in distress.  Was it a human cry for help?  No, it sounded more animal…but what kind of animal?  There was a definite canine quality to it, so possibly a coyote.  But then I could hear what sounded like squealing also…a wild boar?  Perhaps a coyote was attacking a wild boar?  Or, just as likely it could be a wild boar attacking a coyote.  We did see a dead boar on the roadside today, so maybe that was it.  Interesting road kill they have down here.

Then there are the sounds of big rigs coming in or going out at all hours.  Usually late at night it’s coming in.  But I suppose there may be someone leaving in the dark of night also, who knows.

The highway is close by and it doesn’t seem to make much noise until about 4:00am.  This must be when everything comes to life…coyotes, boars, and truck drivers.  You can hear the sound of big rigs swooping down the highway. 

Left Brain has a voice prompt on his cell phone that will suddenly announce “one new email” and the female voice expresses this news WAY too chipper for me.  She sounds authentically happy for him that this came in.  I could live without this at 4:00am also.  Who is sending him emails or messages at that time of night, I mean day?

The other noise isn’t loud, but just as startling.  It’s October now and the nuts on the oak tree are falling…seems those like to come down in the early morning hours as well.  It’s just a little “ping” and “plunk”, but when you live in a canned ham, it sounds louder than it seems it should.

Now rain on the metal roof –now that I love!  But if it gets real windy I’m reminded of the houses they pointed out in the park that are hurricane proof.  Hmm. I’m hoping to avoid that situation in an RV!

So, my question is:  when it’s seemingly quiet from about 11 pm to 4 am is it really an absence of noise or am I just sleeping soundly at that time?  In some places things are open and going nonstop, not so much down here in rural Texas.  In our little sleepy town most everything closes at 10pm and isn’t open at all on Sunday.  So maybe it really is that quiet after 10 pm.

Anyway, in spite of all the odd sounds we seem to be sleeping well in our new little digs and will gradually get completely accustomed to all that night music.  But until then, it’s interesting to sit at the window and gaze out into the dark wondering what’s out there.

Good night, y’all

Long live (and sleep) the Queen of the Night