Have you ever gone somewhere in your life and when you got there you just knew it was right?  That is exactly how I felt when I rolled into Buffalo, Wyoming a few days ago.  I mostly came here because I am a huge Longmire fan and I just had to have lunch at the Busy Bee Cafe (one of Walt Longmire’s favorite places to eat in the books and the show).

This is the official Busy Bee Cafe Logo. I do not own its rights but use it respectfully in my blog.

I did not have lunch, but I had breakfast and the server, Kia, was perfect!  The food was great, the atmosphere welcoming and the weather was beautiful.  Before the Busy Bee opened, I met a gentleman who transplanted to Buffalo and he told me history of the town and why he loved it here.  He stopped to talk with me on his way to Bible Study at 6:30 am.  I was impressed.

The people at the KOA Buffalo (as I mentioned in a previous post) were absolutely wonderful to me and I felt as safe here as I did anywhere.  The campground was fun, clean and accessible.  Road Lesson:  A clean, hot shower is worth more than gold!!

I kinda got an inclination that maybe I had found a “home”, a place where I could fit it.  Small town living with lots of caring individuals and the opportunity to become an active member of the community through volunteering.

I spent the day in Buffalo today trying to find a place to live and a job.  If it was meant to be, it would happen.  In the process, I met a lovely artist woman at the Chamber of Commerce outpost, a group of women involved in local businesses and the sweetest real estate agent who so very hard to help.  The day was full of meeting and greeting.  Unfortunately, it seems that it was not meant to be as nothing quite worked out.

What was I thinking….trying to do this on the spur of the moment without any hint or preview.  I just fell in love with the history, the town and the people.  I do not want to leave, but I cannot afford to stay.  Maybe I can come back.

As I read my posts I realize that I sound very negative.  I honestly am not that negative of a person.  So during my downtime today I got real introspective.  I realized that I, much to my dismay, I am a romantic by heart.  I romanticized this trip like the trips of Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and Robert M. Pirisig.  As Hunter would say, this trip was to be my “high water mark.”  I was expecting everything to change because of it.  Then my true self, the realist, stepped in and kicked me square in the pants and demands to know what I was thinking.

Because of those unrealistic expectations I am experiencing disappointment. When I was younger I was full of wonder and awe.  Although a bit jaded, I still had that feeling that life was going to end up like some sort of sappy Disney movie.  Then, I guess, you have to grow up and become responsible and pay your bills and be contributing members of society.  That is all fine and good, but the heavy weight of responsibilities moves wonder somewhere else, somewhere not easily accessed.

So I realized today that I am not negative so much as I am too much of a realist.  I no longer want to be a realist.  I want to have the wonder back, I want the awe back but I think I have to do it in a way that is not quite so Pie-in-The-Sky.  Just like the perfect chocolate chip cookie dough, you need the right amounts of each ingredient to make the perfect cookie; too much of one thing or too little of another will ruin the entire batch.

I am hoping I can change my perspective to reflect the perfect mix of romantic and realist.  You actually need both to keep from messing the situation up too badly.  Sorry it took my almost a week to figure this out, but maybe this knowledge will bring about the change I am looking for.

Thank you for listening….Buffalo, I still love you..I hope to return!!