Let's get acquainted shall we?Let me tell you a bit about Mayberry. Mayberry lies on the the eastern shore of the Missouri River, just a few miles, as the crow flies, from where the Big Muddy, meets the Mighty Mississippi.
It's principal claim to fame is that it is home to America's largest strip mall, and has the hubris to believe that its levees will survive the 500 year flood, that comes every 15 years or so.
Its a pretty nice place to live, and some 32,000 people call it home. The crime rate is low, but the police force is self funding.
Mrs T and I live just about in the geographic center of town. A mile to the grocery store, post office, gym, doctors office, schools and good restaurants.
Like many outer suburbs Mayberry happened almost overnight. I recall coming here 50 years or so ago to visit two of my father's aunts. These two old gals handbuilt homes side by side in the 1930's. Their houses still stand today along side a highway exit. As a kid it was an hour drive from home. Today with road improvements that would be 20 minutes tops.
Our homestead, The Park, is a product of a time long before anyone considered actually living in Mayberry. The Park was built in the waning days of the Eisenhauer administration by a family that was self reliant and wanted to get away from the crowds of the big city. The original house is a fairly small 4 over 4 southern colonial style brick pile built in the middle of the woods. It is solid, the walls are concrete, floors are oak. It has since been added to several times to meet the needs of its owners, but it still feels like the snug old farmhouse it originally was. It was also sited very well. While in the center of the community that developed around it, The Park is a million miles from anywhere.
When the trees are in leaf, you cannot see another house, hear road noise, or the screeching horns sirens and kids you hear in the city While we do share a drive with two neigbors, our nearest physical neighbor's house is a 2 + mile drive away.
As much as I adore this place I have several complaints. We live in the woods. Gardening is tough when you get very little direct sunlight during the day. Also due to our wooded location when the leaves drop in the fall, the volume of leaves to deal with is almost biblical. I have tried offering them for barter and selling them on EBAY but to no avial.
Soon I tell you about my other complaint, white tailed deer.
Be well.
Toad
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3 comments:
Leaves and deer. And shade. Those things we definitely have in common.
Our town is somewhat like your Mayberry. Only probably more humid.
My mother strongly taught her sons to rarely argue with a woman, and never in public, with such an esteemed author. So unless, MOTR lives in coastal or deep southern Ga, we will ignore her comments, about humidity. Mayberry can be as uncomfortable as any noncoastal community can be.
However, if we do concede her point on humidy, I claim for Mayberry the right to be colder, and snowy than her beautiful home.
Best of luck with your house hunt. Mrs T and I rightsized several years ago, to the home of our dreams andhave never looked back.
Actually, the part of Nebraska where I grew up (on the Missouri River) was very humid, too. From your posts, I think I know where you live and will admit I know it's quite humid there as well. I've been there in the summer many times...glowing and glistening.
I'm above the gnat line, so I don't struggle with the sense that one lives in a bowl of water like those areas, but I do have naturally curly hair so perhaps I am more sensitive to the degrees of humidity.
Thanks for your good wishes on the house. The deal is in the works, we're haggling on price right now and hopefully we'll come to an agreement soon.
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