Small Town Life

Way back in the beginning when I originally wanted to start a blog, the intent was to follow the story of our lives adjusting to small town life after being lifelong city people. I seem to do alot more writing about our fun stuff but tonight I had a really great small town America experience, which is exactly what we were hoping for when we decided to flee the city.

The coolest thing about the small towns is the amazing architecture. Old storefronts, courthouses well over 100 years old, it's amazing to me to think about how they actually built these glorious buildings. I need to brush up on my History of Stuart, because I don't know what the building above originally was, but it was built in 1894. It's in beautiful condition but sadly the street level storefronts are vacant, sad reminderss of a once vibrant past when White Pole Road was the major thoroughfare before they built the interstate and bypassed all the small towns.

Tonight was Beggars Night in Stuart and I was invited to join one of the business owners to pass out candy to all the goblins. It was really a fun time. I've never experienced this small town ritual- all the businesses on main street set up a table, or a tent, or just pull up a chair, grab a big bowl of candy, and wait for the herd of hungry ghouls and princesses and superheros.

More than 700 pieces of candy were in that bowl !!! A neighboring business was kind enough to refill my friend's bowl twice becase she ran out !!! Another example of the small town mentality- the neighborly atmosphere is so heartwarming. So many people stopped to talk to me and say hi, and they'd never met me before in their lives, yet acted like I've been a lifelong neighbor.

Lucky for us, the other neighboring business is a restaurant and lounge, and besides handing out candy to the kiddies, they handed out jello shots to the weary moms and dads, and even tho we weren't walking the main street with kids in tow, they felt sorry for us girls sitting there swarmed by wave after wave of trick or treaters, and sent us over a couple.....

As the sun settled in the sky, the air turned chilly and all I could think was that I really had a nice evening, really felt "at home" for probably the first time since moving out here.

Life is settling into exactly what we wanted when we made this decision. Still not 100% there, but every day we're closer and closer, and happier still......and this year as Thanksgiving approaches, I will have many many things to be thankful for.