Almost snow......

This has been a particularly rough winter here, driving is a free for all for an area that doesn't get snow regularly. The weather is also starting to affect people too, my son's school took them on a walking trip to the old Armory and I think it's a preemptive move by the teacher's to gain some sanity outside the classroom. I am starting to feel like Jack Nicholson from "The Shining" and developing a case of the winter blues, any time I expect to see a couple of creepy little girls beckoning to me........to stave off this madness I Google tropical beaches and beautiful green scenery from Ireland and think about planting beautiful flowers in what is now a swampy front yard. The part that really gets me lately is the feeling of isolation this weather procures, we have a small 1934 cottage and I call it the Hobbit house because it is low ceiling and dark, normally it's very cozy but this bone chilling weather makes it a bit more like a cave. Well off to make some deliciously warm soup and start working.

Past History

Life in a small town has been a tremendous change from where I have grown up and lived, not necessarily bad just very different. It took me about a year to realize that there are no neighborhoods per Se here. The shopping mall wasn't built until 2002. It's not a huge one but it's a mall and serves the needs of our local populace. When people want excitement they go to Phoenix an hour and a half away. Life here is relatively quiet. One thing I have not been able to get past though is constantly bumping into people I have known briefly or not so briefly whether it was a positive or a negative acquaintance. Sometimes you just don't want to make awkward small talk. The other day coming out of a local thrift store I saw someone and immediately hope she wouldn't recognize me so I could avoid chit chatting, there was nowhere to hide so I braced myself for it and at the last moment employed my old high school evasive maneuver and hung my head down as I walked......success she didn't even slow down!! I consider myself to be a friendly person but there are days when all you want to do is be left alone and when you live in a small town that is sometimes hard to do.

I think I saw the crypt keeper today!!

So my husband and I like to do our bi-weekly grocery shopping at our local supermarket during the later hours and by later here at "God's Way station", Arizona I mean 6:30 p.m. or so. Our town is comprised mainly of retirees and college students so we are considered exotic creatures are our local market because we shop for our family of four which usually means we have a full shopping cart, inevitably there is usually only one register available and that is the 15 items only express checkout. Tonight we managed to upset an elderly couple who kept muttering with disgust under their breath until they went to the customer service desk to check out perhaps truly convinced that either my husband and I can't count or we are inconsiderate boors. This is the second time this happens and frankly I am tempted to make it a full time hobby. After all there is not much in the way of entertainment here so why not irritate a smug, superior, crypt keeper clone once in a while?