WHEN THEY ROLL UP THE SIDEWALKS

The nice part of living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, some one else does.

Just over three years ago, Jim and I moved to Uxbridge. In other words, we "downsized" from an area of over five million to a town in the country of just over nineteen thousand. I understand some of our friends love and preference for life in the city. I truly get it. I'm just not so sure that they, in return, understand our move to a smaller town. Time and again, in genuinely puzzled tones, I am asked the question, Well, what do you DO? It's time, I guess, to settle those inquiring minds and explain exactly what Jim and I do DO.

Aw' shucks, where do I begin........

Up at the crack of 9:00am, with coffee cups in hand ( you do that in the city too, right?), we watch our bird feeders; we just sit back in our comfy ole rockers and enjoy the antics of squirrels and chipmunks alike as they attempt to steal bird seed. Those dern little critters sure are amusing. We could, and often do, watch them for hours.

Jim then checks garbage pails and recycling bins to ensure that Racco the Raccoon has not broken in. I, in the meantime, head to my computer. Uploads are rather slow, but what can you expect with a dial-up system? Ah well, who's in a hurry anyways? 

Dust on the main gravel road through town, is kicked up by horse hooves as the local kids ride to school. So choking is the dust that Jim and I generally wait until it settles before heading into Uxbridge around noon. Lunch at our local Hungry Heiffer is always a treat. Oh, and big news, they now have indoor plumbing. After chugging back a few beers, that's sure a relief!

Afternoons can be quite hectic. Jim often heads down to the general store to chew the fat with the boys. When they are not busy with existing clientele, I like to get my nails done at Polly's Beauty Emporium and Funeral Parlour. Let me tell you, that Polly has some artistic talent! For real excitement we head to our Roxy Theatre, built in an old quonset hut. Movies are projected onto the curved side walls and lines of wooden chairs offer loads of seating. The seating could be a tad more comfortable, but Jim is totally oblivious to the discomfort, when his favourite cowboy serials are being offered - Lash LaRue, The Lone Ranger, Pancho and the Cisco Kid. How much more afternoon fun could you possibly ask for?

Oh, questions about, Where do you shop? also abound. Hey, I 'kin git' into Newmarket and that Upper Canada Mall in twenty-five minutes. No sweat! Fact is though, my jeans, plaid blouses and running shoes have proven just fine for even the most formal of local occasions. Who needs that mall, anyways?

Dinner is served in front of the TV as we watch the news, on one of our three available channels, to find out what you city folk are up to!  Friday nights are a blast as we town folk drive up and down the Main Street honking our horns and waving at each other. So much community fun! For the remainder of the week, Jim and I head to bed early on accounta' cause those crack of 9:00am mornings come quickly!

Well, I must be off. Our pre-dinner entertainment in town is about commence - the rolling up of our sidewalks. Oh, stop my racing heart.