Thursday, August 21, 2008

Things I Will Miss About Ephrata

1. Friends

Yes, I know, I've complained all year about my lack of friends here. But I did meet some great people through Justin's work, the school, and library and feel like if we'd stayed longer more of them would have become friends. Or maybe I just have this fantasy of having "book friends", or more likely "British book friends". Not like a Book Club, but having friendships like the ones I read about. Women getting together for coffee, lunch, plotting revenge, covering up crimes, shopping, etc. Oh wait! I did go to a movie with a friend this past year. Haven't done that since I went to Dead Poet's Society at The Garland Theater in about 1990 with Beth Tensfeld. I kind of felt like a real grown-up with a life. No children were involved in the screening of that movie night.



2. Grant Elementary School

How lucky were we to enroll the girls in this school last year? I mean really, a school as great as Bay View? (because yes, we are looking forward to returning to BV) The staff and teachers were phenomenal. Friendly, helpful, grateful, all sorts of great -ly and -ful words! Both girls did great. It'll be interesting to see how Audrey does with handwriting since they learned D'Nealian this year. Emma's doing cursive now so it shouldn't be a big change for her. But will they ask Audrey to now remove her "monkey tails"?



3. The library

Not only because I didn't have to pay to use it. (yes, I realize I still pay for it with my taxes, blah blah blah, but I'd rather do it that way) I had so much fun volunteering there and chatting with the staff. Yes, I know, chatting rather too much! The access to books was outstanding! I think 28 libraries are in the North Central Regional Library as well as the mail order book department. I've gotten pretty much every book I've wanted. There are a few series I've gotten hooked on (you can probably tell from my book list), and absolutely none of the authors I've been reading like that are available at the Burlington Library. None! No Kelley Armstrong, no Lori Avocato, no Kerrelyn Sparks, no Marilyn Pappano...



4. That certain smell

I have no idea what it is or quite how to describe it. It arrives in the late afternoon/early evening on the hot early summer nights. You know how you can smell rain? Well this is almost like you can smell plants growing. Not the flowers, but the actual stalks. It feels like I'm smelling a field of wheat mixed with wildflowers close in together. Did I smell this growing up in Spangle too? Is that why I notice and like it? The nostalgia?



5. The cute downtown

Downtown is home to lots of gift type shops. Jewelry, home decorations, Webkinz, lotions and soaps, books, and whimsy. Just cute enough to take friends and family to when they visit. And it's easy to park! Sure Burlington has a downtown, and maybe it's even cute, but all that angled parking freaks me out. It's bad enough that I'm often about to hit somebody coming out of a parking space, I really don't like being the one backing out!



6. The lack of rain

Can you imagine a summer where you could plan an outdoor activity pretty much any day and not worry about it raining on you? And in the fall and winter the sky can actually be clear and blue. I've thoroughly enjoyed the fact that I don't need to wipe Lucy's paws each time she comes in the house. However, this lack of rain does mean an overabundance of dust.



Well, that's about it. What a strange year! It started out with me sure we'd hate it, suddenly realizing that I really really liked it, then going back to the "what on earth are we doing here" feeling, and finally thinking that it could be a good place to be for a few years. Of course that last one happened to coincide with Justin switching jobs.



That was certainly a good procrastination moment! I suppose now I should start filling some boxes. I hate moving. I hope the next time I move it's in a body bag.



The best things said come last. People will talk for hours saying nothing much and then linger at the door with words that come with a rush from the heart. ~Alan Alda

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dead Poets..... Do You know how many times Ive seen that movie?

I hope you are doing well!

Talk Soon,

Beth Anne

Tensfeld@aol.com