Life has settled in and has been much quieter...and nothing too crazy to report...but then again, am I just adjusting to a small town so the "crazy" seems normal?
Last week someone met Josh and said "Aren't you Mishelle's fiance?" - I loved it. I said "How does that feel?" Usually it is the other way around, if you remember me reporting! I'm becoming a big deal around here, even without the last name Oaks. Of course when I went to the local car dealership, he said "Aren't you Josh Oaks's wife?" Um...not yet...and by the way, my name is Mishelle...
I am here to report some noticeable things that I think would likely only happen in a small town...
1. Josh serves on the committee for the Prime Beef Festival. I took him to a meeting in January. The meeting was at the local bank, where we keep our money, and I said "why are we going to the bank?" He looked at me confused, and commented "that's where the meeting room is." Of course. The basement of the bank. Makes perfect sense to me! I found it odd that they would keep the bank open late, after hours, to host meetings. Oh...they don't. They just give the President of the Prime Beef Festival a key. Of course they do. (Imagine my shock, especially since I mentioned that we keep our money there!) In 2014, Josh will be President, so I guess we will possess the key. It's like the key to the city. Only in a small town...
2. This one did not happen to me, but to a friend, who also moved here from a city...and it is worthy of reporting. She attended the Chamber of Commerce dinner with her boyfriend at the Legion. I asked Josh about this dinner and this is where they award Citizen of the Year. What an honor and nice delight in a small town. Josh's Great Uncle won, and we missed it. We also missed the exit gift. As my friend and her boyfriend were departing the dinner, they were each (as were all the other guests) handed a pound of bacon. Yep. You read right. Bacon from the local Farmland distributor of bacon in town. A pound of bacon. Where do we live? Only in a small town...
3. We were out to eat at the local restaurant in Monmouth that we frequent often. We were with Josh's family, including his nephew (age 3), who ordered chocolate milk. The waitress soon reported that there was no chocolate syrup left. We offered water, lemonade, regular milk -- but this adorable 3 year old, put his head down with a sigh and the pouting ensued. This was not a good situation. Nothing could shake him out of it and we were headed for melt down time. They sent someone from the restaurant down the street to the grocery store to buy the syrup so they could make the chocolate milk. Really? They gave him a big glass. He didn't drink it all. Before we left, I commented to the Oaks that someone at this table better drink that chocolate milk or we would be the talk of the town! Only in a small town...
4. There's a wine shop in Monmouth. Really nice. Not opened too long after I moved here. Gets good business. Two weeks ago, I was going with some ladies from work for wine -- trying to make friends and all. Only to find out that my future mother-in-law and future aunt-in-law were also headed out for wine, at the same wine shop (limited choices as you can see). I told the girls from work to behave. My future mother-in-law told my aunt-in-law that they needed to behave. We cohabited in the shop nicely with no incident. Everyone behaved. My lives converge. Only in a small town...
5. You can leave the dealership with a vehicle to test drive and just bring it back the next day...or whenever. You can also have work done at the dealership in town and just leave...they send you a bill...and you pay it later, whenever. Only in a small town...
6. You have work done at your house and they do it "whenever" they become free (which means you could be waiting) vs. making an appointment and committing. And, they may come back at their leisure to finish the work if there is some follow up needed. No one seems concerned about this (except me) because people trust people's word, and the payment comes later. Only in a small town...
On the flipside...
...only in a small town are you able to find deals at County Market like none other I have seen at a grocery store;
...only in a small town are you able to get the best cheeseburger made by locals at the American Legion on Saturdays;
...only in a small town are you able to frequent restaurants and have them recognize you because you eat out a lot and there are only about three restaurants to choose from;
...and only in a small town do you have the option of counting on your neighbors in a crisis, finding peace in the solitude of the country (despite how much the wind blows), and knowing that when you are asked to leave your car unlocked for less than 2 hours so your future aunt-in-law can drop off Valentine's cookies to your car when you are at work, you sigh a deep sigh but agree and know it will be okay...because, after all,...
...it's only in a small town...it's only in Monmouth!
