Monday, October 17, 2022

Small Town Living


Look at those little grippy feet!

So I think I'm getting into the swing of this hunting-widow life. I had such a nice day today. I was going to go for a walk but Jessie texted to ask if I wanted to maybe go to Monticello with her and the boys- they had no school today. I texted her back that I most certainly would love that! And so I got dressed and waited for them to show up. When they did, Levon wanted me to read him a book (Three Billy Goats Gruff) and August wanted to play with the Lincoln Logs before we left so that all happened. 


I love how he put the little farm woman at the front of the house with the horses to the side. He's a better house-builder than I am by far. 

We drove to Monticello which is about fifteen minutes away from here and the boys entertained us as they do. They are so funny. Levon may be our actor. That child can do voices already that are stage-worthy. Accents, dialects and all. Now how can a five-year old child do that? He doesn't even watch much television. I mean, they don't HAVE a television. They do get to watch movies but still. 
We decided to get lunch first. I was hungry. I've been eating oat bran cereal with raisins and apples for my breakfasts and because eating anything like that for breakfast is so unpleasant for me, I don't eat a whole lot of it. I make two servings according to the instructions on the box and that'll last me about four or five days. I just keep it in the refrigerator and heat it up in the mornings. So we went to the Rev and by golly, who was there but Liz Sparks! She was on her way home from a weekend music festival where she'd camped with friends and had stopped for lunch. I haven't seen Liz in months and months and even had a very vivid dream about her a few days ago. She was gone for most of the summer, part of it in England where her mother and father have a cottage. Her mom is English and she loves her little cottage and its garden and she wasn't able to go this summer because of health problems but sent Liz in her stead to tidy up and get things in order inside and out. She was there when the Queen died and had many amazing stories about that week. It was so very good to see her and catch up and we ate our lunches together and watched the traffic go by in Monticello. There is actually a surprising amount of traffic that goes around the courthouse across the road from the restaurant from logging trucks to RV's to flatbeds hauling heavy equipment to screaming police cars. Very exciting! 

Almost all of the stores in Monticello are closed on Monday including our favorite thrift store- Wag the Dog. However, one little shop was open and we walked there after lunch. Monticello is all-out decorated for Halloween. They have lots of activities for kids and families for most holidays. Here's a picture I just had to take. 


In case you're wondering, I'm pretty sure there is no irony whatsoever in that yard display. 
Oh, the south! We do love our Jesus but we kinda like Halloween too. 

A place we passed on our way to the open shop had this crazy guy out front. 


Can you see Levon hiding in the back? When we were finished taking the picture he asked, "Is it over?" before coming back out. 


I sent Hank these pictures, of course. 
"Hey!" he texted back. "That's me!" 

We were talking about Halloween costumes and August suggested that I should go as "Pretty". 
"You mean like I should dress up and try to be pretty?"
"Yes," he said. "You could wear tall heels." 
"Sounds like a lot of work," I said. 

We went in the little shop which is basically a gift shop and of course all the boys had wanted was a toy and lo and behold! They had toys! So of course Mer had to get them each something. August picked up some silicone sloths that you can throw at the wall which stick, and then flip and flop their way down. They are hysterical. Levon first picked out a fuzzy pink purse but then he changed his mind to a little trick motorcycle set. All was well and there were even miniature-sized Tootsy-Pops for children, free of charge. They both immediately unwrapped them and August told me, "This is what you do when you're a kid. When someone gives you a lollipop, you unwrap it and stick it right in your mouth." 
"So true," I answered. 

We drove back to my house where the boys had to try out their toys and I gave Jessie a container of my soup to send home. I've eaten it three times now and saved back one more bowl and was happy for it to go feed some other people. 

After they left I did something I never do- I laid down and took a little nap. I have no real need for naps. I sleep many hours a night, very well. But Jack was looking so comfy on the bed with Dorothy Anne and Emily and, well...it seemed like the thing to do. 
And so I did. 
And then I got up and fooled around on the piano a little more and now, here we are. 

Mr. Moon called and they are at their destination which is somewhere in North Dakota where they met the guys who flew in. Now all they have to do is cross the border and get to the duck camp. 
"I have a girlfriend on this trip," my husband told me. 
"Oh yeah?" I asked. "One of the dogs?"
He laughed. "Yes. Teal. She's such a sweetie."

Oh! Wait! I forgot to tell you! This is happening! 


The little blue shop in front of the post office has a name! My Gypsy Soul Boutique. Oh my! And they are having a grand opening on Saturday. They are going to be selling homemade soaps, soy candles, incense, clothing, jewelry, locals arts and crafts and more! 
I just love the idea of this but I really cannot imagine how it's going to be any sort of successful operation. Of course, I wish them the best. I think that the woman who is opening the store is probably about my age and I have to respect her for going for her dream. 

We shall see. And of course I will go to the opening and take pictures. I feel like I owe y'all that. I know it will smell good in there. Like...homemade soap and incense and possibly Indian Print bedspreads. Oh, I hope so. 

Anyway, long live the hippies! I am one of them. May our dreams and hippie ways never die. 

Love...Ms. Moon

26 comments:

  1. I miss my Indian print bedspread.

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    1. Possibly you could get one online? Can you do that there?

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    2. Almost every month we order things from Amazon or elsewhere to be delivered to our shipper in Florida. The shipper then ships them (ha), does the paperwork for customs, and delivers them to the closest village to us that has a paved road. Not exactly next day delivery and sometimes not even next month, but a real game changer for us when that service got going.

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  2. Long may the gypsies and hippies live and be prosperous and make Indian Print bedspreads! Though I must admit, I've seen few "Indian Print" bedspreads in the several shops I have visited in NE Ohio, and we have our fair share.
    Best of luck to Mr. Moon. I hope he gets what he went for and he considered is a good tripl

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    1. We have a hippie shop in Tallahassee that carries Indian Print bedspreads. I still love them.
      Mr. Moon seems to be having a very fine time so far.

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    2. Now I have to google images of Indian print bedspreads.

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  3. The hippie door has been opened, it is off the hinges and can never be closed. Changed the psyche of our species! At least we have that, and Keith...
    Fancy meeting your friend, Liz with tales of England and a cottage and the death of our only Queen. How lucky!
    The boys -darling, even more darling that yesterday- they just keep upping their ante. A perfect day !

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    1. I mean Lucky that she was there,,,not lucky for the Queen.

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    2. I understood what you meant. I'm pretty sure the woman opening the shop is somewhere near our age. I just really love that she's doing it but oh, I do not see how such a place can survive here.
      Yes, Keith. Our hippie troubadour, timeless, elegant. I saw a little video of him today giving an award to Chuck Berry and I had to watch it twice.

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  4. My Gypsy Soul Boutique, sounds like the kind of store I would love to spend some time in. It sounds like you had a lovely day with grandkids, piano playing, lunch out, a friend and a nap. I worked in the yard all day, cutting down a dying tree and burning it. It's satisfying work but I kept apologizing to the tree. It has a fatal disease, black knot fungus. All of the tree has to be burned, one bit at a time.

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    1. Well, the shop is so tiny I do not think one could spend THAT much time in it. I guess I'll find out on Saturday.
      I hate cutting trees, even if it must be done. I don't even like trimming branches of the trees I love. Black knot fungus sounds horrible!

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  5. I love that look on August's face! Jesus and Halloween, what a combo! Long ago, before we dated and married, my husband arrived at a Halloween party as Jesus, carrying a big cross. He really looked the part in those days. Would love to see what's in the boutique!
    Xoxo
    Barbara

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    1. The kids go through phases of either not letting me take their picture or else posing for them. Levon is in the no-pictures phase, August in the posing one.
      I've never heard of anyone going to a costume party as Jesus. I love it!

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  6. Your day sounds absolutely perfect and now, since I'm falling asleep at the keyboard, I shall go and have my own little nap. i was woken at 2am by a neighbour playing loud video games.

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    1. That sounds incredibly frustrating! How rude and disrespectful of your neighbor!

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  7. A perfect day. I can't wait to see inside the gypsy shop. Maybe they will tell fortunes although that won't sit well with the Jesus people.

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    1. I doubt there will be any fortune telling. I'll let you know if there is. I will also take pictures if I am granted permission.

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  8. I tend to agree with you in that shops like My Gypsy Soul will have a hard time competing with the big guys (more's the shame), but good on her for going for her dream! And I just love that picture of August and Uncle Hank!

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    1. Well, there's just no one IN Lloyd, for the most part. I mean, a lot of people visit the post office right behind the shop but these are not people for the most part who probably think of themselves as having gypsy souls.
      I love that picture of August too.

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  9. Oh those hippie days and hippie shops and Indian print bedspreads. I hope she is successful. Don't you love serendipitous meetings? One year Marc and I and the kids were vacationing in Colorado and stopped at a place called Garden of the Gods and heard a voice nearby that we recognised and it was our friends Wylie and Sandra who also live in Texas coming back from an arts and crafts show.

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    1. That's so crazy! But it does happen. You run into people in the oddest places. I've heard several stories of people being in Europe and running into folks they know. How weird!

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  10. As you said before (I think?) maybe she doesn't need to make a profit. Maybe she's swimming in money and the shop is an occupation in name only. Time will tell!

    It's funny that you ran into a friend with connections in England! What are the odds?!

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    1. I don't know Steve. I really have no idea about the woman's financial situation. I guess we'll have a clue sooner or later.
      Yeah- Liz's mama was a war bride and she's mostly lived in the US since she got married but she has remained faithful to her cottage. She used to go back every year to trim her roses.

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  11. I love Levon's line about the tootsy pop. 'When someone gives you a lollipop, you unwrap it and stick it right in your mouth.' That's such great wisdom there!

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  12. Glad you had such a nice day. I was surprised to find quite a few "My Gypsy Soul Boutique" shops on line! I wonder if yours is connected to any of those? I guess you will find out on Saturday!

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.