Mayberry is Still Alive and Well

It's almost invisible now, but the railway bridge you pass under to come into Bremen has a spray painted "Welcome to Mayberry." Earlier this week Jenn and I went to do some errands around small-town-America and it was such a pleasure. Bureaucracy was bent for pragmatic reasons a couple of times. Both times for pretty big things that would never have happened in a larger municipality. Bremen is growing. They just built a new middle school because the middle/high school situation had become impractical as the student body grew. I also hear that we're getting some big chain pharmacies coming to town. But, I have to tell you, the folks that give us the personal service that makes our lives easier will keep our business. In some things, bigger isn't always better. Living in a small place, and having the benefits of that slower pace of life, make a big difference in our lives -- for the better. After 20 years of living in a super rural area where there were no ammenities, living within a couple miles of grocery stores, pharmacies, and restaurants makes life much more easy. I love, LOVE having trash pick up. (Thursday is trash day here -- except when it's not....a holiday or weather can change that, sometimes without notice, but a nice big truck does come eventually to take the trash away.)

Jewel and I hung out today. Seems like the sniffles are going around the family right now. I think Jenn and Eric are pretty clogged up and they have a cranky baby and a wild boy to manage tonight. Being the grammy is so nice. I get to eat dinner and go home to the cats. Love my grandchildren, but also love being able to leave them and go home to the quiet too.

My landmark moment today was going out with my head naked. I just didn't have time to run back to my place, so I went fuzzy this afternoon in public. I don't really have hair yet, but I do have a shadow that suggests a hair line. I like running my hand over the fuzz and feeling it. It makes me feel hopeful that some degree of "normal" is on the horizon. Dr. Pierce, the oncologist, says it grows fast at first, so I'm watching. Fast would be good. Jewel's christening is in about three weeks, and I'd like to have fluff by then.