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I was chatting with an acquaintance today and she mentioned that she had always wanted to live in
the boonies. I replied that I had really liked living in or near the city. I enjoyed having shopping
and farmer’s markets for fresh foods. I liked the fast pace and liked apartment living.
When I began learning to adapt to boonie living, probably the hardest thing was not having all
things at my fingertips. If I wanted to cook anything special that called for unusual spices or
foodstuffs, I would have to either use a catalog or phone to order it… or depend on amazing
friends who had mercy on me and mailed me what I wanted.
When I moved from Louisiana, there were a few years where I had to depend on people sending
me goody boxes - boxes stuff with everything I missed - the spices, the Community Coffee, the
baked goods! That was nice, tho, because it was like Christmas with every box!
When I lived in Vermont, I fell in love with Cabot cheese and butter. It was the first time I’d tasted
real butter in years. Same with the Republic of Tea I’d discovered in this tiny little coffee shop
there. Or - wait for it - the most sinfully smooth, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate ever created -
Belgian chocolate made by Tom and Sally’s of Brattleboro. OH MY GOSH! Of course, when we
moved back to Arkansas, I was no longer able to get any of it.
Then we went online and it changed everything! Think about your world pre- and post-internet
life. Can you see the difference? I mean ALL the things you were unable to acquire, now you
were able to at the click of your fingers (and a credit card).
Suddenly I was able to find my most hard-to-find missing foodstuffs, including alligator (oh major
yum, who knew?), and all the spices. I did discover Cabot butter being sold locally but before that,
they sold the cheese online. The Republic of Tea? Online. Tom and Sally’s? Online. Every time
I had the thought, “Man, I sure wish I still had…” online! When I discovered ebay.com I found
almost everything I’d ever had, used or tried in my life now being sold on ebay.
When I think about the story I heard about the US Patent office in the late 1800’s considering
shutting its doors because a committee believed all possible inventions had already been invented,
it boggles the mind. Imagine no internet! Or cell phones? Or cordless phones for that matter.
Satellite, cassette and CD players, and on and on.
I, for one, am very happy to have internet here in the boonies. It changes everything!
Joy is modern conveniences!!!
Article Copyright © 2007 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
the boonies. I replied that I had really liked living in or near the city. I enjoyed having shopping
and farmer’s markets for fresh foods. I liked the fast pace and liked apartment living.
When I began learning to adapt to boonie living, probably the hardest thing was not having all
things at my fingertips. If I wanted to cook anything special that called for unusual spices or
foodstuffs, I would have to either use a catalog or phone to order it… or depend on amazing
friends who had mercy on me and mailed me what I wanted.
When I moved from Louisiana, there were a few years where I had to depend on people sending
me goody boxes - boxes stuff with everything I missed - the spices, the Community Coffee, the
baked goods! That was nice, tho, because it was like Christmas with every box!
When I lived in Vermont, I fell in love with Cabot cheese and butter. It was the first time I’d tasted
real butter in years. Same with the Republic of Tea I’d discovered in this tiny little coffee shop
there. Or - wait for it - the most sinfully smooth, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate ever created -
Belgian chocolate made by Tom and Sally’s of Brattleboro. OH MY GOSH! Of course, when we
moved back to Arkansas, I was no longer able to get any of it.
Then we went online and it changed everything! Think about your world pre- and post-internet
life. Can you see the difference? I mean ALL the things you were unable to acquire, now you
were able to at the click of your fingers (and a credit card).
Suddenly I was able to find my most hard-to-find missing foodstuffs, including alligator (oh major
yum, who knew?), and all the spices. I did discover Cabot butter being sold locally but before that,
they sold the cheese online. The Republic of Tea? Online. Tom and Sally’s? Online. Every time
I had the thought, “Man, I sure wish I still had…” online! When I discovered ebay.com I found
almost everything I’d ever had, used or tried in my life now being sold on ebay.
When I think about the story I heard about the US Patent office in the late 1800’s considering
shutting its doors because a committee believed all possible inventions had already been invented,
it boggles the mind. Imagine no internet! Or cell phones? Or cordless phones for that matter.
Satellite, cassette and CD players, and on and on.
I, for one, am very happy to have internet here in the boonies. It changes everything!
Joy is modern conveniences!!!
Article Copyright © 2007 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
| ...celebrating joie de vivre |
OY-CAFE
