After I hit publish,  I had second thoughts about putting this out there.  Could only think of one reason that a post of this negative nature would pop up … the word community in the weekly photo challenge. It didn’t help that two of my neighbors turned away as I walked the dogs this morning.  I yelled “Good Morning” … they didn’t.  They should smile more.

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We’re transplants to this historic small town (Pop 5300) …  just 30 minutes south of the Minneapolis-St.Paul metro area. I use the term this small town  … instead of our small town because the definition of community here is …  an unusually small, social unit that share common values.

Think it’s still called the “Good Ole Boys” in most circles. Everybody has them … ours are just really, really, really old.

I want to emphasize that this isn’t a slam on small town living.

Really, it’s not.

It’s just that after eight years of jaw dropping, head shaking, Twilight Zone small town drama, we’ve learned a few things about small town living.

Like making the decision to remove yourself from it … with or without packing a box.

You’ll probably want to attend a city council meeting before moving to a small town … or two … or three … in fact …  go to the city website and see if they have videos of the council meetings for further enlightenment.

The Welcome Wagon may not show up. I did see some cookies on the day we moved in  … I think the local realtor took them home.  Hmmm, that may have been a sign.

Understand that there is absolutely nothing you can do to change things as an outsider. You will never be one of them. You can try if you want to but you’ll want to have a physical first.

We  jumped in to help unseat the Mayor of fifteen years. That was a great move  … until it  was time for the re-election. Never wanted to know that people could be that vicious, deceptive and cruel.

The best advice I can give and I suppose this pertains to more than moving into a small town …  mind your own business, keep your personal life to yourself and if you seek change, change the space you occupy.

Chow!

P.S. I would never want to be them anyway.

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