It's snowing again. Just as I predicted. To be fair, so far, it's only a skiff here at the farmette. Hardly anything to complain about. Still, I'm MORE than ready for spring. I can't believe it's been almost six years since we moved up to Grey County. Over that time, there have emerged some things that I really enjoy and some things that tick me off. So today, I'll write about my personal pet eeves and perks of rural living. Peeve: Nearly everything is a car ride away. When I lived in Toronto, I didn't even have a car. I always took transit (streetcar, subway) around the city or the train, when I wanted to visit the rellies in London. Perk: I actually have land (!) on which I can grow my veggies, fruits and flowers. Pretty hard to do that on the concrete pad behind our apartment on Osborne Street in the Big Smoke.
Peeve: No more daily contact with co-workers. While I don't miss the 9 to 5 grind (not to mention eye-bleeding meetings), I do miss the camaraderie of some of the folks I used to work with. I've semi-compensated by sporadically organizing a lunch with some of the ladies.
Perk: I set my own agenda. Since starting my own business, I'm able to take the jobs I want to take. Granted, it's only in the last year that I've actually turned down anything, and this January-February were a bit hairy because I was soooo busy, but I'm doing what I love to do. Researching and writing stories. It only took me a few decades to get back around to that.
Peeve: Technology. I rely so heavily on software and computers that when they break down or don't work the way I want them to, it's like someone cut off my hands. I know this is not just a function of being in boonies, but honestly, have you ever tried to reach anyone at Microsoft Word? And don't get me started on the online forums...
Perk: Technology. When it is working, it's amazing. Who knew 15 or 20 years ago that we would be able to source credible information from anywhere in the world with a few key strokes? Access to the internet also lets me order things online (like a slick new iPod) that I just can't get in the nearby shops.
Peeve: LOOOOONG winters. Okay, I know I've written about how pretty the snow is, how fresh and crisp the air is, yada yada yada. But one can get too much of a good thing. It's April 1. Enough with the cold and wind, already.
Perk: Spring. I don't think I appreciated the promise of spring and the sense of renewal quite as much back in the urban days as I do here. It's probably because I get to roll around in the dirt trying to tease beautiful blossoms and tasty, nutritious veggies out of it.
And the final perk is that I'm closer to my younger sister than I have been for years. Only a short(ish) car ride away. Today, we're going to celebrate Easter with the whole gang over at her place. So I had better get rolling. Until next week.