She's a little bit Country...

I've said more than once I am a country girl at heart...love men in big trucks, Tim McGraw is the most beautiful face on Earth, ice tea should only come sweetened and I can shoot Jack Daniels with the best of them.However, as I have discovered this past week, there are plenty of things about living in the country that make me cling to my Bloomingdales and champagne side of my personality like a pig to mud.  And, I don't even think my house can entirely be considered out in the sticks considering I can be in a city of a million people in less than 30 minutes.

But considering I'm situated in the middle of 2 1/2 acres and I often have to wait for tractors and horses to pass before I leave in the morning, it is country enough. I've already shared with you my on-going and depressing battle with the gopher on steroids which I continue to lose and now I think he is calling in his Wild Kingdom posse.  No, I haven't been over-run by coyotes which my father was worried about so I guess that is a plus.  But the three ticks I've had to remove from my dog over the past 2 days and the abscess from some weed thing that got stuck in his foot certainly stressed me out as much as any four legged creature would.  I don't do bugs.  And, I never could even stand the site of creepy crawly things on dogs in the past, but here I was getting the nail polish (hey, it kills the little suckers) and tweezers and going to war! 

Following my adventures with the gross and buggy, I set off the water the plants, grass, and trees (which do actually provide fruit so they can stay), only to find the well had gone dry...or at least wasn't feeling the love for me and my green leafed friends.  Grumbling about outdated plumbing in the back 40, I set about trying to piece together all my hoses so they could reach from the house (yes, I do still get some amenities of big city living) and I could still water.   As I reached down to turn on the spigot, I guess I interrupted a nap because a size 7 lizard, came darting out from under the bush and right over my size 7 sandals...(maybe he wasn't exactly a size 7 and ran in front of my feet but the mental image is really just the same).  I screamed of course, and then was mad at myself for not including lizards in my little chant I say EVERY time I go near the fields..."Go away snakes...go away snakes...." and I swear it works because thank God and all that is holy, I haven't seen one of them...YET.

I was just getting ready to pack up my belongings in my Coach bag and retreat to the civilization of the city (or at least Starbucks) when I was reminded why living in the country isn't so bad after all...the very cute but very married nephew of my neighbor pulled up in his big white truck with a delivery of fresh corn and tomatoes from their field across the street...being friendly, caring and asking if there was anything else I needed.  Considering asking him to conjure up a single twin brother was out of the realm of possibility today, I just smiled, said no and walked back into my country home... But with a little bit more of a bounce in my step as I realized once again that "hey, here I am, making it on my own!"

So, then I poured champagne into my Mikasa crystal flute, and toasted the country side of life....