Sounds like you grew up in paradise, Justin...
When my brother was about 12, he had a job mowing one of the neighbor's yards. Because he wasn't 18, the neighbor insisted he use the "reel" mower... Brother hated it but did it for the money and the fact that we all adored Mr. L... Property was only about 1/4 of an acre... I grew up in a unique development surrounded by dairy farms until the building boom decimated Parsippany... another story.
This is as country as you'll find in northern NJ... I'm 1/2 mile out of "town" separated from the next house to the south by 13 acres of woods. There's a crick with a waterfall that runs behind my property. You can't see it from the house but you can hear it. On the other side of the crick is a family enclave of about 5 tiny concrete houses. They own the woods that protect me from "town." The houses disappear in the summer when the leaves are out. They're barely visible in the fall which is nice... When it snows heavily the trees hide them again.
To my north are two houses then more woods for 1/10 mile. Across the road is all woods owned by the local tony academy. <ggg> With a horse farm about a mile north of here on my road and various small dairy farms, it feels very rural around here. My prayer is to be able to manage this property by myself until I die. Figure if I just keep doing it, I have a shot as long as my mental health holds out.
The town is tiny and very traditional American... the stores are closed on Sunday. We have tons of churches for very few people (I have yet to cross one of the thresholds) including a beautiful white steepled one at the end of Main Street (which is about 2-1/2 short Manhattan blocks long).
I love it here. I am also gratified to see that although houses are selling within days of going on the market in this state, around here they have their little for sale signs out in front for months. Good. Don't move up here.
Hmmm. The Riviera... are they still making that? I'm going to have to check out edmunds. There's a gigantic '71 for sale at my mechanics... $8000. It had been souped up... Little racing steering wheel on it. Scary looking. Years ago I had friend with a white '67 Riviera... that was the best body... dang... my boyfriend at the time used to refer to it as the "Pimpmobile" <ggg> Long ago, far away.
Trying to get my aching body more flexible before I attempt the shower. No physical labor tonight for this chick... four days in a row is enough. BTW... we'll take some of Claudette's rain off your hands if you like. It is dry again around here. Only good thing is that I may be able to let the lawn go for a couple of weeks. I have a roof to play with and a garage to paint.
Have a good one... stay dry.
ksquared
AI
