Floats my boat

 Last weekend we boarded a plane for the remote town of Wellsville, NY to go to the 36th annual balloon rally.

I learned a couple things on my quick trip to small town USA.  One thing is how I take my life for granted down here in the south.  New York definitely wouldn't be my first choice of moving or second or one millionth place, but with that being said do I really want to move?  I say I want too but when it comes down to it I have a pretty sweet life down here.    And by pretty sweet life, I mean the type of life that meets my fancy.  I love the sunshine, the water, the palm trees.  I love that there are things to do and that I never have to worry about shoveling snow.  I am sure the New Yorkers feel the same way and wouldn't dream of living in Florida. They love the country, the seasons, the hunting, the small town feeling.   I know comparing moving to desolate Wellsville to a place like North Carolina is like comparing a grape to a watermelon.    I just wonder if that ole saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side is true?

One night, Andrew and his brother in law got to dreaming and envisioned a compound for all of the family to reside on, in Wellsville. Yes..... a compound which I think was just a code name for a cult.  I was beginning to have severe palpitations at this point and than they took it to a "whole notha level"  when they started dishing out jobs. It involved purchasing the local country club which Andrew would run , (it is for sale for 400k) Grampy would mow the grass and me you ask?  I was the town PA.   I politely declined my part in the "vision" and said that I was more than happy to do a long distance marriage and would visit once a month.  Thankfully they let it go and we were able to leave NY without the purchase of a country club. 

All that crazy talk got me to thinking how different life really is in a small town.   I couldn't help but dwell on the differences.  One wasn't better than the other just different.  For example- the housing market.........my SIL (Sister in law) just purchased a 5 bedroom house on 1 acre for 70k.  Now don't get me wrong it needs A LOT of work but still 70k?  You  know how much a house payment is on 70k?  Around 300 dollars a month.  There were really nice houses for about 140k.  Unbelievable.  You can't even buy a decent condo for 140k (at least at one time  you couldn't).  Condo???  They don't even know what a condo is up there.  

The next thing is the difference in prices on food.  A famous hot dog at the Texas Hot......1.70.  Prime rib dinner........8.95 .Beer..............1.25.  Mixed drink..........3.50.   T-shirt from festival..........12.00. Down here I think it is a rarity to see a cheeseburger under 10.00.   I don't even think our salaries compensate for those type of differences.
 

I was also reminded about how caught up I get in competing with the Jones' or in this case Southwest Florida.  It isn't even something I consciously think about.  We were talking one night about buying a new car and the cost associated with it.  Why would anyone buy a new car?  Well down here everyone has newer cars and the cars are luxury cars............porche, range rover, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes. Guess how many BMW's I saw in Wellsville?  None!  Honestly you see more high end cars on the road down here than you do your classic Ford, Chevy, Dodge, etc.  They wouldn't buy a new car let alone a Lexus because they don't want to be flashy.  Down here you almost feel compelled to  buy a high end because why not...........everyone else has one.


 With all of that being said I truly do enjoy having things at a close proximity.  I like going to Target if I need paper towel, I like to be able to use my phone, going to coffee shops, nice restaurants, shopping, parks, movie theaters, beaches and having Internet.  Definitely not the most important things in life but these little luxuries help make life a lot easier.    Could I survive without these things?  Absolutely.   But that is the good thing about life, everyone has different things that floats their boat.  What floats my boat just happens to be a real boat on the Gulf of Mexico. Some love small town, some love big cities and me...........I love where I am at.......for now!