Sunday, August 24, 2008

Why I Love It Here

Namely, Delta Junction.
So, Beans woke up pleasantly and I woke in a grumpy mood. Maybe it's the morning sickness, but I needed to get out. Plus, I found myself suddenly craving sour candy, and with the commissary closed, I found that I really truly NEEDED to go into town.

What I LOVE about Delta Junction: it doesn't take long to become "local".
Those of you who have followed along know I've spent most of my life in cities and suburbs. The closet thing I got to someone recognizing me in town was my high school principal. Or the local authorities. OK, OK, I wasn't that bad. (Though my mom would argue that point.)
I didn't realize how much I craved community connections until I walked into IGA this morning for my sour candy (and, um, left with a donut, coffee, two bags of candy, AND sour candy), and was actually recognized by half a dozen people who took the time to stop and say good morning and ask if we had gotten settled in yet.
This is where I want to give a nod to the breakfast bunch that eats at the Buffalo Diner every morning. You fellas (and gals) have no idea how much your welcome means to me.

Seriously, the way my morning was shaping up, I was in a BAD MOOD when I went to town. I was looking for escape from the mundane of my usual routine, and annoyed because J was called for still more overtime this week. I have no idea when I'll ever see my sweetheart again.
Having a handful of friendly people remember my face (if not my name) completely made my day. After a short cruise through town, I was actually ready to go back home to the mundane, ahem, I mean, cleaning and housekeeping.

It's not just IGA, or the Diner. It's going to the Farmer's Market and having a vendor remember you, remember where you're from, and chat a while with you. It's another "stranger" in the street who overhears your conversation about wondering what there is to do in town this week and she stops to tell you all about the things going on in Delta Junction. It's the librarian who actually likes her job, enjoys answering questions, and loves her town enough to fill you in on all the really great things to do.

You couldn't send me back to the city for anything, buddy.

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In other news: the weather is definitely changing. The day time temps are cooling off, and it looks like we'll be in the 50s before too long. Snow is creeping down the mountains each day, and the ravens are coming in droves. (Think "birds flying south for the winter", only the ravens show up HERE for winter.)
Speaking of birds flying south, I did notice a couple of V formations today, geese, I think, making their way toward the south.

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Not much else to report. Should have lots more adventures next week when J and I go gun shopping at Granite View (our sports store here) and stop in to see what "Garden Soup" is all about. And I'll be braving my first haircut in Delta Junction as well. (Before I offend any locals, I'm a big cry baby about getting my hair cut somewhere new... I would be trying to be brave in New York City or some fancy-shmancy place too!)
The good thing about a "bad" haircut in Alaska? No one cares, AND it's going to be under a hat all winter anyway.

Oh! Readers back "home"... if you ever want to check out Delta Junction, you can see our local paper at deltanewsweb.com

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Alright! I'm off to bed down for the night. Until next time,
Happy Moose Trails!

3 comments:

booboobear99709 said...
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booboobear99709 said...

I was looking online at properties my husband, I and our 4 boys are looking to move from Fairbanks to a more quite simpler life . I've lived all my life in Fairbanks and He's from the village of Ft. Yukon and we don't want to move there at all ft. yukon that is . Many years ago when I was a kid my family owned property in Delta so I decided to look at property there and sounds to me to be a good place to live and raise a family . Thanks for sharing your story

Happy Housewife said...

Chris asked me how I'd feel about moving to Delta!!!!! Not today, of course, but it's in his mind anyway! :)