Life in the Slow Lane

I get so wrapped up in the silly details of my life sometimes, I don't notice the little things, the small events and efforts made by others that make my part of the world so special to me.  Today rather than put my nose to the grindstone here at the bike shop, I pulled one of my classic "Here physically, but not in spirit" routines.  I searched the local sites for news worth reporting to the larger world outside my small corner of Maine.

Predictably newsworthy events that might cause waves elsewhere were in short supply.  We locals tend to go about our business, go home, and cuddle up to Jeopardy or ESPN with a cool drink or maybe some local herb of the smoking kind.  We mind our own business for the most part and expect others to do the same..  Southern Maine is not a hotbed of controversy or extravagance.  If one is under 30 and single, life here is boooooring.  If one is married with children, it is still booooring but a much saner and safe environment than many other locales I can think of.



In the news locally

~ Some fellows from Massachusetts were busted in a house located in the town next to mine.  Apparently they were using the house as a marijuana growing operation - only visiting it for a few hours a week and then going home to Mass.

And once again the State will spend stupid amounts of money prosecuting a crime that should not be a crime.  I hope the governor is happy.

~ An old family from the area worked out a deal with the Rachel Carson Preserve to sell them what might be the last 2.5 miles of unspoiled ocean beach  in southern Maine.  I have always chuckled that Mainers call their shore line beach as it is made up of 90% rock and 10% sand.  But I guess it's a beach if the water stops there and the land begins.

Even though the family had been treating the property, known as Timber Point,  with conversation in mind for years, they made it official and now a little bit more of nature is allowed to do it's own thing in its own time.  As the article states, "soon the No Trespassing signs will come down and the Rachel Carson Preserve Signs will go up.   Chalk one up for nature.

Interesting enough is the unique twist Maine puts on areas kept as natural habitats.  Hunting and fishing will be allowed according to state law.  I think that is fine.  Completely banning humans from enjoying our natural beauty in a myriad of ways is not our style.   The nesting bobolinks, the snowy owls and other threatened species will still have their woods and the hunter their game.  There are critters, who left to their own devices, would ruin the property as quickly if not more quickly than Man would.  Deer being one of them.

~ I only found 12 deaths recorded since December 12th in the York County area.  York County is almost as big as the state of Rhode Island.   Only one person was under the age of 70 and all were of natural causes.  No murders, no rapes, a smattering of break ins, and one  State Trooper getting pulled over for a DUI on the Turnpike was all I had for sensational footage to share.  The cop is on administrative leave pending the outcome of his trial.

~ And finally - it seems a good friend of mine - a raging liberal of the first water and a mover and shaker in my town has teamed up with another leftist commie type and proposed that the Town of Acton draft a no Nuclear Weapons statement to send to Russia.   Response of the local Wingers has been predictably hilarious.  Frankly all of them just make me smile sometimes.  I can just imagine Putin opening up a letter from some crusty Mainers telling him they will have nothing to do with any notion of nuclear war.  Somehow, I do not see this proclamation making it past the proposal stage.  As one Winger stated, "Maybe the enviro whacko ought to propose some maintenance for the town hall instead."  God loves small towns.  He has to or he would not make living in one so comical.

Not a lot of excitement to report, but then it is winter.  Wait till the folks from away come back.  They always jazz things up.

Later..................................................................
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Some new fiction over to BoZone ll - "Rudy"