Farmer's Market Done for This Year

The small farmers market that is one block from my house closes for the fall/winter months. I went today and there was only one vendor. She said that they were taking it day by day (seeing how the weather is) to determine how much longer they will be setting up shop this year.

I will miss them. It's not easy finding organic produce and vegetables here. You can find them... but you really have to hunt for them. Whole Foods, which I love, is a 2 1/2 hour drive from here. We like to go there when we have other places to go in the area which will be soon as I am going to have to have my 30,000 maintenance done on my car.

And the closest Volkswagen dealership is about 2 1/2 hours away. Since my car is leased I need to have the maintenance done by a dealership. Speaking of cars....

What's up with Volkswagen's? They make me think of the BMW's with the electrical problems. My car is a 2007 Jetta and there is a light that came on that says I have a light burned out. I checked and there are no lights burnt out, so what's with that light on the dashboard?

This is the 3rd Volkswagen that I have owned and it will be my last. I am seriously thinking of getting a Toyota Camry. I have owned 2 Toyota's in my life and they just don't die and are virtually maintenance free. The first one I had for like 10 years and sold it. The second one I had for 13 years and it had 164,000 miles on it when I sold it for $600.

Ciao

A Much Easier Life

So here's what it is like living in Bloomsburg....

The people are super friendly and seem more real.

You see white women pushing lawn mowers and doing yard work.

When moving in my neighbor, across the street, came over with a plate of home baked gluten free chocolate goodies saying "Welcome to the neighborhood. My name is Nancy and let me know if you need anything." The goodies were to die for. In all the times I have moved I have never ever had a neighbor do anything like that. It was like something from the movies.

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings till about 1pm the Farmer's Market is open. It is 1 block from where I am living. The rules for selling at the market is that all food and flowers must be grown by the seller and be organic. Anything baked must be baked from scratch. You can find flowers, fruits, vegetables and baked pies and cookies. There is an Amish lady who sells the pies and cookies. It's much nicer to give the money directly to the farmer and cut out all of the middle men. Plus you are getting it super fresh, directly from the farm.

People leave there doors and windows open all the time, even when they go away. How cool to live in such a trusting place, without fear. In California an open window is an invitation for someone to sneak in and rob, rape or just terrorize you. That's a sad way to live.

Occasionally I have to have documents notarized. In California I paid $20 per document then I found a place that charged me $10 per document. When I moved to Wilkes Barre I paid $5 to have a document notarized. Yesterday I had to have a document notarized so I walked one block to Main Street and then walked into an office and asked if they had notary services. The girl explained she had just mailed her documents in to be a notary and wasn't one yet. I walked into the next office and inquired about notary services and was told that I could get my documents notarized. The girl notarized them and then I asked her how much I owed her and she said "nothing". I asked, "What?" She said, "I don't charge for notary services." I asked, "Why?" She said, "I personally, just don't want to." I told her that I felt bad not paying her for her service and that in the future I would need documents notarized and I didn't want to feel like I was taking advantage of her good nature by asking her to notarize them. She stood up, put a big smile on her face, held out her hand to shake mine and said, "Please feel free to take advantage of me any time." I was like Wow, could it get any better than Free notarizing!!!

Well, it can...... Here everyone grows stuff and so you walk out of the hardware store and there is a shelf that says "FREE" and there are cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, etc. Someone who worked at the store had too much in their garden. We were driving down the street yesterday and saw a table along side of the road with a sign that said "FREE" and there were tomatoes and corn on it. How cool is that?

Ciao

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

I am finally here! Last Thursday night was the first night I stayed here. It was so incredibly quiet. I slept like a baby.

A bit about Bloomsburg.... population about 15,000 people. Small town feel... without small town mentality..... because there is Bloomsburg University here.

I currently live in the Historical District. Lots of beautiful Victorian homes, like the one in the picture.

For 75 years, in the 19th Century, iron was the ruling industry here.

I am in walking distance of every single thing I need. The post office is literally 1 block away.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the Farmer's Market is open in the town square (just a couple of blocks from me). Anything sold there must be grown or baked (from scratch) by the vendors. The Farmer's market runs from June through October.

There's a tiny airport and I am going to go and check into taking flying lessons. I think that's probably the next best thing to wanting to be a bird.

I am also going, this upcoming week, and register at Bloomsburg University. I have to take the Math placement class. I know I am going to have to take Remedial Math (which you don't get any credit for). Which is okay, because my special guy is a Mathematician, so I got the tutoring thingy handled. Math was the thing that put the breaks on me finishing my education at Santa Monica College. Now, instead of putting it off till last.... I am going to make it the first classes that I take.

Over the next couple of days I will write more about Bloomsburg, which will include the winged things that fly around here, friendly neighbors and more.

Ciao