Thursday, October 1, 2009

Hooterville Here We Come!

Do you remember this old TV show?
greenacres
Successful New York lawyer, Oliver Wendell Douglas (Eddie Albert) longs to leave behind the rat race and complications of modern society to fulfill his dream of living the life of a farmer.  His glamorous, boa-wearing, city-loving wife, Lisa (Eva Gabor), is not one bit happy about leaving her socialite life in the city to move to the country.   Oliver buys a farm and the couple says goodbye to city life to take up residence in Hooterville, USA.   The farm Oliver has purchased is a shambles and  the farmhouse in an advanced  state of  disrepair.
Watch this short video intro to the show if you want a chuckle but beware…the theme song gets stuck in your head!  I’ve been humming it for a couple days now (and laughing).   :)
 
So why am I mentioning this old show, you ask?
My husband’s and my life has just taken a drastic turn.
Drastic.
I feel like we  have just stepped into this old TV sitcom from the 1960’s.  We are mirroring Oliver and Lisa.
Sort of.
My husband isn’t a lawyer…
             but he is in law enforcement.
I am not the least bit glamorous.  A tee-shirt, shorts and flip-flops are more my style than a boa and evening gown…
           but I am a city-loving girl…through and through.
Like Oliver and Lisa, my husband and I  have just successfully negotiated a deal to purchase a farm.
A FARM! 
A 28+ acre horse farm, to be exact.
It looks like we  will be saying good-bye to city life and living the country life…just like Oliver and Lisa.
Uhhhh…. let’s call the new town where we will be living   “Hooterville.”     Yes, eventually this city girl will be leaving “My Cottage of Bliss” for Hooterville, Florida.
Hooterville is about 1 hour away from the CITY where I have lived my entire life…except for the first two years of it.  Trust me, that’s a loooong time in one place!
In 2007, the population of the only CITY I have ever really called home was 249,079.  The population of Hooterville was 3,275
3,275.  I wish I could say that is a typographical error but it isn’t.
After we move to Hooterville, my favorite grocery store, Publix,  will no longer be a convenient 8 blocks away.
I’m pretty sure there are no Goodwill stores in Hooterville…and probably no thrift shops either.  No Wal-Mart or Target.  Certainly not a mall.
I’m willing to bet there is a feed store in Hooterville though.   For you city people who might not know, a feed store is where you “grocery shop” for the farm animals’ food, and farm supplies.
My husband is beyond thrilled and excited.  He wants a BIG tractor.  With a BIG scoop on the front.  And a BIG manure spreader on the back.   
Our daughter is thrilled and excited too.  She’s  going  to Hooterville with us to  manage the barns and the horses.   She wasn’t “born in a barn” but she would have felt right at home if she had been.  This is a dream come true for her.  Horses are what she lives and breathes for. 
I am a little excited.  But the city girl in me is  a lot more reluctant, nervous and starting to feel a bit over-whelmed.
The house on the property is not quite in the  state of advanced disrepair like Oliver and Lisa’s farmhouse, thank goodness!   But it is going to require a lot of work inside.
“A lot of work” is actually an understatement.   It’s twice the size of my house and every room needs updating.
Every room.  
Four bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, formal dining and living rooms, family room, kitchen, breakfast room, sun porch, office, and laundry room.  Whew! It wears me out just to think about it.
On the positive side, I’ll probably have enough decorating/remodeling projects to post on this blog for the next 5 years…or more!
If all the decorating decisions and DIY projects  don’t kill me first.
:::sigh:::
I’m sure I will adjust to this huge change in our lives.
Eventually.
Who knows…maybe I’ll love living in the country so much I might end up renaming this blog…
“My Cottage of Bliss in Hooterville.”
More details (with pictures) to follow soon.

14 comments:

Cindy said...

Shari, I am so excited for you!!! I do hope you will love it, though. It will be such a huge change for you. I have lived in tiny communities, on acreages, they definitely have their benefits, so I am wishing you all the best. But the shopping will be very limited, you will love the trips to the big city like never before. But I know you will make that ranch house sooo beautiful that you will never look back! Big hugs, Cindy S.

Pink Roses and Teacups said...

Hooterville here we come! Too funny Shari! Hey, what's life without excitement! And a beautiful Hootervile it shall be.

Debbie

Adrienne said...

Oh, what an adventure! You are the second blog friend to do this. Yes, lots of work but I bet it's well worth it! Can't wait to see pictures. ~Adrienne~

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

I am a city girl too, but a while back we lived in a Town with nothing but a small Walmart. We were lucky to have that! It was a wonderful life and if my hubby didn't have a job change I would still be there. Life is slower and so much more enjoyed...you will love it! And you will find stores...us girls always do!

Mary said...

Shari, I would trade places with you in a heartbeat...or should I say hoofbeat! It will be a big change for you, but I have no doubt you will find living in the country to be wonderful. I just got back from visiting family in the desert of Arizona...and I mean the desert. They are out in the boonies, with only about 20 homes surrounding them, each on at least 2 acres. When I first saw it, I didn't even want to turn in the driveway, but after 2 days there, the serenity, space, and simplicty spoke to me..I came home and started looking for ways to emulate that peace and quiet. And to think you'll have all those rooms to redecorate...you're going to love it! And aren't you glad you've done to much to your home recenty...you'll get top dollar...lucky girl!

Love ya,
Mary

Pauline said...

Fabulous news!! I'm happy for you :o)
Hugs

Connie said...

Congratulations Char. I am happy for you. You will settle in no time. You will love it and horse too. What more can a girl asked for and just think about how much your puppies are going to enjoy this place. Hubby will get to have a tractor too.

Hugs,
Connie

Sue said...

WOW! What a change...you will love it!!! One hour is not that far to get to shops etc...you just need lists for when you make the trip. It will be perfect..in about 5 years perhaps...but think of the fun along the way!
Sue

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Change is good! And the country life, a slower pace is what everyone is looking for. Well, that's what I long for! I've never been much of a city girl. It will be exciting and different. So much to look forward to. Wishing you all the best -- Hooterville is the place to be, farm living is the life for me ..." Is that how it goes -- used to watch Green Acres all the time. :)

bee'nme said...

Hi Shari!!

This is BIG news indeed...I am so excited for you!! God knows exactly what He is doing and this will be an awesome move for your family I'm sure. I just went through this on a muck smaller scale (from a nice home in Houston to 1 acre and a delapidated mobile home in the country about 45 minutes away...population 1111 - SALUTE...old Hee Haw lingo there0). It has definitely been a big change with a set of challenges I am still coming to terms with, but the positives have been incredible. The waitresses and cook at the local diner know us by name, the one thrift store in town is actually awesome for some reason, I actually use the market flyer that comes in the mail for our little grocery store and plan my menu based on the weekly specials, there is never a line at the post office, and the peace and quiet is only occasionally broken up by geese or sheep or a mule braying at our neighbor's farm. In short, I love it here, plus I appreciate the perks of city life all the more when we head that way for a nice dinner or a movie...it seems more special now...

You're gonna love it and hate it and tire of it and appreciate it all in the same day sometimes, but it wil overall be a wonderful experience I'm sure. And boy, it will be so fun to see you transform your farmhouse...can't wait!!

Blessings to you and your hubby and daughter as you step into this new adventure - wish I could come and help you pack! :o)

Hugs & Blessings,
Becky

bee'nme said...

Make that "much" smaller scale instead of "muck" smaller scale...though "muc" might apply after all :o) - Hugs, Becky

Wendy @ Ramblings from the Sunshine State said...

I am jealous! I grew up on 50 acres and wish my kids could. We had field and woods. We now have almost 4 acres, but its field. I miss having woods to walk in.

Cindy said...

Oh my gosh...I just read your news! That's going to be fun!!! I can relate though...I'm a city girl too! I've heard once you move to the country you can't stand to be in the city with all the traffic and noise!

Simple Dimple Primitives said...

Too funny! My hubby and I are "city folk"- we moved to the country- allowing our "inner farmer" to come out! LOL!
Enjoy every fresh air moment!!
Your furbabies are going to love it too!