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Village life: not quite the rural idyll it’s made out to be
By ella | February 15, 2005
If I didn’t already realise I live in a small village, I do now.
Within the space of 48 hours I have been visited by the vicar (a lovely man called Tonto - with a name like that the Church of England really must be widening its outlook a bit), the churchwarden, the head of the WI (who is also the churchwarden), two other mothers with small children, a neighbour loooking for gardening work, another neighbour looking for cleaning work, our immediate neighbours to say they were going away for a few weeks and would we look after their house (good thing they know we’re trustworthy then) and another couple inviting us to ‘welcome drinks’ (I’m REALLY looking forward to that one). Oh and the postman called in to introduce himself. That means I have probably met almost everybody in the village (well not quite, but you get the picture).
I have been asked to join the Church Group (good thing they think I am religious then), the choir (good thing they think I can sing), the WI (good thing they know I can make jam), the horticultural committee (what?), the fete committe and the Playground Committee. I have made two playdates, employed a gardener and a cleaner (yeah right!) and am looking after aforementioned neighbour’s house. As a stay at home mother they clearly think I have nothing to do all day.
I’m exhausted just by thinking about the commitment.
Worse than that though, people seemed to know all about us before we even arrived. They knew what my husband does, that we had two children, what I used to do and what I do now. How did they know this stuff? I asked Lucy, my only friend here, but she swears she hasn’t even mentioned us to anyone in the village and I totally believe her because I think she is like me in that we want to look like we want to be part of village life, but really we are going to do our best to sidestep the seemingly endless commitments. She and I are definitely allies in that respect.
I suppose it might be the estate agent, but he was not to my knowledge particularly local. I’m not by nature overly-secretive so I suppose he might have been information gathering and have passed it on to someone who is local. It’s scary. I have experienced village life before, but not quite like this. The anonymity of big city life definitely has its advantages at times like these.
No matter. This information would have been bandied about amongst the two hundred or so residents by the time of pub closing anyway. Give me a couple of months and I’ll be treating the next new resident with as much suspicion and over-eager interest, I’m sure.
My husband and I are taking bets on how long it takes them to find out about this site….
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Categories: Daily Life
Hi Ella
I love your blog. I’m another dull mummy blogger but relatively new to it. I was recommended by a link on BBC Collective but had also seen you on Blogexplosion this afternoon. So I thought I’d give you a proper visit and stop by and say hi.
Have my very own black dog and have had the PND variety too. Sometimes tapping just keeps me sane. I didn’t do any writing for almost 8 years and am just getting back into it now. If you have the time and you feel the inclination come and visit me at sheweevil.blogspot etc. Fiona
Oh, my! I was expecting you to say James Herriot (the vet who wrote those All Creatures Great and Small books) stopped by also!
Well, at least everyone is very nosy–errrrr–friendly!
Sounds a little eerie, but comforting. I’ve been in big towns with people who have small minds, and small towns with dreamers. Definitely prefer the latter. The worst is small-minded in small towns. Mmmm….. make that just small-minded anywhere. Sounds like they need some shaking up!!
Oh, by the way, I am the village baker. Welcome!!
KIDDING!
I am the hair dresser.
Well, I think the answer is the Internet - obviously, they’re reading your blog@
I think there is a quote in the movie Doc Hollywood that says “You can’t poop in this town without everyone knowing what color it is”. - Now THAT’S a small town!! (I will hope and pray you never have this problem!)