13 for Thursday: How to know you live in a small town

Gossip, animals, utes, country cooking and honesty… There are some simple truths you know if you come from a small town. Here is my 13 for Thursday…

You know if you come from a small town when…

1. You see a couple of girls walking to the shops with a lamb following them. Not even on a lead just trotting behind.

2. The conversation revolves around how much rain is in the gauge.

3. Every ute has a dog or two on the back. Also the windows are open.

4. Ditto when you see mostly cattle in the trucks going past or milk, or hay.

5. You recognise nearly all the cars going past the house and can say “that’s John going home”.

6. Shopping takes hours… and includes seeing so many people you know….

7. Everybody wants to talk as you go down the street, all the gossip has gone ahead of you and will be repeated before you get to the end of the shops.

8. Parking in front of the local shops is no trouble except when the eisteddfod or the festival is on.

9. A letter with just our name and the town arrived safely. Nothing else, just our name and the town. Over 2000 people live here.

10. Death notices are read avidly, everyone knows everyone else, or is related. So if someone dies you know their relatives if not them.

11. Funerals have the best food. The quality of cooking for these events is amazing. The women make sure everyone is sent off well catered for.

12. The habit of bringing casseroles and cakes when you are sick is alive and well here, I had some fabulous kindness shown when I had my knee op.

13. There is no cinema, no McDonalds for teenagers, the football or netball is the only social life, the church provides a core for the community. If you play bowls or cricket, or golf you can easily be occupied, and there is an art gallery a library and a learning centre.

What more would you need? Yes I do love small town life!

Do you come from a small town? What are the things you recognise from living in a small town?