Guest post by Linda Felaco
I grew up here in RI, and at no point during the 23 years that I lived out of state did I ever consider myself to be anything other than a Rhode Islander.
I grew up here in RI, and at no point during the 23 years that I lived out of state did I ever consider myself to be anything other than a Rhode Islander.
A couple of years ago, having tired of the city, my husband and I decided to return to RI. At first we were looking mainly for acreage so our dogs would have more room to roam free than the postage stamp yard we had in the Maryland suburbs of Washington , D.C.
Initially, most of the properties that met our criteria were in the Foster-Glocester area. But the more we looked around, the more I kept hearing the echo of the wintertime refrain, “No school Fawsta Glawsta” and remembering how the entire area is buried under 10 feet of snow for 10 months out of the year. OK I’m exaggerating—a little. I told my husband, a fellow beach lover, “If we don’t buy somewhere where we reach the beach at a moment’s notice anytime the sun is out, we will always regret it.”
So we focused our search in South County , only to have one property after another turn out to be a complete disappointment. Then a property here in Charlestown came on the market, and here we are.
Living here has exceeded our expectations. I remember posting on my Facebook page about our first trip to town hall to get a copy of the deed on our property. After years of city life and dealing with faceless bureaucrats, it was a revelation to be able to walk into town hall, walk up to a counter (without even waiting in line!), and be pleasantly greeted by a live human being who actually answered questions ungrudgingly. If anyone who works in town hall reads this blog, I’m happy to pay your salary. Really. You folks are worth it.
Earth Care Farm is way cool. I live nearby and I took a walk down there with one of my dogs one day last fall and they gave me some bread to feed to the goats on my way out. My dog loved it; she has a thing for farm animals. I think if my dogs could talk, they’d say, “Thank you for bringing us here to Charlestown .”
Oh, and did I mention the beaches? Forty-five bucks to be able to spend all day every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day at a beautiful, unspoiled beach (two, even!) is a bargain beyond belief. My only gripe is that if nature calls … I’ve seen better gas station bathrooms. I’m just hoping everyone will vote to approve the proposed new beach facilities. On June 6!