If you've always been a city dweller and are considering a move to a small country town, consider these pros and cons!
PRO: Clothing is much cheaper in a small town - even "designer" sports shoes.
CON: As you sit on the porch, the lady across the street calls to tell you that your shoestring's untied.
PRO: Town folk are friendly and take a real interest in your daily life.
CON: Congratulations are on the answering machine. The pregnancy kit is still in the grocery bag.
PRO: People who live in small towns always have time to stop and chat.
CON: Telemarketers don't even call small town dwellers, because they can't get them off the line.
PRO: Taxes are lower in small towns - a real plus!
CON: The PTO meeting is cut short to set up for the play that evening in the cafe-gym-itorium.
PRO: You don't have to travel far to go shopping in a small town.
CON: It's 7:00 on Christmas Eve and you forgot a Christmas gift. The Five and Dime closed at noon.
PRO: There's plenty of fresh air when you live out in the country.
CON: You light the barbecue, and your neighbors and their families all come over with picnic foods.
PRO: You'll never get lost in a small town.
CON: Sunday drives are quite short; there's only one major road - Main Street.
PRO: Life is slower in a small town - you don't even have to set your alarm clock.
CON: You're shaken out of bed every morning when the local train rumbles past the house.
PRO: The crime rate is lower in small towns - you don't need multiple locks on the door.
CON: The Avon lady has tea on - the neighbor let her in. You introduce yourself to the neighbor.
PRO: Loud neighbors and emergency sirens won't keep you awake at night.
CON: If only those crickets would just shut up and go to sleep!
PRO: Country living allows you to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.
CON: The babbling brook lulls you to sleep. You soon memorize the way to the bathroom in the dark.
PRO: There are no subways to contend with when living in a small town.
CON: You drive for 2 hours - each way - to go from your small town home to your job in the city.
PRO: There's a lot of room for your pets to run and play in your big back yard.
CON: So much wildlife saunters in your doggie door that the game warden is #1 on your speed dial.
PRO: When you live in a small town, you can hear the sound of birds singing in the trees.
CON: There's this one nocturnal bird chirping very loudly in the tree outside your bedroom window...
PRO: There are always community groups to join - it's a great way to get to know people.
CON: You missed the PTO meeting, but your neighbor just KNEW you'd want an exchange student.
PRO: You can pitch a tent in the back yard and have a camp-out when you live in a small town.
CON: You suddenly realize that you really are counting sheep - farm yard escapees.
PRO: Without the city lights, you can really see the stars in the night sky.
CON: The moon is shining so brightly that you have to wear sunglasses and SPF 30 to bed.
PRO: You enjoy a more peaceful slumber and wake up refreshed from the country air.
CON: The smell of bacon awakens you...bacon? Oh... just the Avon lady and the neighbor...again.
PRO: Springtime is beautiful in a small town - flowers and trees are blooming everywhere.
CON: At 8:00 p.m., the only drugstore is closed. You and your bulbous red nose wait until morning.
PRO: In a small town, you don't have to put your name on a long waiting list at the beauty salon.
CON: The women and the poodles all look strangely similar: Etta's Salon & Etta's Dog Grooming.
If you're an adaptable creature and take easily to change, then going from the city life to small town living may just work for you. While they both have their good and bad points, there's nothing quite like life in the country!
