We have been very lucky to have met many cool folks in the year that we have lived in this town. I remember driving through this area a few year ago and stopping at the local post office. It was like Brigadoon and shit. My local post office was crusty and mostly had an air of grump. This post office had donuts out on a table and smiling people. I always remembered that. I always thought that the town seemed really old school and Norman Rockwellish.
I never thought we would live here. Well, anyhoo we do now and it pretty much is living up to that fancy imagery in my mind. When we walk around we always see someone we know and all the local stores (many independent ones!!!) have characters in them that we have come to adore. Ms. E from the local copy shop has become one of our dearest. She hands out wisdom and taffy with ease and we seem to find an excuse to go in at least once a week. She gives me scrap paper and took me aside yesterday and told me that I had inspired her to create paper art and products with scraps too. She lifted a box and showed me beautiful To-Do lists pads she had made. There was energy between our smiles.
She also showed me something amazing in the basement. There are these old printing presses down there just collecting dust. She shared with me that she would love to learn how to print. My eyes were super wide and of course I told her that I had always wanted to learn too. We started making grand schemes and dreams and business plans in about 32 seconds. Isn't it great when you forget about reality for a moment and just dream?
Well, of course we have come back to earth now. Me and the boys went over today and bought some office supplies and talked. The man who owns the presses would sell perhaps, but just maybe we could learn how to print here and then do some printing and see what it is all about. Perhaps I could call her or her and inquire bc I know they are hip to it all. Perhaps you should do as many crazy things in life as you can. I still regret the fact that I left all those paper making frames in Athens, Ohio. I was going to start a handmade paper company 15 years ago. Whoops.
6 comments:
OK that press is SO awesome!! Can't wait to hear if you start to use it.
Oooooh I have always wanted to learn to use a printing press! Definitely on my life list. Seriously, I have been obsessed with printed goods since high school, when I published a zine and had to learn a lot about printing processes. You should buy those machines, become an expert and run workshops. I'd be there in an instant.
i want to move to your town...for sure.
Hey there Blogher pal! Very cool about the printing press. My good buddy in a musician and his grandfather had a press from like the 19-teens. He fixed it up and now uses it to hand press the cover art to his CDs. It's the really old kind where you have to hand-position all the letters and stuff.
I almost came over to see you today, but therapy got moved to another location. One of these days I'm going to pop in on you. Though, you'll probably be about town finding all the cool stuff and I'll be standing on your front steps with a frown on my face.
This post reads like a short story/John Coltrane riff; unique and wise town folk, taffy and rich with history. In case your life to do list isn't long enough, you can add 'publish a short story collection'.
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