The Wonderful Reality Of Living In A Small Village.

Everyday activities become Social events.

Most mornings will see me walking my route around the Village. It is on my own, as Bob has decided I walk too fast for him ( really a good one, Bob ).

Doing mostly the same route on a daily basis, I get rather good at distinguishing the different sounds that are the norm on walks. When I hear some kind of barking in the forest, I know that that is actually a buck doing its mating call ( Men, please don't get ideas, as your " nudge nudge, wink wink " is more than enough...) !

The other sounds that are rather distinctive are car engines. Drivers always slow down when they pass me on the narrow roads, but now and again, I hear the rapid downshifting of gears that means a stop next to me. Where I lived before, the sound of a car stopping near or next to me, would have made me start a hundred meter dash to run away.

Here, in Burgenland, I actually like it when the locals stop and chat with me. It is mostly a quick " Hello " accompanied by a wave. But now and again, it is a longer conversation. As everyone knows everyone, including where they live, your life is rather an open book. But it is a two-way street, as I often pick up great bits of interesting Village ' News '.

" Birgit, what have you done with Bob ? " Gosh, I thought, what does he mean ? Like every couple we have our little fights, with maybe a loud word here or there ! You know how thoughts travel at lightning speeds ? Well that made me wondered if he heard us and thought that I cooked a batch of self-picked mushrooms...

Then it dawned on me. Bob had left to see a customer early and obviously the car was not in our yard when the local drove past.
" Oh, no, Bob has gone out to see a customer. "
" Where did he go to ? " , and so our conversation had started.

Village life is just dandy. Everyone knows what you up to and that is good. What is even better, is the fact that your neighbours care about what goes on in your life.

Biggi