Bless Your Heart

Last Wednesday my friend Stacy came for dinner and to see the house for the first time. On the way to dinner, and back home, I toured her through my new little town. She made some comments that I’ve thought about as we’ve been driving around since. I drove her by the big plantation houses, the farmer’s market, through downtown (the one street that it is- so cute), and all over my neighborhood. The entire tour took less than an hour. At the end she was laughing about the “bizarre little town” we live in. What do you mean? She pointed out the strange sculptures throughout the town depicting people using the textile products that built the town (there’s a lady hanging sheets to dry, a mother drying her child off with a towel, etc), the gas station that includes a mini farmer’s market and a full service butcher -“he cuts meat in a gas station!”, the sirens to warn us of nuclear attack, and the kicker- the abandoned PTL (Praise The Lord) Heritage USA complex that includes an abandoned 500 room hotel, water park complete with castle, ballrooms, promenades, retail & restaurant shells, huge parking lots- all abandoned and overgrown and in the back end of my neighborhood. Drive a little further in past streets named Trumpet Court, Gabriel Way, Heavens Drive, and you’ll see the castle themed outdoor ampitheater where they still put on “outdoor Christian dramas”.

I guess it is all a little strange. But I can’t be the only person living in a bizarre town! Am I?