Opinion : Country life: from turtles to tighty whities

The turtle that crossed the road, still there on the way home

The other day, Dean and I were discussing country life.

Yes, it still fascinates us.

While driving to town the other day, Dean suddenly hit the brakes and said, "Did you see that?" I of course was looking for something van sized...or something like a deer...but he had spotted a huge turtle on the road.

Turtles to me, well, they don't thrill me, but I do know if you hit one with a car it makes a pretty good thump, yes, I hit one of those on this road too.

But the topic we discussed the other day had nothing to do with the animals, well, not the type that crosses our road risking their lives.

We were discussing people who live in the country and their clothing choices.

I remember when we were official "city folks" and would come out here to visit with Dean's grandpa.

Occasionally, he'd mention something about his underwear and how he either wore it in the winter under his clothes, or in the summer when it was hot he mentioned how it was sooo hot, he went outdoors to do something in his underwear.

I remember chuckling, and thinking he may be going a bit off his rocker.

Now, his underwear was the to-the-wrist-up-to-his-neck-and-down-to-his-ankles type, so more modest than most folks in their bathing suits.

After we moved out here, I remember a chat I had with a fellow country gal, which will remain annonymous, the gal mentioned how she ran outside in her bra and girdle to get the mail. Her husband was of course mortified, but the logic is always the same.

We live in the country, and can see a car coming a mile away, so I believe the thinking is, "It's the country, and no one will see you!" and there's time to take cover if you need to.

Now I can remember my mom occasionally hopping in the car in her robe to take us to school, but I'd never heard of anyone going outside in their underwear.

I haven't gotten that brave out here, and probably won't since I'm aware of Google Earth, but the topic triggered a lot of laughs.

On the sad side, the countryside is shrinking, all for "progress".

The idea that there's a place where folks have enough privacy to tour the countryside in their tighty whities if they want to, is kind of a fun bit of knowledge that I didn't know about until moving out here.

Now don't get me wrong, we aren't shooting Hanes commercials out here and the Fruit of the Loom folks aren't dancing down the road, and city folks will probably never catch the show, or we hope not, but in case you do, you can't say I didn't warn you!