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Wednesday, January 10, 2007

But, we already have one!

Growing up in a Suburb, besides playing in the big ditch, there was a sand pit {a.k.a. open pit sand mine} just on the outskirts, that a few of us pre-teens liked to go skinny dipping in. Of course it was a matter of securing a ride from a teenager, usually a boy, and sneaking out in the middle of the night. A small group of us would go during the winter hours. This insured that there wouldn't be too many people there to disturb us, or catch anyone's attention that might have thought what we were doing was wrong and dangerous. The water was always warm, no matter when you went, it never froze over. So many dark hours spent swimming, and giggling in the buff, it was rebellion to the fullest for us young, will be doing worse later in life, suburban pre-teens. Then we could get into the body image problems that came from this, like the fact that I was the only girl that seemed to be, um. . . developing. Though my friends never gave me a hard time about it as I have seen with other groups of girls, instead I was the one that procured the rides from the teen boys. Good thing I still thought boys were yucky at that time, too much of a tomboy.

Moving out here, we took away the local temptation to go skinny dipping in a sandpit from my own boys. There was one, but it is so distant that one of the rivers that we sit between would be a bigger lure. Of course I have concern about that, but I also know that it will happen, and it isn't an experience I really don't want to deny them. {it's hard to rebellion against parents like us}. Teen parties at the bluff was a big part of my growing up.

By this time I am sure you are wondering why I am going on and on about childhood, sandpits, and rivers. Two years ago they put in a sandpit three miles away from us, less than a mile from a river. The proposal was announced, the community voiced our concerns, informed them we didn't want them here because of the trucks, noise and pollution. They put one in anyway. Sunday, while at the neighborhood meeting, I discovered that they were going to put in a sandpit less than a mile from my land. WHAT!?! It was announced, but not as publically as the first one was, and time had already expired to voice opposition. Now there seems to be nothing I can do about it.

I did some research about water pollution and sandpits, levels of arsenic and barium where found in well water, yet levels were too low to be considered dangerous to anyone but children under 22 lbs, makes me feel safe. I don't want all the noise from the trucks, the dust they will kick up, and their speeding. {They all seem to speed} Gravel/sand trucks scare me. I watched a motorcyclist get ran off the road by one. We were on the highway, my husband pulled over, while a very pregnant me ran across 4 lanes to help the biker. My husband raced after the truck driver and brought him back to the scene. I watched as a gravel truck swerved along a highway and side swipe a diesel, the diesel went onto the shoulder while the side mirror went to the other. The driver of that truck never stopped, nor slowed down. I have been close to getting hit by one, he ran a red light.

This area has children, horse back riders, and us {bikers}. We never thought we would face this kind of concern. My neighbors worry about what happens when the sandpit is no longer useful. Expensive homes get put in, and those new homeowners will throw a fit about all the old homes and trailers in the line of sight, forcing us out. We have seen it over and over, and my sister-in-law is going through it currently.

There goes my quiet country life.

8 comments:

Caroline said...

They only recently built a bunch of McMansions where my riding trails used to be. Even before that, in a rural small town of less than 5000 people (at the time) we had people complaining when we had horses... Those kind of people need to just stay in the city or suburb instead of trying to bring their citified values here (like our current lawn-obsessed neighbor).

Wendy said...

We had a sandpit in the woods behind our house when we first moved here. It was turned into a driving range, but only so that it would be easier for the owner to get permission to develop it with McMansions ... which he is currently in the process of doing. We're moving ... and none too soon :). I'm sorry to hear it's happening to you. Seems the urban sprawl and suburbanization of all of rural America is rampant. It's such a shame.

Anonymous said...

Suck.

I wish for you an eventual accomplishment of your dream, even if it isn't on your current land.

Marina

Anonymous said...

That blows they're putting one up right the hell by you...don'tcha just love how they hush hush that crap and push it through. ugh.

The Fool said...

It sucks, and it's tough to be optimistic in the face of such trends, but thankfully you have found out before building. Hang in. You'r keen, and you'll make your place. In many ways, it's "been there too"...from s-dipping @ a place called Troll's Hole as a teen..to setting up keggers at The Pits...to being forced to witness too many times the evolution of gravel pit to McMansion...to being an "us." Keep kicking back, Phelan. Make your place.

Anonymous said...

I am sorry you are going through this. In our area it is landfills that are the problem.

I think you are correct on your comments about our chickens. They are likely eating them, for whatever they get out of the shells. It is just interesting that there are no remains of the eaten eggs. I guess anything is possible though.

Ellie

Phelan said...

Caroline, McMansions, love it! There seems to be a big trend for people to move to rural areas. Growing up I was taught that I couldn't force my lifestyle on others, but these people were never taught that. You should know what the area looks like before buying, just because you like that house doesn't mean you'll like the area. They do need to go back to the city

Wendy, I am sorry to hear that. we are going to go ahead with building, and then sell it later to move out of this county. I fear that this entire county will become nothing but a large city.

Marina, thanks, yet another reason I luv ya.

bug, I am tired of them being so sneaky. But it doesn't have to be hush hush, they push it through anyway. Nice to see you back around.

The Fool, it's nice not being alone, even if you are a country away. :D

Elli, this county doesn't have a landfill. They clsed it a few years ago and are trying to push our trash off on another rural community. It's heartbreaking.

If their are no shells, that means something is taking them off whole. Get a live trap and place an egg inside of it. That will tell you who it is, be it cat, dog snake, or skunk. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Ugh. What bad news. At least you found this out before you started building. Even though you won't be building your dream house this will make it even easier to move when the time comes.

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