Do the hustle

Hustle and bustle take on a whole new meaning this week as I observe (and participate in) last-minute holiday details being wrapped up in the final countdown.

Keenly observing that the Hanukkah celebration fades to black this year just as the curtain rises on Christmas, I carefully put away Grandma’s menorah and hung the stockings on the mantle with care.

I took a quick run into Middletown, NY to drop local poet Hillary Keel off at the train station. Having spent the last 27 years in Vienna, Austria, Ms. Keel has returned to her roots—to teach, write and ruminate—relocating to Callicoon, NY, close to where her parents still reside.

Still in “culture shock,” Hillary needed a quick trip to the city to remind herself that hustle and bustle still exist. I attempted to assure her that she could find that message here at home in the Delaware River

Valley, but she needed city lights, honking horns, rude (in my humble opinion) last minute shoppers and a Nor’easter to push that message into high gear. I just heard that she’s ready to come “home” again and will pick her up tomorrow, exhausted, over-stimulated and in need of rest. So much for city life.

I also hosted some out-of-town company over the weekend, and was given the opportunity to observe an “outsider’s” point of view. My pals tagged along as I flew about, picking up some stocking stuffers and absorbing a bit of local color along the way.

We ran to Livingston Manor, NY and met up with local Sullivan County Historian John Conway ( sullivanretrospect.com ) who, along with Bethel, NY town clerk Rita Sheehan, were addressing a nice crowd of “bookworms” at one of my favorite haunts, Hamish and Henry’s booksellers ( hamishandhenry.com ). The pair was at H & H to promote (and sign copies of) their newest works.

I find it gratifying to note that local writers and artists are so faithfully supported by their communities here in the mountains, and hope that I receive the same welcome when (and if) I get my next book off the ground. My visiting friends were “astounded” by the plethora of comings and goings as I dragged them around the region.

It’s possible that I was showing off a bit, as I take such pleasure out of illustrating the glories of life in the Catskills and often wax rhapsodic over the quality of life that the region offers. I hope that I never take these things for granted as the years stretch on.

While in the Manor, we strolled the village streets and checked out Trains on Main, soaking up some local holiday color. Back in the vehicle, back on the road and off to the Woodstock memorial site for a bit more showing off before running to The Nugget in Monticello to hear some cool live jazz and do a bit of personal eating, drinking and being merry.

As usual, we were enthusiastically greeted and enjoyed the atmosphere as I assured my guests that it is not an unusual occurrence, but more the norm, to find oneself in a place where “everyone knows your name” in this neck of the woods. Shaking their New York City heads in disbelief, my guests could not help but notice that wherever we went, I ran into friends, neighbors and even total strangers who are just plain friendly.

I assured them all that it’s a way of life up here, but am unsure that they were convinced. Apparently, one of my pals really was unbelieving (having read of my many exploits and adventures in this column) and had gone out of her way to come out this way and observe things first hand. Much to my own amusement, she picked up reams of real estate listings wherever we visited, to peruse at her leisure, back home in the big city.

I suspect that some of my friends (who don’t live here) really are jealous of our joyous zest for country living. They often declare that it’s “not for them” but take the train back to the city carefully leafing through the want ads and property listings, pausing for a moment before their own brand of hustle and bustle kicks in anew.

I know they’ll be back and encourage their visits, but it’s only a matter of time before a lucky few will pick up and move. Some will stay rooted in their cosmopolitan lives and that’s okay, too. I’ve got some shoveling to do and have to warm up the truck before I head out today in search of last minute gifts. Hustle? Bustle? I’ll take the country brand any day of the week.

Visit workingwithoutanet.blogspot.com or email jonathanfox@riverreporter.com.