Oh, my goodness, did you catch the news about the new park on Oak Street? The City Council just greenlit it—playground, picnic areas, walking paths, all that jazz—and I can't help but think back to when we used to have a park right where the old hardware store stood on the corner of 4th and Main, and you could sit on a bench and watch the world go by without worrying about a single parking meter, and another thing, I remember when the council actually listened to folks before making decisions like that instead of just rubber-stamping things like they do now, and another thing, you know how they're asking for applicants for the Public Health Board? I mean, I'm not saying I'd apply, but it's a shame they don't have a single person on there who remembers when the health department used to send out those little flyers about the free flu shots in the community center, back when we actually knew what was going on with our own health, and another thing, I'm still waiting for someone to explain why the new park has to be so far from the downtown where all the people live, but I'm sure they've got their reasons, and another thing, I was just talking to Mrs. Henderson down at the post office, and she said she's been trying to get a new mailbox for her house for months now, and they keep telling her it's not a priority, and I just can't help but think about how things have changed since the days when we all knew each other's names and someone would just fix things without waiting for a committee, and another thing, I still remember when the city used to have a community garden on the edge of town, and we all grew our own vegetables and shared them with each other, and now they're building a park where the garden used to be, and I just wonder if they'll ever build a garden again, and another thing, I'm not saying I'm against change, but I'm just saying, you know, I want to make sure they're doing it right, and another thing, I'm still waiting for the council to explain how they're going to fund all this new stuff without raising taxes on people who've lived here for decades, and another thing, I'm just going to keep my eyes on this park project and the health board, and if anything goes wrong, I'll let you know, and another thing, I'm not sure why I'm saying this, but I just feel like I'm missing something, and another thing, I'm sure I'll circle back on this next week, but for now, that's all I have to say.
That's all for this week. You know where to find me.