THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO LIVE THAN SOUTH COUNTY, RHODE ISLAND

-4 DEGREES OVER NARRAGANSETT BAY

It’s the beginning of March – the winter of 2015 has been one for the record books.  Blizzards have invaded our lands on a weekly basis along with temperatures that can take your breath away.  There are mounds of snow in every unused space and even the spaces that are needed.  The internet is alive with chatter regarding “why do we live here?”  “when will this all stop?” We look at each other and shake our heads in disbelief that it’s snowing again or there is another one on the way.  The roads are treacherous with pot holes that can swallow your car and frost heaves that send you tightly into your seatbelt.  Today we turned the clocks ahead, we spring forward, and there is no denying that the day light hours have been getting longer.  A glimmer of hope maybe…the 7 day forecast calls for high temperatures above freezing almost every day.  Melting snow and some warm sun on your face sure can turn a poor attitude.  Isn’t it true that when you are very hungry that the meal tastes better?  Or that beer when your mouth feels like it is filled with cotton?  Isn’t it also true that when you have a vacation planned the anticipation is a big part of the fun? So, assuming this is gospel let us just imagine how wonderful the coming Spring will be!  We will be preparing our boats for the water, dusting off the beach chairs that survived last summer, pulling the golf clubs and tennis racquets out from behind the winter coats, and putting the Frisbee in the beach bag.  Many of us will push the limits and put the beach chairs in the melting snow mounds much too soon but the sun will feel glorious on our goose bumped bodies.  I for one will be smiling remembering the Winter texts from my Sister in California “It’s 75 and sunny today” as she makes her way back to her summer cottage in Narragansett.  But will this Summer be as sweet for her or for all the snowbirds that flock South to escape the New England weather?  I think not.  It will be sweet for us.  The men and women who stuck it out.  The ones who helped their neighbor shovel their driveway and front step.  The ones who let the other car go first because they couldn’t see around that snow pile or there wasn’t enough room for two cars to get by.  This will be a very sweet Spring, Summer, and Fall for sure.

I have only lived away from South County for a few months in my life. Having attended Narragansett High School and receiving a BA in Economics from URI and living in Newport on occasion I signed a 12 month lease in Providence while working in Attleboro in the late 80’s.  I had a momentary lapse of good judgment and thought the drive wasn’t worth it.  After being broken into twice (they stole my air conditioner!)  I was able to renegotiate my lease with the landlord and headed back to South County.   I am fortunate enough to have traveled a fair amount and what I found was that most places didn’t have what we have here.  As you can probably tell by now I am not much of a writer but this part is particularly difficult to put into words.  What I found was that people just didn’t have the same connectivity that I feel here.   The connection to the people of South County.  Not just some of the people of South County but all the people of South County: the Townies, the Tourist (who appreciate what we have here), the Students (many who have stayed after graduation), the Swamp Yankees (whatever that means), the elderly and the young.  Just as the tourist leave the URI students arrive and keep our town “alive” – alive with youthful energy that help trigger our fond memories of our own younger days and keep our restaurants and businesses open.  Besides the obvious physical benefits of where we live it is this intricate and diverse web of people and our connection that make South County the best place to live. 


Dale Denelle