[Skiplarue]

Bennington is going to give you more of the dumpy areas than Brattleboro. Keene is commutable to Bellows Falls, has lots of shops and stores and has the college energy going on. Its not Cally but...

[averysgore]

Originally Posted by Cthulhuu

What about Bennington? I think Brattleboro has the hippy thing going on. I read the reviews of the Vermont Country Deli and Brattleboro Food Coop on yelp and there was lots of venting about these prices are too high and the food is too healthy. The photos of Bennington look not very pretty or rustic, but sort like a more average place. There are museums and galleries things to do there if you type in to do in Bennigton into the search engine.

Christ, surely there's a Hannaford or Price Chopper in Brat too. Go there if you think the coop food's too healthy.

I grew up in Franklin County in the 90's, and I must say, in retrospect it's odd that it was such a big farming community, and yet I (the child of a non-farmer) barely ever ate any of what we produced! A few ears of corn, and the milk cartons at school, maybe. I like the fact that fresh local food is so readily available and popular these days.

That said, many Vermonters don't just enjoy local food, they practically build their entire lives around it. And I'll agree that (in certain places) you can feel like an outsider if you don't.

[68vette]

Originally Posted by averysgore

Christ, surely there's a Hannaford or Price Chopper in Brat too. Go there if you think the coop food's too healthy.

I grew up in Franklin County in the 90's, and I must say, in retrospect it's odd that it was such a big farming community, and yet I (the child of a non-farmer) barely ever ate any of what we produced! A few ears of corn, and the milk cartons at school, maybe. I like the fact that fresh local food is so readily available and popular these days.

That said, many Vermonters don't just enjoy local food, they practically build their entire lives around it. And I'll agree that (in certain places) you can feel like an outsider if you don't.

It makes me feel like I'm part of some fad when it comes to eating local or eating the freshest food that I can obtain. This is not a Vermont thing or even a new trend in the country, though it's made to feel that way. My family has always eaten this way. Italian cooking at it's best is VERY simple. The key is getting the best ingredients possible. Growing up we always ate what was produced locally or in our own backyard. Probably my parents being immigrants had a huge part in this. Much of the world has become Americanized, but there are vast areas and regions that are still rooted in this type of practice. It's nice to see the US getting back to it's roots as well. I think the one aspect of local produced food that has not caught up with many other regions in the world is cost.

[cloven]

Originally Posted by averysgore

surely there's a Hannaford or Price Chopper in Brat too. Go there if you think the coop food's too healthy.

FYI (or for the OP's FYI),
there's both Hannaford's & Price Chopper in Brattleboro-
and soon an Aldi's grocery is also supposed to open near the Hannaford's
(not sure when it'll be ready for customers, but construction is ongoing)

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Sadhere

Well I'm glad there is at least some people out there like you who feel similar. I feel like I'm going crazy here. I haven't been to Burlington but it probably is better than boring putney. And unfortunately it isn't an option now because of my significant other.

Rural living has some great benefits, but Vermont takes rural to a whole new level compared to rural Pennsylvania. The weather didn't bother me as much as it took forever to accomplish the smallest task. Simple things aren't simple in Vermont---like finding a place to buy a TV. I would have adjusted because I'm adaptable to new environments and quite content with myself. I guess it comes with maturity but I'm not overly needy of superficial interactions with strangers. Hanging out at a coffee shop does not sound appealing to me, especially where I would have very little in common with the other coffee shop patrons.

I think you're making the mistake of thinking that living in a small town with a coffee shop will make it more tolerable. It won't. Your happiness is inside of you. You won't be happy until you find some contentment inside yourself. I worry for you because you're already depressed prior to your delivery. It would be a good idea for you to read up on postpartum depression so you're prepared for it. Definitely get a car because being isolated will only make it worse. If I were in your situation, I'd be waking up to drive my husband to work so I wouldn't be stranded without a car.

Originally Posted by Sadhere

I swear I think Vermont and this general area is for a very specific group of people- ones who can't get enough of outdoor country activities, gardening, Eco friendly, co-ops, yoga, spinning, making maple syrup, swimming in 40 degree river water holes, freezing temperatures, yoga etc. Ugh it all gets old after a while. And yes the irony is that most of these people aren't even from Vermont.

This is interesting. Many Californians are very much like you describe---yoga, eco friendly, co-ops, etc. The others I'm aware of are superficially into physical appearances, the latest fashion, etc. If that's what you're missing, you'll never find that in Vermont. We've heard all about what you don't like doing. What type of things do you enjoy doing?

[M.Cyrus Walman]

Heb_13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:

If you are not happy where you are it is not because of things that have made you discontent but because inside your are discontented. My help would be for you to search your inner being and find out why all this is making you not content? For in this search you might find out what is really your point of discontentment and it very well might not be the things you have stated.

I remain,

MCW

[Cthulhuu]

I think if one had a coffee shop to go hang out in, I could make a huge difference. For example: drive husband to work, go to coffee shop, hang out and talk for friends for a while then go house stuff and errands. It can be depressing to be a full time housewife. In San Francisco there are coffee shops, but you don't see the same people there and there is nothing to having coffee alone in a coffee shop.

But, in Livermore, there is a cafe that the same people go there in the morning and hang out. They were all friendly and talked to me. I asked them about that. They would meet there and they would welcome new people also. Livermore is about an hour from san francisco, but has a small town feel. People can own horses. Horses are big in Livermore. There is cowboy vibe going on there.

Kenne sounds right, but that is New Hampshire isn't it? So, it would not really be Vermont.

Another thing is if you live a place that is not too big, but not too small, you can maybe find a group of ladies who do crafting and sewing and have like a sewing circle or a book club. Or a film watching club. If there is a small movie house that shows art films. The club members can get together and watch the films then meet in a cafe to discuss the. There are lots of possibilities. Sometimes one has to force oneself to seek them out. Brattleboro has art things going on there.

[northcountrywood]

The human animal has the ability to adapt to almost any situation successfully. It's all about your will to adapt. The OPs wants things that are not available in her area. It's not an uncommon situation for people new to VT. Seen this with many people over the years in many different places. Some stay and make the best of it, some leave and never look back.

My only suggestion to the op is decide where you want to be. If VT isn't your cup of tea, figure out where would be and try to get there. If you have no choice on where you can go the only option is to adapt...and a positive attitude is the first step. If you concentrate on what you don't like rather than what you do, it's destined to fail.

While my family is originally from the NEK, I've been a transplant in 7 different states and 2 Canadian Provinces and know what you're going thru.

[harpoonalt]

Big country out there. Go find what you're looking for, get jobs (the hard part) and go be happy! Just the act of looking and researching for a new place means you're moving forward and that's what you need to do. Stop complaining, get off your butt and make changes. Lifes too short to be miserable.
Just make sure the real problem isn't you. Lot's of times people blame unhappiness on their location only to find out after moving that nothings changed. Some people can be unhappy living in Disneyland. . I hope you find what you're looking for!

[Cthulhuu]

I do agree but sometimes it is not possible to make the best of the situation if the situation is too difficult. So moving to a place with a coffee shop or maybe to Brattleboro or Kenne is better then trying to tough it out. OP can't take anti depressants, it is not good for the baby. But, it is important for new mothers not to be depressed. Depression runs in my family, so I have a lot experience dealing with it. I found having friends and taking some hobby or interest like even needle point, just anything is very helpful, then just living day to day, cleaning the house, that is a very depressing in itself.