Notes from my hometown

Before I was a city girl, I was a small town girl. The small town in question was Red Hook, in Dutchess County, New York, right across the river from Woodstock. The area's scenic delights, apple orchards, pretty houses, and antique stores bring lots of visitors from New York City on the weekends. However, the lack of anything much to do was enough to drive this small town girl out of town before boredom took its toll.

My mom still lives in the area (which is about the only reason I ever go back). And periodically, I'll stick my nose in to get an idea of anything new happening in my hometown. Actually, several things have happened since I left: They built a multiplex theater, a Dunkin Donuts, and a Pizza Hut. There were plans to build a Shop Rite, but that didn't happen. And so far, no Starbucks; in fact, Red Hook is probably the only town on earth that doesn't have a Starbucks.

Traditionally, Dutchess County has been conservative. Never mind that its most famous residents were Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Poughkeepsie was right-wing enough to make a list of liberal-unfriendly places. (There are a whole bunch of reasons not to move to Poughkeepsie, but that's anough story.) It's worth noting that the list in question is from the 1990s.

Supposedly (and this information comes mainly from a political mailing list), Dutchess County is turning bluer. And Eliot Spitzer will be marching in this year's July 4 parade with the Dutchess County Democrats up in Hyde Park. Maybe I'll start following the news in my former hometown more. Spitzer in Dutchess County? Wow.

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