You're so right about the "farm living" thing, Jabber! Despite living in Wisconsin's capital city, Madison, which is a very cultured place, I've learned over the years that most Easterners apparently think anything west of the Hudson River is part of the "wild west."

Even so, back where I was, about the rudest thing some of my friends could think to call someone during our high school days, was, "farmer!" As in, "he's such a farmer," which implied that one was a stupid clod.

Of course, in high school and college, I did get out to the farms of some of my parent's friends. And I was always amazed at the sophistication of these people's lives. THEY had on-premises access to in-ground swimming pools with poolside changing cabanas, that were essentially guest-houses. While I had to leave home and either go to the Y or the country club to swim...

But once I got to college, I had a number of sorority sisters who had grown up on farms. I shortly discovered they were just as cultured - and just as well-dressed -- as the city girls.

Besides which, I used to envy them the fact that whenever they needed money, they'd just call home and tell their parents to sell another one of their cows from their own personal dairy herds...

Me, I was working 10-20 hours a week for slightly over minimum wage ($1.65/hour if memory serves) in a department store, and only took home a hundred dollars a month, if that.

Of course, I didn't take into account the overhead costs in raising the cattle - I just saw the big payout - and drooled! LOL!

And you're right -- these days, people WANT to live in the country.