To be worried about village life already?

[AdoptedBumpkin]

Hi all. This is my first post, so be gentle.

We moved as a family from Greater London to a medium sized village in a national park a few weeks ago. While I enjoy some aspects of rural life, I am beginning to worry about some of the villagers. They seem to gossip a lot about each other and it seems probable that that they must gossip about us, if only because not much else is going on.

Yesterday I was walking through the village with my daughter and passed a local old-ish couple. I heard the lady say something about 'the gilet' and I was wearing my purple North face gilet. It may have been positive and/or throwaway, but it spooked me that something so mundane would be commented on. I am used to a life where you really have to try hard to stand out.

You will always be a newcomer in many eyes unless you were born there

God that sounds insufferable, as do the people who have commented saying 'that's village life, people talk about you'. Get something bloody better to do than gossip and gawp about other people!!! Could never do it.

Ditch the gilet for a smock.
Use baling twine to hold up your corduroy trousers.
Always have a piece of straw in your mouth.
Enter the scarecrow competition (but don't make it so good that you'll win).
Keep away from the Wicker Man event.

😳(I hope this doesn't come across 'ruralist')

This thread is 3 years old. The OP has either moved to London, or won the Pub Quiz.

Rural village life knows everything about you. The jungle drums in operation.
The good news is that when you need help, the same jungle drums are beating for you. People you barely know will turn up without being asked, to do whatever is needed, for as long as its needed, with a shrug and a wave. If your car breaks down someone will stop and drive you home. If your kids misbehave in the village someone will put them straight and let you know. If you forgot your purse, the village shop will let you take the goods without paying.

We became too boring for the city centre so we moved out to a village, we found it lovely and peaceful but boring and claustrophobic and got fed up of having to drive everywhere and all the mud. We now live in a suburb outside the city and I feel we have the best of both worlds, countryside but walk to the shops, friendly neighbours but with a bit of anonymity and privacy. Community when needed. 15 minutes to city life. Quieter than the countryside as no cows or tractors. Getting a dog is a good way of fitting in.

Oh no it's the Zombie Gilet!!

Neither has happened but it's turned out better than I thought. Amused to see this thread come back from the dead.