Blogtember day one.

 Tuesday, Sept. 3: 

Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

Where I come from.....hmm. This is an interest top for my first post since I come from the World Famous Jersey Shore. MY  Jersey Shore feels so much different than what is always on MTV or the news. Yes we did get hit really hard by Superstorm Sandy and some of us are still recovering but mostly, my jersey shore is back to what I always remember. Having been here, for 25 years, I have see a lot of changes to my small town and the area around us. I like to think I come from small town America, having the local farmer sell tomatoes out of his garage and the workers at the  local library all knew my name by the age of 3. I like that our small town has lakes and we are just a half hour away from all of the craziness that the JERSEY SHORE has to offer. I like that three towns over has a boardwalk along the Barnegat Bay and a two story gazebo, that offers amazing views of the Seaside Bridge. I enjoy the little beach towns that have  the 5 and 10 stores that seem to be forgotten in time. The way the air smells amazing as you are going over the bridge to the "Island". The way it felt winning that prize on the boardwalk that you were eyeing up all summer; My Jersey Shore is quiet in the winter, where the locals are the only ones around and the lights just blink yellow because of the traffic is basically non existent. I love the way the beach looks after a snow fall- seeing sand, snow and the ocean all in one place is basically the coolest thing I love to brag about. 

My town everyone mostly knows everyone else, or has seen them around town enough to recognize an outsider. The little late night diners are always filled with high school kids and the 4th of July fireworks at the high school is a who's who in town. The Memorial Day parade is tiny but one of the charms, I like to think that no one else really has anymore- Honoring the veterans that have, are and willing to serve. It makes me feel like I am in Small Town USA.

I think this town, for me at least, growing up acted as a bubble, which was good and bad. My grandparents bought a summer house back in the 50's and I loved going over to that house and that house had some much love it in. I always remembered where grandma hid the smartees (in the front room, 1st door on the bottom right in the ginormous china cabinet. ), where she kept the pokeno cards and chips (sliding doors in the back living room. I slammed my fingers so many times as a little kid in those doors) and where she kept the canister of sugar which i used to eat by the handful, hiding in the bathroom (which years later i found out that she always had ants in that bathroom but never knew why! oops! sorry grandma!) My memories are countless in the house and everyday I miss my grandparents more and more.

My town is quirky, small and sometimes boring but I wouldn't grow up anywhere else!