Townie for Life (Day 336, Year 2)

Every year, on the day of the town Christmas lights parade, I become completely and utterly ridiculous. I am whooping and screaming for Santa and fire trucks like I am 13 years old and at a New Kids on the Block concert. I am hugging everyone and anyone who will accept the hug. I am just so filled with joy and spirit that I even make myself a little nauseous but I stuff it down BECAUSE THERE IS SANTA ON A FIRE TRUCK!!!

I mean, really, there is nothing more exciting than that. My oldest even refused to go to the first high school dance ever (thanks to the pandemic lockdown) in honor of the parade. 

It’s that wonderful.

Small towns are the inspiration for every single Hallmark movie. And I am so glad I get to live in one. 

It isn’t that everyone is your friend—trust me—everyone is not your friend (I secretly enjoy this tension, drama is like the BEST!). It is just that everyone is one thing or another, friend or foe or neither, yet, but you all live HERE and share that, so in the end, you are more friend than foe and share so many things. You share Christmas Light Parades and Block Parties and stories of very bad meals at the Tap Room (but very good bands and cocktails there) and events at the Square and gossip in the aisles of the Target Express and lunch and manicures and pedicures and running into friends you just texted at Occassionette, the best gift shop on both sides of the river (IKYK if you are from Philly or Jersey). 

In a small town, there are still new people to meet and your children often are the ones who bring you those people—and when your children grow up, like mine are, those people will still remain your friends. 

And as I always say, friendship is the best ship. 

The picture with this blog is of me with two of my friends-Kate and Melissa. There are notable missing faces—Brooke, whom was destined to be a good pal all because she read an article I wrote long before we had our kids who are friends; Jackie, who is the mother of Nick’s very first friend, Heather, Kirsten and Jenn who welcomed me to town when I knew no one, all my amazing Eldridge neighbors (Molly, Theresa, Sara, TJ, Christine, Jason, Kelly) who literally have held our family up when we were in danger of collapsing and truly are the people we know we can count on, Carolyn, who became my friend through a French trip and is my go to for future international adventures, Maria and Amanda and Allie and Courtney who have become friends through our girl scouting girls. And Megan, who I always run into and it makes my day. And Brooklyn, who is one of my most favorite people on the planet. And Paige, who knew me before and then moved here and how much I love someone who knows me outside of here but now is here. And Mia, who shows me so much love and support and music, and I don’t think she will ever know how much she means to me. And Beth, my crew mom friend, but she is just so much more. And very new friends of Chloe’s friend, Mike and Tiffany, who are the sweetest, kindness people ever. And Susan and Michele and Meredith and Emma and Gretchen and Julia and Carrie and Madeline and Marissa and Trish and and and.  .

And I am rambling and forgetting, like I am at the Academy awards, but in the end, the thing is, this small town is so big with love and wonderful people that I’d never be able to fit them all in any picture. 

And isn’t that always the way it should be—the people who you love are too numerous to fit in the frame—the love spills over and well, you know, that’s my town. 









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