I live in Quakertown: a medium-sized Pennsylvanian town full of farms and football. And well, if you know me, I have always droned on and on about how I can't wait to leave Quakertown and never look back. Trust me, my opinion on that matter has never faltered, and my goals tend to stray from a typical life in suburbia, but that doesn't mean that it will ever stop being home.
My career endpoint in life seemingly changes on a daily basis, but I always picture myself caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city. I adore the city architecture, the endless museums, and the quaint coffee shops I often stumble upon, but something can be said about running through open fields and star dipping with your best friends.
So what is it that is so great about my hometown...?
1. Walking Field Trips
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This is exactly what it sounds like. Your parent signs your permission slip form gives you a couple dollars, and you walk around. If you went to Quakertown Elementary, no doubt you've gone on a billion of these. They don't sound like the most exhilarating things ever, but they were a good time and have stuck with me for so long. My favorites are definitely that time we went to a barn (yes it was just a barn, with hay in it), the Betsy Ross house replica by the Red Lion Inn, the train station, and that old house to look at the chimney. Of course, these all ended with a group stampede to Rosemary's (the best water ice place ever). What a hoot and a holler!
2. Sine's Five and Dime
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AHHHHH. I love this place so much. So, the five and dime is an expansive old store that has everything from bubblegum and toy planes to old varsity jackets and Christmas decor. You walk in, and it is pretty much a museum on everything Quakertown (plus cheap candy). They even have a food bar, which has the most delicious soda in all of PA. Last time I went, my friends and I spent literally forever looking at everything and then bought these adorable fake flowers for the unbeatable price of a dime.
3. Applebees
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Going to Applebees or Apps with my friends is one of my favorite things to do. We use to frequent the half price appetizer special with the rest of Quakertown High School after the friday night lights. Now that we're older, and I feel so fortunate that we all can go and have the chance to get together and see everyone (and who doesn't love Apps' Spinach and Artichoke dip??).
4. My Barn
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Even in it's 'you might fall through the stairs' rickety glory, my barn is a place full of nostalgic memories. I remember finally becoming old enough to help my dad bring stuff up and down through the weird door on the second level, jumping through hoops (quite literally) to get the bike I shared with my brother Andrew, and going upstairs to chill and play pool with the fam. It's just such a cute focal point to my life that reminds me of home.
Whenever I sit on 'my couch' in the family room and stare outside at it, I don't see the busted siding or the broken hinges, I see memories coming alive through the holes we never bothered to fix when my Andrew and I had a bad throw, the strange tan lines on the side from that fort I made when I was ten, and the window in the loft my brother and I constantly joked about taking out and putting a slide to our pool. It's home.
5. The Roads
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I'm terrible with direction and get lost almost everytime I entertain the idea of the subway. But there's something about Quakertown's roads that just seem so easy to drive upon. I just drive, I don't get worried, I don't gps (unlike finding a store in the city). They always seem to curve in the right direction, and even when you think you're lost, you always find your way home. When I've had a bad day I love to escape and just drive to clear my mind. If I tried that in Philly, I'd probably get more upset with the nonstop honking people love to do.
6. Landmarks
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Last but not least, there are certain things that just make Quakertown Quakertown.
For example, WALMARTTTTTT. The number of times I've been to Walmart versus the number of things I've actually bought surely don't match up. It's just a place to go. When there's nothing to do, I go to Walmart. After work, I go to Walmart. Apps?? "Sure, then Walmart". Every time I'm there, I see at the minimum six people I went to school with. I should suggest we have our high school reunion there.
Second, the ice skating rink. We don't have a real rink, but every year the fire department fills up the parking lot across from the library with about a foot of water. We pray it freezes and go work on our terrible turns and hockey dreams. One Christmas when I was younger, Andrew and I were insanely insistent to go skating even though there were two feet of snow out. Yet, my dad, being the great man he is, grabbed our skates, marshmallow coats, and huge shovel and off we went.
Q-Town also plays it's hand in nature venturing and provides us with Lake Nockamixen. Nock is a blast whether you want to bike, have a picnic, hike, or play water sports. It's very convenient (only fifteen minutes outside the borough) and accessible.
Finally, we get to the center of Quakertown. There, is it's prominent corner position, is the Bush house. No, I've never been inside the Bush House or met anyone who has been, but it is no doubt one of the most talked about spots in Quakertown. Very interesting (and sis) amiright.
And that, lady's and gents, is the big Q in all its glory.