Friday, June 21, 2013

City Mouse in a Small Town

I am not going to deny this - I'm a city girl.

I was born in a crazy loud city.

I was raised in another crazy loud city.

The closest to outside of the city that I lived in was the "suburbs" so to speak but even there it was packed with people, cars, and shopping centers.

You didn't know who your neighbors were and if you did you made sure to make every attempt to avoid them and you better be sure your door was locked with not only the deadbolt but also the chain on the top of the door. Some houses even went as far as having bars on the windows and doors.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the ghetto by any means at all.

For some reason there was a time where bars were actually considered decorative - who knew?!

Shuffling between condos, townhouses, and single family residences on zero lots was how I grew up.

If you saw someone that you knew at the grocery store it was a miracle on most occasions.

There were just that many people!

I always thought that small town living wasn't for me. How could it be? Living in a place like this?





And without a McDonald's, Starbucks, or Wendy's on every corner?

No, sorry, not happening.

But then it did.

I moved here...




Living on an island is just like living in a small town.

The business are owned by families and have been for years.

You can't walk into the grocery store without bumping into a neighbor, co-worker, bank teller, etc.

Everybody knows everybody!

On Father's Day I ran into people that I know from work and somehow they know my father from years ago and remember him telling them stories about me.

Its like they already knew me.

The local bars and watering holes know us by name and food order.

They can tell the locals from the tourists.

Everything is on the main road because really, there is only one road in and one road out. The side roads are for residential areas.

Our down town/city area is Key West. Another small island where everyone knows everyone and you can point out the locals from a tourist a mile away as well.

No sky scrapers there. Just historic sites and bars/restaurants. See..






I have to say, I love it!

I didn't think I would to be honest.

I remember saying as a child that I could never move to the Keys. Even as I got older and when I was first married I said that it wasn't the place for me.

Now, I couldn't think of living anywhere else.

Disclaimer: all of these images were found via a Bing images search for Big Pine Key and Key West - I did not take any of these photos. <<< This is still against the Digital Millenium Copyright Act therefore I have removed the images

11 comments:

  1. Now that just makes me want to go visit. :)

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    1. Well, you are more than welcome to come for a visit! You'll love it!! Just rent the electric cars, not the scooters, those are dangerous and locals love to play chicken with them, just for fun ;-)

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  2. Love this!
    I grew up in a small town and couldn't WAIT to get out. Now that I live in a big city I can't wait for the day when I can return to the life that I grew up knowing.

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  3. I would love to live in a place like that. I grew up in a small town that is now a massive city with a McDonalds...who knew.
    My husband and I always talked about moving to the country when we started a family...and here we are...still in the city.
    Oh well. At least I have McDonalds when I'm on my period.

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  4. Our town is little and big at the same time. It seems like I know a lot of people here, and I like that!

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    1. That's great when you have a balance like that - just enough little and just enough big. That's kinda like what Key West is for us down here. It's big because of the tourists so it has a little more to offer but I like my little island.

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  5. Oh, I think I'd absolutely love living there. I grew up in the suburbs and I'm used to that kind of life, but I think I am a small town girl at heart. I lived in a small town for 4 years in college and I loved it. (but we did not have a clothing optional bar!) --Lisa

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    1. Of course the clothing optional comment came from you! LOL I remember visiting here as a kid and I hated it thinking that there was nothing to do and now that my kids come here I am taking them to the beach regularly and they love it. They are no longer asking me to watch TV or play on the computer. They ask "when can we play in the ocean?"

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  6. Sounds amazing, Krystal!
    I grew up in a small town, we didn't have a McDonald's until I was 12, I think.
    I live in the city now. And I'm craving some quiet that we never seem to get here.

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  7. Looks like a little piece of heaven to me. Except on New Year's Eve. I did not enjoy my New Year's Eve in Key West. But there is a long story behind that.

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    1. That would be an interesting story to hear. The big drinking holidays do tend to get a bit crazy here in Key West but I do have to admit that our community tries its best to keep things as safe as possible...now Fantasy Fest - that is insanity at its finest!

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