by Meredith Linley
I love flea markets. Now, take that with a grain of salt though because you won’t find me out the door at 6:00am on a Saturday morning ready to be the first one there to peruse that days wares. However if it fits into my Saturday morning schedule a flea market trip is always good for my soul.
Citrus County has several good flea markets, however given my work schedule Howard’s Flea Market in Homosassa is my main spot. I love that place; the cinnamon rolls, the footlong corndogs, the fresh produce. (I really don’t have a problem with food addiction I swear.) Any place that sells plants, books of all kinds, kitchen gadgets, and cowboy hats under one roof is my kind of joint.
Howard’s Flea Market to me is the quintessential flea market. The have a variety of homemade goods, vintage finds, and new products. There is everyone from people who are there every week to people who are there once a year. The produce and plants are beyond compare and the local crafts and arts are hard to beat. Trust me on this one, I’ve seen my fair shares of flea markets. There’s one in Jacksonville that only sells poor quality knock-off handbags, day old bread, and pictures of Michael Corleone accented with plastic AK-47s in a frame.
One thing I particularly love about Howard’s are the “fixtures” there. When I came back to the community I had no doubt that Ms. Avon Marge would still be there, and she was with her usual smile and great line of Skin So Soft products. I also held confidence that the corndog guy and cinnamon roll shop would still be there – and they were.
Perhaps my love of flea markets stems from my deep down desire to be a “yard-sale-er”, but I’ve just never been able to. Yard sales feel like an intrusion on someone’s personal space plus I’m just not a haggler. I try to be non confrontation with strangers at all times, unless the stranger is a Gator fan then its all fair game. Since flea markets are in public places I feel more comfortable.
I will admit, I’m a professional people watcher. I could sit and watch people for hours. If you sit at Howard’s for any period of time (I recommend getting a batch of hot fresh mini donuts and an ice cold root beer while you do) you will see a lot of wonderful people. People from Citrus County bumping into each other, people whose kids played tee ball together in the 80’s or people who used to fish together as kids in Old Homosassa before Yulee Drive was paved.
Highways across the nation are dotted with flea markets every few exits. You can stop off and find oddities and treasure at any one, but at a place like Howard’s you’ll find a community gathering spot. It’s a place that offers more than trinkets and treasures to its customers and it’s just one more reason I love Citrus County.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Reasons Why #7 - it's the best place to grow up!
by Meredith Linley
A massive event occurred this summer. It wasn’t the lunar eclipse, or the release of Harry Potter 6. It wasn’t even the passing of the King of Pop. It was the ten year reunion of the Crystal River High School Class of 1999.
I can personally attest to the massiveness of this event because I was the gullible nitwit – err, blessed person, who planned the whole event (although I did have the assistance of a great reunion committee). Sometime in high school I apparently was absent at a Student Government meeting and this responsibility was laid upon me and for the past ten years all my friends from high school didn’t let me forget it.
However, when I started planning this event well over a year ago I had no idea that I would be newly relocated back to this wonderful county of ours. As the weekend approached (and my stress limit sky rocketed) I began to wonder how people were going to react to my moving back home. I assumed most people would think that I was crazy for wanting to come back to my beloved hometown and I prepared responses in my head for the naysayers.
But do you know what happened? My friends approached me all weekend and approved of the move. Guys would come up to me quietly and say things like “I’m jealous, I wish I could move back.” One of my football player friends said “I love Crystal River, I miss it here.” I was shocked and pleased.
Over the weekend, conversations of moving back home were a main topic. I realized most of my friends would be back here in a heartbeat if they could. And others have plans to move back in the coming years. The reason for this is that it was such a wonderful place to grow up; it’s the place we all want to raise our kids.
That being said I figured it would be best to use their words to explain why this community ranks so high with us. So with no further adieu, here are our Reasons Why We Loved Growing Up in Citrus County presented by the CRHS Class of 1999.
“I loved growing up in Citrus County because where else can you have that much fun on the water and in the woods. Also, I knew that everyone's parents watched out for me as if they were mine because people actually care in Crystal River.” said Lisa Hotchkiss, who lives in Fort Lauderdale and recently completely her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy.
“I loved growing up in Citrus County because there is nothing like having roots from a small town! Being from a small town usually means that you stay with the same group of people throughout your school years and develop strong, lasting relationships. Look at our reunion for example, I can't put in to words how much a lot of those people mean to me and there is no way that you could have that same experience growing up in a "big city".” said Meghan (Bailey) Pitzer who is an elementary school teacher and lives in Apopka.
Rebecca Austin, who lives in Tampa and is an accountant for the Moffit Cancer Center said she loved growing up here because, “The fact the Crystal River only had ONE "Crystal River High School". We were the town; it's why we have such a wide and great group of friends, even after 10 years we easily come back together.”
“I loved growing up in Citrus County because it was a place you know they (high school friends) had your back and you had their back. People could only wish they had what we had in Citrus County. I loved growing up here I would never want to change any of it.”, said Bryan Hinote, who currently is living in St. Petersburg but seriously contemplating a move back to Crystal River.
Maggie Gunther who works at Florida Atlantic University and lives in Fort Lauderdale said, “Knowing any time you leave the house you'd run in to a familiar face and the fact that our teachers cared about the type of education we were getting.” were a few of the reasons why she enjoyed growing up here.
Jonathan Sullivan, who now works for Marriott International in Memphis, TN, (and whose mother makes the best sweet tea in the world) echoed Gunther’s comments; “Something you will always find in a small town is a warm smile and a familiar face. Aside from the people, who wouldn’t enjoy what the coastal waterways here have to offer.”
Even though I try, I really couldn’t have said it better myself. Having a wonderful childhood is definitely one of the reasons I love this community, but having a group of amazing friends who are still there for me all these years later is a reason why I have a wonderful life.
A massive event occurred this summer. It wasn’t the lunar eclipse, or the release of Harry Potter 6. It wasn’t even the passing of the King of Pop. It was the ten year reunion of the Crystal River High School Class of 1999.
I can personally attest to the massiveness of this event because I was the gullible nitwit – err, blessed person, who planned the whole event (although I did have the assistance of a great reunion committee). Sometime in high school I apparently was absent at a Student Government meeting and this responsibility was laid upon me and for the past ten years all my friends from high school didn’t let me forget it.
However, when I started planning this event well over a year ago I had no idea that I would be newly relocated back to this wonderful county of ours. As the weekend approached (and my stress limit sky rocketed) I began to wonder how people were going to react to my moving back home. I assumed most people would think that I was crazy for wanting to come back to my beloved hometown and I prepared responses in my head for the naysayers.
But do you know what happened? My friends approached me all weekend and approved of the move. Guys would come up to me quietly and say things like “I’m jealous, I wish I could move back.” One of my football player friends said “I love Crystal River, I miss it here.” I was shocked and pleased.
Over the weekend, conversations of moving back home were a main topic. I realized most of my friends would be back here in a heartbeat if they could. And others have plans to move back in the coming years. The reason for this is that it was such a wonderful place to grow up; it’s the place we all want to raise our kids.
That being said I figured it would be best to use their words to explain why this community ranks so high with us. So with no further adieu, here are our Reasons Why We Loved Growing Up in Citrus County presented by the CRHS Class of 1999.
“I loved growing up in Citrus County because where else can you have that much fun on the water and in the woods. Also, I knew that everyone's parents watched out for me as if they were mine because people actually care in Crystal River.” said Lisa Hotchkiss, who lives in Fort Lauderdale and recently completely her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy.
“I loved growing up in Citrus County because there is nothing like having roots from a small town! Being from a small town usually means that you stay with the same group of people throughout your school years and develop strong, lasting relationships. Look at our reunion for example, I can't put in to words how much a lot of those people mean to me and there is no way that you could have that same experience growing up in a "big city".” said Meghan (Bailey) Pitzer who is an elementary school teacher and lives in Apopka.
Rebecca Austin, who lives in Tampa and is an accountant for the Moffit Cancer Center said she loved growing up here because, “The fact the Crystal River only had ONE "Crystal River High School". We were the town; it's why we have such a wide and great group of friends, even after 10 years we easily come back together.”
“I loved growing up in Citrus County because it was a place you know they (high school friends) had your back and you had their back. People could only wish they had what we had in Citrus County. I loved growing up here I would never want to change any of it.”, said Bryan Hinote, who currently is living in St. Petersburg but seriously contemplating a move back to Crystal River.
Maggie Gunther who works at Florida Atlantic University and lives in Fort Lauderdale said, “Knowing any time you leave the house you'd run in to a familiar face and the fact that our teachers cared about the type of education we were getting.” were a few of the reasons why she enjoyed growing up here.
Jonathan Sullivan, who now works for Marriott International in Memphis, TN, (and whose mother makes the best sweet tea in the world) echoed Gunther’s comments; “Something you will always find in a small town is a warm smile and a familiar face. Aside from the people, who wouldn’t enjoy what the coastal waterways here have to offer.”
Even though I try, I really couldn’t have said it better myself. Having a wonderful childhood is definitely one of the reasons I love this community, but having a group of amazing friends who are still there for me all these years later is a reason why I have a wonderful life.
Monday, August 24, 2009
In the blink of an eye four years go by
Here are a few photos from Kendall's recent 4th birthday. 4 years old, how the heck did that happen? I mean last week I was changing diapers and fishing obscure objects out of her mouth on a daily basis. Now she writes the grocery list for me and will probably be reading by Christmas. She's smarter than half the people I work with and will probably be smarter than me by kindergarten. She's definitely a handful but its worth it.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Reason's Why #6 - FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!!
by Meredith Linley
Have you ever noticed how people remember cities from the restaurants they have? Whenever conversation of a visit to a city comes up, usually food is involved. “I was in New Orleans for a conference last weekend.”, is usually answered with, “Did you go to (insert any restaurant)? The have the best (insert any type of food) ever!”.
This can be said of our community. Everybody knows where to go to get the best garlic crabs, deli sandwich, and Chinese food around these parts. And when you are gone for an extended period of time, you crave those things. Now I love food, so for me I’ve craved all the specialties from Citrus County for the better part of the past decade.
Part of the reason I accepted my job was because of the proximity of my office to several of my favorite eateries. The best desserts in town at Cafe on the Avenue are literally around the corner, the best french fries and salads can be found five blocks north at Crackers Bar & Grill, and a Philly to rival those found on the street corners in Pennsylvania are about a five minute walk south at Taste of Philly. My all-time favorite though are the subs from Brooklyn Deli.
My first day of work, it was a no brainer what to get for lunch. I’d even dreamed about how wonderful the sub would be (and trust me – it so was!). While I was in this local deli waiting for my favorite sandwich to be made (Brooklyn Bomber hold the onions), I made a quick update to my Facebook account. “Meredith is having a Brooklyn Deli Brookln Bomber."
This quick update sparked an afternoon of jealousy that spanned the whole nation. Seriously, my Facebook friends who are from Citrus County but aren’t currently living here immediately started responding. “I’m jealous.” “I hate you.” “Those sandwiches are worth a visit back to Citrus County.” were just a few of the dozen or so comments I received.
Working for the Chamber I come in contact with hundreds of tourists and passerby’s each month. One of the first questions they ask is “Where is a good restaurant?”. This is my cue to go on ad naseum over the large variety of fantastic local eateries.
Lack of chain restaurants seems to be a commonplace complaint about our community. Who needs them, that’s what I say. You can get the best Greek salad served with American pride at a MargaritaGrill in Homosassa on the river, the best duck fingers you ever tasted at Coach's pub in downtown Inverness, and there are more than a few places around here that serve wings to rival any Hooters or WingHouse (Sportsters, Tug's, the Cove - need I go on?).
The icing on the cake with the restaurants around here is that they are almost all local. Locally owned and operated, employing locals, and paying local taxes. You can keep your big chain restaurants; I’ve got more than a few reasons why I’ll choose our homegrown specialties over nationwide standards any day.
Have you ever noticed how people remember cities from the restaurants they have? Whenever conversation of a visit to a city comes up, usually food is involved. “I was in New Orleans for a conference last weekend.”, is usually answered with, “Did you go to (insert any restaurant)? The have the best (insert any type of food) ever!”.
This can be said of our community. Everybody knows where to go to get the best garlic crabs, deli sandwich, and Chinese food around these parts. And when you are gone for an extended period of time, you crave those things. Now I love food, so for me I’ve craved all the specialties from Citrus County for the better part of the past decade.
Part of the reason I accepted my job was because of the proximity of my office to several of my favorite eateries. The best desserts in town at Cafe on the Avenue are literally around the corner, the best french fries and salads can be found five blocks north at Crackers Bar & Grill, and a Philly to rival those found on the street corners in Pennsylvania are about a five minute walk south at Taste of Philly. My all-time favorite though are the subs from Brooklyn Deli.
My first day of work, it was a no brainer what to get for lunch. I’d even dreamed about how wonderful the sub would be (and trust me – it so was!). While I was in this local deli waiting for my favorite sandwich to be made (Brooklyn Bomber hold the onions), I made a quick update to my Facebook account. “Meredith is having a Brooklyn Deli Brookln Bomber."
This quick update sparked an afternoon of jealousy that spanned the whole nation. Seriously, my Facebook friends who are from Citrus County but aren’t currently living here immediately started responding. “I’m jealous.” “I hate you.” “Those sandwiches are worth a visit back to Citrus County.” were just a few of the dozen or so comments I received.
Working for the Chamber I come in contact with hundreds of tourists and passerby’s each month. One of the first questions they ask is “Where is a good restaurant?”. This is my cue to go on ad naseum over the large variety of fantastic local eateries.
Lack of chain restaurants seems to be a commonplace complaint about our community. Who needs them, that’s what I say. You can get the best Greek salad served with American pride at a MargaritaGrill in Homosassa on the river, the best duck fingers you ever tasted at Coach's pub in downtown Inverness, and there are more than a few places around here that serve wings to rival any Hooters or WingHouse (Sportsters, Tug's, the Cove - need I go on?).
The icing on the cake with the restaurants around here is that they are almost all local. Locally owned and operated, employing locals, and paying local taxes. You can keep your big chain restaurants; I’ve got more than a few reasons why I’ll choose our homegrown specialties over nationwide standards any day.
Reasons Why #5 - Finding comfort in coming home
by Meredith Linley
This week would have marked the 30th birthday of an extremely close friend of mine. This week would have been one of celebration, maybe a girl’s trip to Vegas or a cruise with a huge group of family and friends. Unfortunately a tragic accident occurred over six years ago and she was taken from us far before her time.
Many people in this community were affected by the death of this bright young lady. She was a great role model in this community. An involved businesswoman, a great mother, and a wonderful friend to many.
I recently faced the fact that I never dealt with her death. Since shortly after she died I moved away, I closeted my grief and continued on with life. Sure I kept the pictures in frames and thought about her frequently. I even got a tattoo to remind me of her on a daily basis. In all honesty though, I never truly dealt with the fact that she was gone forever.
Now I’m home, back in the place where we met, became close friends, and made a million memories. For the first week I was back found myself crying a lot. When I passed a restaurant we used to frequent, drove past her office, and the first time I saw a picture of her daughter (who has now grown into a beautiful young lady in the spitting image of her momma) – tears welled up.
Then I realized something. The reason it was so hard to handle was because the reasons I loved her are all over the place around here. She’s here, whether in body or spirit. And that’s when the comfort came.
Even though our friendship was over the span of a few short years, she managed to teach me so many things. Seeing the pride she had in being a part of this close knit community made me want to be a part of it. Watching her raise her daughter taught me things about motherhood that I hold with me daily. The way she unconditionally loved her family and friends was something I was always envious of, a skill I will never perfect to the extent she did.
It’s difficult at best to drive past her old job and not think about the hundreds of afternoons we would spend there or to go to Applebee’s and not think about all the times we would grab a beer before heading home for the day. I’m quite confident the first time I make an evening out to Midnight Rodeo in Ocala, I’ll probably have tears. Until I make the mandatory stop at Steak and Shake on the way home, then I’ll burst into uncontrollable laughter.
I’m so grateful now to be able to be back home; relive the memories and remember her life every day. It’s no longer tears of sadness that well up, it’s more the tears of joy that I was lucky enough to be a small part of her life. She loved this community and she was a reason why I do too. MLW, you are surely missed but not nearly forgotten.
This week would have marked the 30th birthday of an extremely close friend of mine. This week would have been one of celebration, maybe a girl’s trip to Vegas or a cruise with a huge group of family and friends. Unfortunately a tragic accident occurred over six years ago and she was taken from us far before her time.
Many people in this community were affected by the death of this bright young lady. She was a great role model in this community. An involved businesswoman, a great mother, and a wonderful friend to many.
I recently faced the fact that I never dealt with her death. Since shortly after she died I moved away, I closeted my grief and continued on with life. Sure I kept the pictures in frames and thought about her frequently. I even got a tattoo to remind me of her on a daily basis. In all honesty though, I never truly dealt with the fact that she was gone forever.
Now I’m home, back in the place where we met, became close friends, and made a million memories. For the first week I was back found myself crying a lot. When I passed a restaurant we used to frequent, drove past her office, and the first time I saw a picture of her daughter (who has now grown into a beautiful young lady in the spitting image of her momma) – tears welled up.
Then I realized something. The reason it was so hard to handle was because the reasons I loved her are all over the place around here. She’s here, whether in body or spirit. And that’s when the comfort came.
Even though our friendship was over the span of a few short years, she managed to teach me so many things. Seeing the pride she had in being a part of this close knit community made me want to be a part of it. Watching her raise her daughter taught me things about motherhood that I hold with me daily. The way she unconditionally loved her family and friends was something I was always envious of, a skill I will never perfect to the extent she did.
It’s difficult at best to drive past her old job and not think about the hundreds of afternoons we would spend there or to go to Applebee’s and not think about all the times we would grab a beer before heading home for the day. I’m quite confident the first time I make an evening out to Midnight Rodeo in Ocala, I’ll probably have tears. Until I make the mandatory stop at Steak and Shake on the way home, then I’ll burst into uncontrollable laughter.
I’m so grateful now to be able to be back home; relive the memories and remember her life every day. It’s no longer tears of sadness that well up, it’s more the tears of joy that I was lucky enough to be a small part of her life. She loved this community and she was a reason why I do too. MLW, you are surely missed but not nearly forgotten.
Monday, August 10, 2009
30 second recap
On the odd chance that there are people out there who don't know what's going on with my life (and actually read this silly little thing) - heres the recap of the last 90 days in about 30 seconds.
Back in February I got a call about the CEO position of the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce. The interview process was long, fun, and hard at the same time. I made the final three applicants and then came in runner up. I resigned to not moving back home and started looking for more campaign clients in Jacksonville. 2 weeks after I didn't get the job I got a call from the guy who did get the job. He was offering me a management position with the Chamber. It was a lot to think about, but in the end I decided it was absolutely worth it and I was ready to relocate back to my hometown. Kendall and I moved down on Memorial Day weekend and are loving it. Work is stressful on some days but it was a great career decision and I'm excited to bring about positive change in Citrus County. We have our own place now (after living at a good friends ranch for the first month or so) and are finding our niche. We've rekindled lots of old friendships but have also made some new ones. Adjusting to life without Target and Starbucks is a lot easier than I imagined and life is good!
Back in February I got a call about the CEO position of the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce. The interview process was long, fun, and hard at the same time. I made the final three applicants and then came in runner up. I resigned to not moving back home and started looking for more campaign clients in Jacksonville. 2 weeks after I didn't get the job I got a call from the guy who did get the job. He was offering me a management position with the Chamber. It was a lot to think about, but in the end I decided it was absolutely worth it and I was ready to relocate back to my hometown. Kendall and I moved down on Memorial Day weekend and are loving it. Work is stressful on some days but it was a great career decision and I'm excited to bring about positive change in Citrus County. We have our own place now (after living at a good friends ranch for the first month or so) and are finding our niche. We've rekindled lots of old friendships but have also made some new ones. Adjusting to life without Target and Starbucks is a lot easier than I imagined and life is good!
Reasons Why #4 - Creative Community Playground
In the spring of 1995, a group of community leaders, elected officials, a corporate playground construction company, and a bunch of elementary and middle schools sat in a room at Crystal River Middle School. The playground company presented a plan to build a community playground in Crystal River. This playground would benefit the entire community, be built of recycled and donated materials, and be constructed with the blood sweat and tears of the community. To ensure that the children of the community would utilize this playground – they sought our opinion.
In the spring of 1995 I was in that meeting and throughout the fall of 1995 I assisted in building that playground. Initially getting involved seemed like an easy way to get some of the needed community service hours I would need to graduate high school, but the further into the process we (the group of friends and I who worked on the project) really began to have fun. If my memory serves me correctly it only took a few weekends of construction work after months of planning to construct. Until recently I just chalked it up to another life experience, an ice breaker perhaps. How many people do you know who have built a playground?
Now it’s so much more than that. Not only is it in my direct line of sight from my new office digs, it’s now my daughter’s favorite place to go to. Surreal defined. If you would have told me 14 years ago in that planning meeting that the playground we were about to construct would one day be a favorite play spot of my 4 year old daughter I probably would have laughed you out of the room. (My life plan at that time only involved having sons.)
Having spent many recent afternoons at the Creative Playground, I realized it holds a spot on my list of reasons why I love Citrus County. True there are playgrounds in every town across this county, but not like this. And trust me; I’ve seen hundreds of playgrounds. This playground was a concerted effort of a community that cared enough about its children to pull together and create a unique place specifically for them. I had always been proud to be apart of its birth but now I’m beaming that I’m around to enjoy it in its maturity.
In the spring of 1995 I was in that meeting and throughout the fall of 1995 I assisted in building that playground. Initially getting involved seemed like an easy way to get some of the needed community service hours I would need to graduate high school, but the further into the process we (the group of friends and I who worked on the project) really began to have fun. If my memory serves me correctly it only took a few weekends of construction work after months of planning to construct. Until recently I just chalked it up to another life experience, an ice breaker perhaps. How many people do you know who have built a playground?
Now it’s so much more than that. Not only is it in my direct line of sight from my new office digs, it’s now my daughter’s favorite place to go to. Surreal defined. If you would have told me 14 years ago in that planning meeting that the playground we were about to construct would one day be a favorite play spot of my 4 year old daughter I probably would have laughed you out of the room. (My life plan at that time only involved having sons.)
Having spent many recent afternoons at the Creative Playground, I realized it holds a spot on my list of reasons why I love Citrus County. True there are playgrounds in every town across this county, but not like this. And trust me; I’ve seen hundreds of playgrounds. This playground was a concerted effort of a community that cared enough about its children to pull together and create a unique place specifically for them. I had always been proud to be apart of its birth but now I’m beaming that I’m around to enjoy it in its maturity.
Reasons Why #3 - The View from Kings Bay
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this could be a rather lengthy column. There are few images that are engrained into my brain that I retreat too more than the view of the Kings Bay. I’ve carried it with me all these years I’ve been away and frequently pulled it out of its mental file.
Now that I’m home, I find myself now always taking Kings Bay Drive as opposed to Highway 19 just so I can drive over the bridge at 15 mph get a glimpse of the beautiful view (the bridge by the way that I have never jumped off of or witnessed any of my friends jumping off of – wink, wink). The view from the Port is another place I find myself often, sitting, gazing, and reveling in that view. One of my personal favorites is the view from Cracker’s Bar and Grille.
The reason for this is that usually from Crackers you will find a sailboat or two peacefully floating in the bay. I’ve always dreamt what it would be like to live on a sailboat. And there’s the little island. The one with the lone little house. I’ve dreamt about living in that house too. Living there would hinder my late night Taco Bell addiction; however can you imagine waking up surrounded by the Bay in all her glory every day?
Growing up many a day were spent on the Bay (and if jet skis were involved, many a pair of sunglasses were lost in the Bay). Whether it was a holiday or just a random Saturday, any day out on the Bay was a good day. She was the fifth friend when a group of four of us were out on the water. She was a good friend, who was always there and taken for granted. It wasn’t until moving on you realized how important she was.
But like any good friend, even after years of not being together – she’s still there for me. She offers serenity, natural beauty, and comfort. She’s the most important member of this community that which everything is built upon. Can you even imagine, even fathom a thought of what our community would be like without her? She’s a reason why we are here and a reason why I love this place.
Now that I’m home, I find myself now always taking Kings Bay Drive as opposed to Highway 19 just so I can drive over the bridge at 15 mph get a glimpse of the beautiful view (the bridge by the way that I have never jumped off of or witnessed any of my friends jumping off of – wink, wink). The view from the Port is another place I find myself often, sitting, gazing, and reveling in that view. One of my personal favorites is the view from Cracker’s Bar and Grille.
The reason for this is that usually from Crackers you will find a sailboat or two peacefully floating in the bay. I’ve always dreamt what it would be like to live on a sailboat. And there’s the little island. The one with the lone little house. I’ve dreamt about living in that house too. Living there would hinder my late night Taco Bell addiction; however can you imagine waking up surrounded by the Bay in all her glory every day?
Growing up many a day were spent on the Bay (and if jet skis were involved, many a pair of sunglasses were lost in the Bay). Whether it was a holiday or just a random Saturday, any day out on the Bay was a good day. She was the fifth friend when a group of four of us were out on the water. She was a good friend, who was always there and taken for granted. It wasn’t until moving on you realized how important she was.
But like any good friend, even after years of not being together – she’s still there for me. She offers serenity, natural beauty, and comfort. She’s the most important member of this community that which everything is built upon. Can you even imagine, even fathom a thought of what our community would be like without her? She’s a reason why we are here and a reason why I love this place.
Reasons Why #2 - Sense of Community
One of my first Sunday mornings back in town I was rushing to head to church. This is rather common in my life, I find myself perpetually running 5 minutes behind. On this particular morning it was easier to grab breakfast on the go rather than try and make something at home. So I found myself stopping at a bagel shop near Citrus Hills. I quickly ran inside and got in line to order my food.
The couple in front of me were obviously heading out on the boat and I overheard most of their chatter. They were bedecked in boating attire, discussing the tides, asking one another if they had packed the sunscreen, and placing an extremely large sandwich order. So large in fact that I had to seriously consider leaving without ordering in attempts to make it to church on time. (At this point though I was already late and what’s the difference between being 4 minutes late or being 8 minutes late – not much, late is late.)
After I received my bagel (everything toasted with plain cream cheese), I darted out the door. As I was briskly walking in the parking lot towards my car, I noticed two young adults with their car hood up and obviously having car problems. I knew I had jumper cables in my car and even though jumping them would make me so late for church going would be borderline ridiculous, I figured no one else around would stop and help these kids. And then I saw the most wonderful thing.
Coming from across the parking lot was the large-sandwich-order-ordering-headed-out-on-the-boat couple. They had already intercepted the car trouble situation and even though they had grandiose boating plans for the day they were going to stop and help these kids out. They were willing to take ten minutes out of their bust day for a random act of kindness. Not only did my heart soar because I was off the hook and headed to church running only 8 minutes behind schedule, but it was the first time in the longest time I’ve seen strangers do something like that for each other.
While I’ve only been back a few weeks now, the number one question I keep getting asked is “Why did you want to move back here after living in a big city?”. It’s the little things like this that answer that question. You don’t see things like this in larger cities. Everyone is running in the rat race and no one notices when someone falls down on the sidelines. Its peace of mind knowing that in fifteen years, that could be my daughter and comfort knowing the people of this community will stop and help. This is the type of place I want to raise my daughter, it’s not a group of towns within county lines, it’s a community and that’s truly priceless. It’s just another reason why.
The couple in front of me were obviously heading out on the boat and I overheard most of their chatter. They were bedecked in boating attire, discussing the tides, asking one another if they had packed the sunscreen, and placing an extremely large sandwich order. So large in fact that I had to seriously consider leaving without ordering in attempts to make it to church on time. (At this point though I was already late and what’s the difference between being 4 minutes late or being 8 minutes late – not much, late is late.)
After I received my bagel (everything toasted with plain cream cheese), I darted out the door. As I was briskly walking in the parking lot towards my car, I noticed two young adults with their car hood up and obviously having car problems. I knew I had jumper cables in my car and even though jumping them would make me so late for church going would be borderline ridiculous, I figured no one else around would stop and help these kids. And then I saw the most wonderful thing.
Coming from across the parking lot was the large-sandwich-order-ordering-headed-out-on-the-boat couple. They had already intercepted the car trouble situation and even though they had grandiose boating plans for the day they were going to stop and help these kids out. They were willing to take ten minutes out of their bust day for a random act of kindness. Not only did my heart soar because I was off the hook and headed to church running only 8 minutes behind schedule, but it was the first time in the longest time I’ve seen strangers do something like that for each other.
While I’ve only been back a few weeks now, the number one question I keep getting asked is “Why did you want to move back here after living in a big city?”. It’s the little things like this that answer that question. You don’t see things like this in larger cities. Everyone is running in the rat race and no one notices when someone falls down on the sidelines. Its peace of mind knowing that in fifteen years, that could be my daughter and comfort knowing the people of this community will stop and help. This is the type of place I want to raise my daughter, it’s not a group of towns within county lines, it’s a community and that’s truly priceless. It’s just another reason why.
Reasons Why I love Citrus County
Without further adieu below is the first column I wrote for the Chronicle. The theme of my weekly column is "Reasons Why" (I love Citrus County....there are so many of them!) Hope you enjoy!
Reasons Why #1
by Meredith Linley
I’m an inherent listmaker. Whether it’s in my head, on a post-it note, or on my blackberry, I’m always making lists. When faced with any decision, large or small, I always make a list of pros and cons. So recently when I was faced with a decision to take a job in Citrus County and relocate home; my gut reaction was to make my faithful pro/con list.
After deciding that having a Starbucks nearby was not a necessity – do you know what happened? All I could put on my con list was that there wasn’t a Target within 5 miles of my house. As my mother quickly pointed out, “Meredith, there’s always Target.com.” Mothers are very smart.
Literally, there isn’t enough time or paper for me to list the reasons why I love Citrus County. It’s mildly pathetic actually. I’m convinced I’m the only 28 year old on this planet who has been wearing an ear to ear grin because I got to move back home; home to Citrus County. Of course it’s icing on the cake that I accepted a fantastic job with the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout my adult life (the whopping decade it has been thus far) my end goal was to land a job in Citrus County that would enable me make this area an even better place than it was when I grew up. To have the ability to give back to a community that gave so much to me as a youth and help create a community for my young daughter. As you can assume this was near the top of my pro list.
The longer I resonated the idea of moving in my head, the longer my list of pros got. From my closest friends who live here, to my home church, the incredible view of Kings Bay from Cracker’s at sunset, and the thought of volunteering at my alma mater CRHS – the list was getting a little out of control. So even though I did thoughtfully and prayerfully consider it, in the end it was a no-brainer.
Now I’ve made the move and am back home. Gone was the life I led in the metropolis of Jacksonville, where I had been living and running political campaigns for the last five years. Now I’m here in Citrus County, the heart of the Nature Coast and the only place that has truly captured my heart. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.
The best part of my pro/con list, is that long after the decision was made the pro list continues to grow. Granted, there isn’t a Target in the area, but there are several homegrown businesses here that I’d much rather support than Target any day. Every day something else strikes me that deserves a ranking on my (outrageously long) list of reasons why I love Citrus County.
One of the best so far was seeing a local deli on a Saturday afternoon with the CLOSED sign in its window. Outsiders may see this as an omen of bad economic times. Us local’s we saw the small handwritten sign under the CLOSED sign that simply read “Gone Fishin”. We understood, and we smiled.
Reasons Why #1
by Meredith Linley
I’m an inherent listmaker. Whether it’s in my head, on a post-it note, or on my blackberry, I’m always making lists. When faced with any decision, large or small, I always make a list of pros and cons. So recently when I was faced with a decision to take a job in Citrus County and relocate home; my gut reaction was to make my faithful pro/con list.
After deciding that having a Starbucks nearby was not a necessity – do you know what happened? All I could put on my con list was that there wasn’t a Target within 5 miles of my house. As my mother quickly pointed out, “Meredith, there’s always Target.com.” Mothers are very smart.
Literally, there isn’t enough time or paper for me to list the reasons why I love Citrus County. It’s mildly pathetic actually. I’m convinced I’m the only 28 year old on this planet who has been wearing an ear to ear grin because I got to move back home; home to Citrus County. Of course it’s icing on the cake that I accepted a fantastic job with the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce.
Throughout my adult life (the whopping decade it has been thus far) my end goal was to land a job in Citrus County that would enable me make this area an even better place than it was when I grew up. To have the ability to give back to a community that gave so much to me as a youth and help create a community for my young daughter. As you can assume this was near the top of my pro list.
The longer I resonated the idea of moving in my head, the longer my list of pros got. From my closest friends who live here, to my home church, the incredible view of Kings Bay from Cracker’s at sunset, and the thought of volunteering at my alma mater CRHS – the list was getting a little out of control. So even though I did thoughtfully and prayerfully consider it, in the end it was a no-brainer.
Now I’ve made the move and am back home. Gone was the life I led in the metropolis of Jacksonville, where I had been living and running political campaigns for the last five years. Now I’m here in Citrus County, the heart of the Nature Coast and the only place that has truly captured my heart. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.
The best part of my pro/con list, is that long after the decision was made the pro list continues to grow. Granted, there isn’t a Target in the area, but there are several homegrown businesses here that I’d much rather support than Target any day. Every day something else strikes me that deserves a ranking on my (outrageously long) list of reasons why I love Citrus County.
One of the best so far was seeing a local deli on a Saturday afternoon with the CLOSED sign in its window. Outsiders may see this as an omen of bad economic times. Us local’s we saw the small handwritten sign under the CLOSED sign that simply read “Gone Fishin”. We understood, and we smiled.
It's August - what the...
I realize its been an excessively long time since I updated and literally my entire world has completely changed so I'm due for an update. However I've been promising to post my columns from the Chronicle online so my friends who don't live here can read them. So here are the ones that have run thus far and I will try and get out a life update so far...although you may be able to surmise alot from the columns.....
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