10 years is a long time

Ten years ago, I was living in Waltham. I had just moved into a new one-bedroom apartment on Trapelo Road and was settling in. For a few weeks, I had been chatting on the phone with this guy. He seemed really nice. And on October 10, we were going to hang out.

That day changed my life. That man was, as you've probably figured out, M, and less than two years later, he was my husband. Ten years later, and we're seven years married, own a home and have an almost-2-year-old. I live 35 miles away from there, but it feels like a lifetime. Happy anniversary of our first date, M. I love you.

What happened to Jumpin' Juice and Java?

Any Leominsterites know? Went by Monday and a sign said it was closed as of then. Another local casualty. They were only open six months. Boo and I used to like to go there for their good drinks (and free Wi-Fi).

My review of the Leominster Wal Mart Supercenter

So I've had to take a day off from my life. I got so sick Monday that I had to call my mother-in-law to come get the Boo. I felt terrible about that more than anything. I took Tuesday off from work, so I'm only in the office two days this week. Getting better, thanks to a little friend I like to call the Z pack. Luv ya, antibiotics.

Anyway, the new Wal Mart Supercenter, which is right in my backyard, opened today, complete with groceries and all the cheap goods we all know and love from Wally World. The cleaning people came today, so I needed to get out of here. Perfect opportunity to check out the new store. Let me just say, the grocery part is just amazing. Gorgeous produce and meat, a deli counter, bakery, fresh bread, a Dunkin Donuts and Workers Credit Union inside -- it was to die for. We picked up some deli turkey and cheese as well as some fresh rolls (Wal Mart whole wheat hamburger buns for $2!) and scoped out the baby aisle. Now, as much as I love my Target, they just don't have the selection. And it's not as close. And checkout was super fast and easy -- tons of people asking if they could help me find something (umm, yeah, it's a brand-new store). I don't want to be near there on Saturday, but I'm glad it came to town.

Now I just need to find a way to keep my patience with all the yahoos on 117 who slam on their brakes and decide to go to Wal Mart at the last minute. Turkeys.

The Leominster Wal-Mart Supercenter is opening...

May 21, according to the Wal-Mart worker in the parking lot we asked. You heard it on Overthink first. We are so excited.

Hidden Leominster

I'm trying to make the most of my time off, so I've been tooling around the back roads of Leominster with my book of maps. Let me just say, with all of the recent development around here, there are still parts where the woods are thick and the roads are practically dirt. I love that.

One such place is down by Fall Brook Reservoir, specifically Wachusett Road. There I discovered the Vachon Wildlife Sanctuary, where the Grandview Country Club used to be. It's almost 150 acres of protected land, with the former clubhouse available for rental for events. Just a beautiful place. If you're local, check it out.

Living in the wild, wild west

I moved to Leominster in October 2000 from Waltham to be with M. Up to that time, I thought Leominster was the ends of the earth, when in all actuality, it's only 40 miles from Boston, which means an hour or so drive. As I've mentioned in other posts, I've grown to love my adopted home. There's stuff, but drive a bit and you're in the woods. My neighborhood is dead quiet at night -- no cars waking me out of a sound sleep like when I lived in the city. We have land, dammit.

But members of my family still think it's a vast wasteland in Lemin-stah. Whenever we go to a family event in the Boston area (got one tomorrow), we get, "So how long a drive was it for you?" with the concerned face. Oy. I've even had people say things like, "Oh, Christine lives in western Massachusetts." It really boils my potato. I mean, look at a map. We are barely central Mass.

M and I actually looked at houses further east back when we were looking. We targeted the Westford/Dracut/Chelmsford/Lowell area, because I was working in Nashua at the time. But when we looked at a few houses, we realized that the top of our price range was MAYBE something we wanted to live in. Then we met our house, and I fell deeply in love. Now, after almost five years there, I can honestly say Leominster is my home. Even though it's faaaaa away.

My top 3 local independent sub places

1) Tory's. Can't beat them.
2) Paul's Pizza & Subs. Ah, back when I lived on the north side...
3) Family Pizza. A distant third, but still worth mentioning.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Hometown Saturday

No, that's not the title of the latest John Cougar Mellencamp song. I went to see my parents today in good ol' Melrose. Been a long time since I've lived there (coming up on nine years), so it was amazing to me all the changes.

First of all, there's freaking condos everywhere. The bowling alley I played at every Saturday of my youth? Condos. The former McDonald's/Liberty Bell in Wakefield? Condos. There are condos in places that there really is no business being condos. Unbelievable.

Second of all: When did my hometown get so damn small? I was driving around looking for a cheap gas station, and I was just blown away at how just amazingly tiny everything looked. Don't get me wrong: Melrose is only four square miles, making it one of the physically smallest towns in the state, and it's dwarfed by Leominster's 35-plus square miles. It just seemed extra teeny.

Third of all: No offense to any Melrosians, but it's Central Mass for me all the way.

Another one (local business) bites the dust

Anyone know what the h-e-double hockey sticks happened to Quiznos in Fitchburg? M and I wandered over there for a sub tonight and found it boarded up, complete with a sign on the door that said, "We're toast." Cute.

And I'm STILL waiting for an explanation on what happened to Jay & J's Pizzeria and Grill.

An explosive situation

I'm just catching this story about explosives being left in the Leominster transfer station now. Between that and watching Brokeback Mountain for the first time today, I'm clearly behind the times. Anyone want any Pets.com stock?

Stores I wish would come to Leominster

When I first moved to Leominster in late 2000, I had to drive to go to any of the places I really liked: Panera, Starbucks, the Olive Garden, Target. All of these places now have a presence in my adopted hometown. There are two of my retail loves that still need to come to town:

1) Trader Joe's: The closest one is in Acton, which is near my work, so I stock up on lunch hours when I can. But I just about guarantee this chain would clean up in North Central Mass. I love their food, and so does everyone else I know.

2) The Christmas Tree Shop: Don't you just love a bargain? I do. The closest one is in Shrewsbury, knee-deep in Route 9 hell. Or you can go to lovely tax-free north Nashua. Too far. Bring one to the Twin Cities!

To the Leominster vandals

Dear assholes who decided to pull up Christmas decorations and steal stuff on my street:

We came home Sunday to find one of our spiral trees taken apart so it was just a pile of lights. We assumed it was weather-related until our neighbor told us their decorations were vandalized and ours were too. Maybe I'm just old, but I don't even get why that's cool. You're even stealing baby Jesus out of Christmas displays and a plastic reindeer from in front of a flower shop. Look, I grew up in a small town with not much to do, so I get the being bored thing. But are you really that bored? Really? Because I could find something for you to do. And if my neighbor, who's in the military and extremely pissed off, catches you? Trust me, he will find something for you to do. So just stop it.

Love and kisses,
Christine

Anyone know what happened to Jay & J's Pizzeria and Grill?

It used to be Mojo's BBQ, and then the owners redid the place and were looking to get a liquor license. I picked up some food at Jade II next door, and Jay & J's was all boarded up (although the sign was still up). The Jade people had no idea what had happened.