Today's 10 for Tuesday is things you like about where you live. For me, it is a little strange, because a small part of me wishes we hadn't moved out of Braintree.
1. Quincy has a farmer's market. It is on Fridays during my work day, so instead I go to the farmer's market in Braintree that started up the year we moved. That farmer's market has a number of really good stands, including a meat and seafood place (that I don't really use), a couple of vegetable stands, soap, cupcakes, pies and the only place I've seen currants in the area. Yum. One of the CSAs delivers to Braintree, and maybe we will try that next year, though what I really need is a dairy CSA.
2. Quincy has more town bureaucracy (or at least it feels that way), which may not be that good. However, it does mean that we have more services. Our trash pickup includes yard waste, single stream recycling, and large item removal (though that might require a sticker or some notification). This is a far cry from the time we carried something large, heavy and wooden to the transfer station, because we didn't have a car and we couldn't leave it at the dumpster.
3. I'm less than 1.5 miles from two different grocery stores (and the Milton Fruit Center is slightly more expensive, but has much higher quality produce), an ice cream shop, a pastry shop, and at least two inconvenience stores. This is much better than Braintree, where none of these places were on the way home, and the one ice cream place in Braintree was constantly going in and out of business.
4. Dog-topia. There are a ton of dogs in the neighborhood. While I wouldn't say that Victor gets to play with that many dogs, we often see others on our walks and he gets some sniff time. Of course, there are enough trees and beautiful lawns that it is also rabbit-topia and squirrel-topia.
5. The library is on the way home and has ebooks that I can borrow. Very cool. I also make good use of their interlibrary loan.
6. We might not be a 10 minute walk from the T anymore, but we are within my walking distance of at least 3 different T stops and 3 or 4 different bus routes. While almost none of them run as often as I would like, it is still fairly simple to catch a bus to cut down on the morning commute.
7. In the same plaza that is less than two miles away is Snow Goose. I try not to go very often, because it is too easy for me to spend money on yarn. Of course, the fact that I work near Windsor Button doesn't really make this better.
8. Our neighborhood is quiet and residential. There is a lot of tree cover, so it is very shady. Bad for my gardening attempts, but it makes being outside in the summer very pleasant.
9. The ocean is not quite as close as I want, but it is still less than 4 miles away. Someday I'm hoping to have both free time and the inclination to leave the house at the same time and go swimming. I was at the beach for Knit in Public day, but I obviously didn't go swimming. The straightest route to Wollaston Beach from where I live goes past Babycakes, home of the French Toast cupcake (which I am pretty sure I know the secret of, but it is still delicious).
10. Donut King. I am possibly too close, but it is a once a week treat at most. Their lemon sticks (honey dipped, please) are fully of lemon curd deliciousness. If I time my route right, Victor and I can walk by in the evening while they are making the next day's donuts. The aroma wafts through the air, and is almost always perfect. When it isn't, then it is the pizza place across the way that is to blame with their meat and fish stench marring the perfect donut. Meat donuts are definitely not my cup of tea.
