This Is Framingham

I heard that the Salvation Army’s thrift shop completed the move from downtown to route 9 so I went to check it out.
The location is at 215 Worcester Rd. where Pier 1 used to be.  I’m guessing they’re working on it, but there are no signs on route 9 at the entrance to the parking lot or on the actual store front it self (which oddly faces away from the road).
Inside is clean an organized, much different from the old shop downtown.

I did think it was weird there seemed to be only one employee there. paysafecard ????????   He was helping someone find something and then would yell “I’ll be right there! ?? ?? ???? ???? ????????? ??????? ” to someone waiting to check out at the register. skrill ????????   It happened a couple times while I was walking around.
When I first heard about SA’s store moving to route 9 I was disappointed that a tax exempt agency would be occupying valuable retail space on route 9 but the space has been vacant so long that something might as well be in there.  I guess it’s better than another church since we have so many churches that use former retail storefronts in town. At least here I might find something useful and it supports a good organization.

I have only been to the Happy Swallow once, which you can read about here.  I haven’t been back but not because I didn’t like it but I just haven’t got to it, time flies by and before you know it, it’s being sold to a new set of owners. ???? ??????
I just read this article in the MWDN that describes the plans the new owners have for the place which will focus on food more than the Swallow did. ?? ??????? ?? ????????   I’ll try to check out the new place which will be called Railroad Six Sports Grill.  Good luck to them and I look forward to checking it out.   Read the article here: http://www.thisisframingham.com/the-happy-swallow

While we are working from home today because of the weekly snowstorm installment, Ethan ran out of Coke and was going to go out to a store and get some.  I thought he was crazy to go on the roads and risk someone sliding into his car (or vice versa).  The closest convenience store is a 10 minute walk, which normally is fine but with the snow still coming down and the roads the way they are (and the sidewalks are a mess too) it still seemed unappealing or unsafe to go out for something like a bottle of coke.
Then I thought of the hospital, which is right across the parking lot from our house and why not check out their gift shop?  Well the shop was closed, but the cafeteria was open so we headed up to the second floor and followed the cafeteria aroma…

It had plenty of coke and pretty much anything else you could think of to drink and eat- they even have sushi. I probably wouldn’t eat it but for anyone who might feel adventurous- you’re in a hospital anyway I guess.

Not only that but they have one of my all-time favorite ice cream treats: Twix ice cream bar!

I didn’t get one but this is great to know when it gets hot out (winter will end, right?) and I can scoot over and get some Twix awesomeness!  Those things really are fantastic.

Anyway, hope everyone is enjoying the snow, I know I’m not but…hopefully only one more month of this (even though we’ve already run out of space to put snow).
Happy shoveling!

Today I was at Trader Joe’s picking out a snack and decided to try their Greek style pomegranate yogurt. I know it’s a little silly but I like to reach in back to grab one of those closer in to the walk-in/stocking fridge thinking it’s colder (even though it’s probably just as cold as the ones in front but whatever..).  When I did, I felt something that wasn’t anything like a yogurt container and looked to see it was a plastic lobster.
I figured some kid left his/her toy there but then I saw it was wearing a shirt that stated it’s name was Rocky and to bring him up to the customer service desk for a prize(!)  I got to pick out a few lower-priced items (form anywhere in the store, not just from a predetermined selection) as my reward.   I had no idea TJ’s runs this kind of activity and thought it was funny that I randomly decided to try something I never had before and found Rocky.  It was such a treat and thought I’d pass it along that you may want to keep a look-out for Rocky at the Framingham Trader Joe’s.

Wow, it’s been over a month since I’ve posted.  There hasn’t been much going on, I’ve had kind of winter blahs and have been very down on Framingham in general so I decided to lay low.
The other day my boss came over to my desk and said that the Board of Selectmen each get a marathon number to give to someone to run on behalf of a non-profit and one of them called her (knowing I run) and asked if I’d be interested in receiving his number!   I shook my head in disbelief and made sure I understood correctly that I would be getting number to run the Boston Marathon.  After I understood that YES, that was the deal, I was just ecstatic!
This mean so much to me.  My sisters and I would look forward to handing out water every year in front of my dad’s store downtown when we were kids and I never thought that one day I’d be on the other side of the water cup!

Then I thought how it was kind of amazing that if we never moved to Framingham, I’d never have started this blog.  And this blog is why I did a post about the History Center.  Because of that connection, I interviewed and got a job there.  Because of my boss’s brother I got into running last year (which has changed my life) and now, again because of work, I have this amazing opportunity  which wouldn’t have happened if we didn’t move to Framingham in the first place.

So while I’ve been down on the ‘ham, it took this event to remind me that this place isn’t always so bad and I’ve met so many great people since moving here that have effected me in ways I don’t realize until I take a step back and see where I am and what I’ve done since coming here.

I told Selectmen Sisitsky (after thanking him profusely) that he just changed the next 4 months of my life!  I’ll start a training program next week and while there’s a little more pressure than just running on my own, since I’m fundraising  for work, I’m so grateful and excited to be officially part of the Boston Marathon!