March 16th - Hometown

March 16: Where did you grow up?

I was going to edit my novel today and skip blogging. I'll still be editing, but once I saw the writing prompt I thought it was important to post. My novel partially takes place in a smaller town, and while it is not MY small town, I still think they have parallels. The characters I used in my novel were not real people. Her family and people in the small town were not based on anybody I know, but the small town (Manow) itself was a few small towns mixed together. I guess it just seemed right to have a small town in my story. There are little pieces of me throughout the story without me knowing I was doing it.

Now to talk about my small town - not the one in the story. 

Plenty, Saskatchewan

I grew up in a town called Plenty. 'Plenty of what?' you may ask. I have heard that one. I guess it is actually considered a village. (The novel is set in a town). Plenty has a population of around 200 people. 

This picture was taken in 2009. Not a great picture of me, but I like the Plenty behind me.

My family moved  there when I was three years old. We had lived in North Battleford for my first three. My mom went to school in Plenty and grew up on a farm near Plenty, outside Kelfield. I lived in the same house from age 3-17 in town. 

Mom and I in my family home for Christmas a few years ago.

Some of the yard that same Christmas. Lots of snow that year.

I don't have a picture of the school, but it was a K-12 school. I went there from age 5 to 17. I never loved school. I was shy, and I didn't know how to be myself. I guess I didn't know who I was yet. I wasn't one of the 'cool' kids. Believe me, I'm okay with that now, but it made it hard growing up. I sometimes didn't have the self confidence needed to help me through my teenage years. I think being a teenager is hard for everybody, and I grew up with a family that loved and encouraged me. When I think about Plenty, I focus on my family not my school/social life. I was a regular student. I could have done a lot better if I had put effort into school work and grades. I wasn't good at sports, and I can admit that I would NOT have been better at sports if I had put effort into it. I'm not sporty. I can live with that.

I guess I felt like an outsider in my town. I had friends, and I'm grateful for them, but I always imagined another life. (Possibly where the writing came from). I never had any romantic relationships in that town. Once again, I'm good with that now. I just kind of survived through high school. It wasn't a bad time, and it wasn't always a great time, but it is where I'm from. I never really felt like I belonged. I wrote a lot in Plenty. I wrote lots of short stories, I wrote in a journal, and for a bit I did work experience at a neighbour town's newspaper. (Biggar, Saskatchewan) 

This is another picture from 2009. I was walking around with Cameron and my dog (ex dog) Karmen. This is a road leading into Plenty.

And a picture taken outside of my home. Different trip. Same jacket.

That's my town. I like going back now to visit my parents. I didn't really do a lot when I lived there because I didn't get my license until after I moved away. Now I enjoy seeing Mom and Dad. I find it relaxing. I like walks around town, and going to our local store. I also like going back to the city. I sometimes imagine what my life would have been like growing up in the city. Different. It would have been different, but I wouldn't be the same person as I am now.

So that's my town. It has a store, a hotel with a bar (mostly just a bar I think), it has a museum and a coffee shop. It has a small campground now, an Art Gallery and a coffee shop. 

Like I said, I used little things from the town in my novel, but not all of it. 

That's it for now. Back to editing.

E

Just a reminder, these prompts are all coming from: http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/03/march-writing-prompts.html 

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please return the favour and Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.