It was not that long ago that I was driving a half hour to get to the grocery store or biking to pick up my mail. These past few years living in the city have made my life in Irricana feel like ages ago. Last weekend my sister and I went to visit my dad - the three of us haven't been in our old house together in such a long time. As much as I love being a mountain girl, nothing feels better then driving on a highway with open skies and no street lights in your face. I grew up in one house and my father still lives there. It is unnecessarily too big for him and has been taken over by a ton of trees and a million weeds. There were so many memories of me running late for school or staying up late watching Gilmore Girls. The sounds from the tap, the floor when I walked, and the door hinges made it feel like no time has past at all. My room still smells the same but things have gotten more dusty. Ya... it is an emotional experience every time I go back. There is a lot of old things of mine in the house that I haven't dealt with and I often feel guilty for not visiting there more.

It is funny how I often I used to hate being there. Having no license in a town with just over a thousand people had encouraged me to get creative. I would bike on back roads, skateboard to main street, worked out at the gym, played video games, and got crafty. Even though we didn't have much money growing up, I worked a lot and spent a lot of time by myself doing the things I enjoyed. Eventually in high school I got a boyfriend and if I wasn't with him I was working, playing sports or doing homework. Looking back, I think I did pretty good. I was home a lone more so than not. It was just my dad and I when my sister wasn't home visiting from Lethbridge. I was a top student who participated in several clubs in the school. I was invited to a leadership conference in PEI and was awarded the global citizen award in grade 12. I was loved by many and partially bullied by a few aha (the only hippy in town - easy target). Don't get me wrong I have several shitty memories from school - who doesn't? If you are curious as to how so, let me give you the short and sweet:

Once my car got sandwiched - ya, someone spread their sandwich on my windshield.

Once our house got golf balls thrown at our windows.

Once our house got paint balled.

Once our house got egged - actually I think that happened more than once.

I know what you are thinking... Zoey are you sure people liked you?!

Okay not confident everyone did but it is hard to say if some vandalism was caused by random or intentionally sought out. Anyways, I am a stronger person from it aha.

Once or twice I came home to no heat.

Once I came come to a for sale sign on my lawn.

Once or a 100 times I got picked on for wearing patterned clothes, rubber boots when it wasn't raining, or for the genre of music I listened to.

It is so interesting how I would get kicked down but I never cared! I kept wearing weird clothes and danced to my dub step. I grew up with a family that supported my zest for life and I never questioned myself or asked for validation. I was a fairy in a place filled with cowboys and douche bags. Last weekend when I was visiting my dad I wondered HOW??? I managed that many years there. But back then there was no other option - that was my life and I didn't know any different.

Every one goes through misfortunes and in ways I am grateful for mine. I love that my sister taught me all my lessons and that I worked hard. I am grateful to be from a small town and avoided the pressures from city schools and the constant hectic city vibes. I am living in it now and it is overwhelming. Store after store and STREET LIGHT AFTER STREET LIGHT!! I could get to Irricana faster than I can get to the deep south or to find a parking spot downtown. I loved that I could see the star filled sky every night and that my dad would get my sister and I to look when some epic comet would pass by once since the last time it did 45 years ago. aha My dad. Imma write a blog solely about him one of these dayz, stay tuned.

It's crazy how close Irricana is from Calgary but no one has heard of it! If you are ever contemplating on visiting or staying at the Founders Park campground then let me sell you on it!

1. Best pizza ever - Cafe Plus on main street. Nothing beats it.

2. Best gas prices (next to Costco) - Norms Stop and Go Gas! It isn't Norms anymore but we locals still call it that.

3. Town is really clean. We have lots of gardens and parks fer da kids.

4. You like baseball? Cus we have like 3 diamonds.

5. We have lotza murals all around town painted by a local artist!

6. We have been quoted "The best place on earth" - said no one ever.

Thank you mom and dad for making the choice to move to Irricana. Thank you Irricana for being my first home. Thank you home for still standing.

Namaste,

Zoey Fern.