While I'm still waiting on the Lord and Dan starts talking to people locally, I thought I would share a memory from the past.
For the past few weeks I was thinking about a neighbor of mine when I lived on Santa Lucia Drive here in SLO. I finally took the initiative and made a phone call to see how the Hoadley family was doing. I grew up across the street from them and hadn't seen them for years since I moved out of the neighborhood. I did see them briefly at Huey's 70th birthday/retirement party, but not since then. Then I heard he had a stroke and just hadn't called until recently. While talking with Mary, she mentioned they still had my bike that I used to ride back in the 60s. I think I bought it in 1967 (I think that's what they said).
They had invited me to Huey's 80th birthday party, but I couldn't wait till then to see them. So, I went over there a couple of weeks ago and got to spend time with them and sort of catch up on their kids I used to play with...climbing trees, riding bikes, hula hoops (Nancy swears I was the champ - I can't even use one now). Then I saw my bike. Check out the picture. It used to be a dusty rose color, but Fred painted it red and white. And I think I'm going to get it back.
Well, at the party I saw a few other past neighbors. It was such a kick to see people I grew up with, or at least their parents. It was fun to see Kathy, Nancy, Fred and Rod and find out that Kathy lives in Eugene, OR...just a few blocks from my daughter, Danielle. If I had known that, I would have visited her family while we were there last time. Anyway, it was fun to remember growing up on a street where all the families pretty much knew each other well, kids and parents alike. We trusted each other and protected each other. We could play on the street and not have to worry about traffic. I had to park around the corner because there are so many Cal Poly students, which meant there were tons of vehicles. When I was heading to my car, I started walking down the sidewalk we used to skateboard on (still has the bump where the tree roots lift it up) and there was a huge white truck blocking the driveway. Couldn't believe it!
The most fun thing, though, was meeting Pat who now lives in my old house. She invited me to go over, so after talking to a few more people, I walked across the street, knocked on the door, and walked through a "time machine". The whole layout is still the same and the rooms look the same. The differences were the colors, of course, the bathroom had a new sink, but still a porcelain standing sink, the kitchen had new cabinets, a microwave and a dishwasher (I was the dishwasher back then). The garage still had the big sink my dad used to use to wash the trout in after we went fishing. The biggest change was the backyard. I remember a lemon/lime tree, the silver clothesline (I was also the clothes hanger-upper) and a small tree near my bedroom window. That was it...nothing else. Well, she had a shed in the back corner of the yard, a brick (?) walkway, a few bushes with an archway where you could get to the shed. The tree by my bedroom window was huge and dropping leaves like crazy (one thing she didn't like about it). But it was perfect shading for the really nice deck she had built back there with patio furniture and plants all around.
What a blessing to be able to see my old stomping grounds and my old friends and "other" parents. But that is the past. A past I will always treasure in my heart and a past that I will never forget.
And now I look to my future - excited to see where we will be making memories...where God will bless us and use us. I'll keep you posted.
Well, November 1st is coming fast. At this point, it looks like Dan will go ahead and work in LA (it was offered to him), at least for a few weeks while he continues to check things out around here. He'll most likely stay in a hotel or with our daughter during the days he works and be here on his days off. In the meantime, I am working at the church until I'm told it's time to go, if that's what's going to happen.