Coming home to the place I grew up has been a very strange experience. In many ways it has changed a lot. There are more houses, more stores, a lot more traffice, and there is even a chinese restaurant in a town that only had a small coffee shop when I was small. Of course the schools are still here, the church still rings it's bells with barely enough time for me to make it down the street, the teenagers still hang out on the park wall, and the victory gardens which were once gone are now back - I missed the transitions!
It is a bit strange to have people I haven't seen in 20 years recognize me! Yikes. Today while I was waiting for my Mom to have her hair done I ran into one of our old neighbors in Stella's diner. She knew me right off the bat. To me everyone looks a little familiar!
We are in the middle of a heat wave here. I had forgotten what life without air conditioning can be like! It is only for a couple of days though so I think I can stick it out. We are escaping to my sister's in New Hampshire where I hope it will be a bit cooler...at least the lake is only a few blocks away and I know that is cold!
Yesterday we went on an Artist Gallery tour in Hull. The town is right on the ocean so there was a nice breeze. I spent many hours on that beach the year I got my driver's license! The studio tour was nice. I restrained myself and only picked up some notecards. We had dinner at a very nice restaurant that I will never visit again. My Mom turns 88 in two weeks. She looks at least 10 years younger and gets around pretty well. The waitress obviously didn't think old people should be at this restaurant and made it obvious. I was angery. Angery enough to mention it to the owner (I recognized him from his many TV appearances.) I had to do it while my sister was in the ladies room because she would have been horrified. Oh well! He had twice the personality of his waitstaff and looked sufficiently angery/embarressed that I think it will not happen again.
8 comments:
sorry to hear about the restraunt. Some people just don't get that one day they too shall be old, God willing.
The last time I was in my home town it had changed tremendously, and that was well over ten years ago - I'm afraid to think of what it looks like now. I hope you get cooler weather soon. The lake sounds marvelous.
You're right Siobhan - things do get changed without anyone asking your permission - After 15+ years away I still get very homesick for the part of Yorkshire I grew up in but when I rarely return I'm homesick for how it was, not how it is now - funny eh. What is it with restaurants - old people and small children are pariahs - hope you gave them 'what for!' as we say in the UK
I have been enjoying your blog for sometime now...what started me was seeing all the photos of the quilts...but, I am still reading and going through this move with you.
I hate to tell you - it is hotter than you-know-where in New Hampshire as well...but, it is supposed to break today or tomorrow...I can't wait...
It is really odd to go back home I imagine. It's hot everywhere around the country, but no ac would never do for me!!
Hi Sio, glad you have landed for a few days of R & R.
I know well how strange it is to go home again. And like Anne, what I am really looking for is what "was" and not what "is".
That "place" seems to exist only in my memory. The houses I lived in are gone, the school I graduated from torn down and nothing built in it's place. Just cement steps that led up to a flat place....very eerie.
One way streets and new bridges...all very strange...but then, it's been 48 years since I graduated...LOL. Time marches on. Enjoy the family!!
Hope you can get some respite from this heat, Siobhan. The whole country is charring, I think.
Glad you set the record straight at the restaurant. There's so little respect for many: young, old, well-dressed.... Good for you, Sio!
Sorry to hear about your restaurant experience...
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