March photo a day Day 3 My neighborhood
Before I post my picture, I was thinking about 'my neighborhood' and wanted to include my thoughts here. We moved a year and half ago. I luved my neighborhood. I luved the quiet street, my neighbors, and the kids my kids played with. We had a little block , just a quick 10 minute walk, right outside the front door. It was amazing to just get the kids out quick, when things were harry, or my brain was fuzzy, or the dog needed a walk...you get the idea. I had a very good friend who's house I could see from my front door. I knew almost everyone, and would stop to talk to them. We looked at houses on the street as they came up, and we talked to someone who had planned to move about buying their house. We had worked out a verbal agreement, and I dreamed of raising my kids on that street....
And that fell through. It was spring weather, snow on the ground, but it was warm and there were puddles. The air was still nippy. (I think it was 2 years ago this time of year!) I had bundled up the daycare kids and walked Angelina to school. We were walking home and she pulled up beside me in her van. She told me she was very sorry, but because of financial things on their end, they couldn't move. I was crushed. It was the biggest house on the street, and I had luved it. It had a nice yard, and we could have raised our growing family there. No other house on the street was big enough. I knew that. And we were quickly out-growing our small semi with wee Klara on the way.
I cried.
Goran and I began talking of house hunting (I really hate house hunting) and booked some appointments with the Realtor. We looked for awhile before we found one big enough, with a quiet neighborhood, and the bonus of a huge huge yard. It needed more work then I liked, but Goran promised we would work hard and make it a house we luved.
It didn't feel like home. Not for along time. You know when your out grocery shopping, and its late, and all you want to do is go home? I use to picture the old house. Driving around the corner, pulling into my street, and into the driveway beside my little semi. We worked hard to make that semi beautiful. It was. I brought 2 children into the world there.
But this home, this neighborhood is starting to feel like home. The neighbors were a little hard to warm up too, but they are. Slowly. They smile and wave, and stop to chat a minute as we walk by. I feel comforted to see the lights across the street when I know they are home. I feel safe somehow. And the house is becoming one I luv. We have and are working hard. Its paying off.
I think it might have to do with the seasons, and having been here for a spring already, I know what to expect, and I have all these great memories of last spring to associate with. The kids riding bikes around the block, (Grace learning to ride a 2 wheeler) the beautiful bush in the backyard, and my clothes line going up!
So now, when its late, and I'm out grocery shopping, I picture pulling into this street. My new neighborhood, which is feeling more and more like home.
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| i snapped this with my iphone while I was out for 2nights walk!! |
