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kat
03-21-2001, 10:23 PM
Yesterday my sister and I along with her 17 year old daughter, made another trip to my family's old home place. We left our Dhs behind and headed out in the Explorer. When Dh and ds went several weeks ago, they took me there and we saw and left. My sister and I, armed with a ball bat and pool cue (for any dogs) were prepared to stay all day and romp around the mountains and creeks.

Went to my grandparents place and showed sister the trailer trash there. We sat on the property 10 minutes telling my neice about where everything used to be. There were about a dozen dogs barking, both inside and outside the trailer, but no one ever came outside. I don't think anyone was there. Because of the number of dogs, we stayed in the rig. Tried to go on down to the big creek, but we ran into a 2nd gate that was close.

My sister said she remembered how to get to the swimming hole the other way around so off we went. We found where the road used to go around, but it was just a faint trail. You could still see car tracks, so we continued until we came to a downed tree because of the ice storms. We get out and walk till we come to the creek bed which leads to and intersects with the creek running along gps old property. We don't trust our preception of just how long we used to travel the creek bed to get to our swimming hole, since everything that seemed so big or steep when we were children were not so today. My neice had also stayed in the Explorer, so we decided to head back. We also decide that we are coming back when we'd have more daylight.

We also managed to locate a fishing cabin gps used to own, as well as the location of the place where they used to manage a corps of engineers boat dock. The dock has long since been gone, but we pictured everything where it used to be.

We also went to our house we grew up in. It looked great!!! We even got invited in by the nice old man who lives there now. It was so exciting. My sister said to pull up in the yard. (On previous trip Dh wouldn't dream of slowing down, much less stop) We pulled up and got out. There was a sign on the gate that read: Wanted, good woman. Must be able to cook, clean, sew, dig worms, and clean fish. Must have a boat and motor. Please send picture of boat and motor. Before we got to the door, the man came out and asked us if he could help us. We told him we were applying for the job. We told him who we were and he gave us a tour.

We visited with our old neighbors and learned that their youngest daughter lives 10 miles from where I teach. We visited at the old store (Boy is it old - it really smelled like something dead was under the rotting floor - and needless to say we decided not to buy any snacks).

We learned that the previous store owners had both died within the past year and that our HS counselor had died just last week. All our teachers were retired and our bus driver and man who married all of us had retired just last year.

Although some news was sad, that is life after 25 years. My sister and I had the best time. We are planning to go back again this summer. We are bound and determined to get to that swimming hole one way or another.

Sorry to ramble, but after my trip a few weeks ago I feel so much better about things.



[Edited by kat on 03-21-2001 at 10:30 PM]

darlene
03-21-2001, 11:01 PM
Glad this trip went well for you and your sister. It must be great to have so many good memories of growing up.
I can close my eyes and tell you exactly where everything was in the house and yard that I lived in from age 5-11 like it was yesterday. LOL
Did you find your sister has different memories of your old place?
Good luck finding the swimming hole!
:)

Diane
03-21-2001, 11:04 PM
It sounded like you had a GREAT time. After reading your last post I also went back and visited my old neighborhood. It was a lot of fun seeing a lot of the old neighbors (still there) who's children I grew up with. It was also interesting to find out where everybody (their kids) was and what they were doing. I also stopped off at my old elementary school and TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES of it just in case they ever decided to tear it down. Parts of it have already been torn down and replaced... but the majority of it is still standing. I don't live far from where I grew up but I find that it's still a lot of fun going back and remembering the good old days. LOL I'm glad that you and your sister had a good time. How nice of that guy to let you back into your old home and give you a tour. I wish I could go back IN my old house... just to see if anything has changed. Unfortunately, the people who now live in our old house was not home, so maybe some other day... and even then I'm not too sure I'd ASK, but wouldn't turn it down if they invited us in. I'd better stop going on and on and on... LOL Just wanted to say that I'm glad you went back and enjoyed your time and also for posting your origional post and prompting me to go back myself. :)

RCT
03-22-2001, 09:07 AM
I am so happy that this trip went so much better, hey have you thought about writing about your childhood home....I love reading your posts about your old homestead...I can picture the places in my head you write so well.....I can't wait to go home this summer, I don't know if I can get invited into my childhood home, but I sure will try....I lived in the suburbs and front what I hear everything is different around there now....I really enjoyed reading your posts Kat...thanks...

KarlaB
03-22-2001, 09:43 AM
SO glad this trip back home went so much better. Sounds like it brought back a lot of memories for you and your sister and that is so great!! I, too, can picture everything as you describe it and it is so neat - you do need to write all of this down. :) It was nice of that guy to let you tour the house. A guy that used to live in our house was wandering around outside here last fall. It was LATE at night, but dh and I recognized him and saw that he was crying, so I went out to talk to him. He felt kind of stupid, but I told him he was welcome to come over anytime and invited him in. He said he would maybe come back another time but we haven't heard from him. Anyway, I am so glad you got that chance and that you have another trip planned to go back with your sister. Good luck finding the swimming hole. :)

Amy
03-22-2001, 09:48 AM
You tell a story very well! Almost like ready a novel. I can picture your trip in my head. Sounds like such a fun time!

Leigh
03-22-2001, 11:58 AM
Sounds like you and your sister had a good time. I am glad that you decided to go back and that it went so well.

Ryleigh
03-22-2001, 06:15 PM
Glad you enjoyed your little trip back down memory lane. Hopefully you will find the old swimming hole this summer.
Memories are wonderful!