Hometown

My sister, my nephew and I went on a sentimental journey today. Destination: Takoma Park!

My grandfather's house at 7110 Maple Avenue.


Wendy and I marveled at how small the house appeared (the original structure, not the addition on the back), in particular the front steps.

We parked the van and went for a nice walk toward Carroll Avenue. I wanted to see the boundary marker that is only a few steps away from my grandfather's house; it made quite an impression on me when I was a kid.


After loading and locking me in the van, we headed toward our old house at 203 Hodges Lane.

It doesn't look much different than it did 40-some years ago. When my mother bought this house, my grandfather had to cosign the note. The bank would not lend to my mother because she was not married.


Please note the tree trunk on the right.

All the neighborhood kids used to climb that tree, much to the displeasure of Mrs. Judd, who lived in the house next door. We would climb and swing and hang until poor Mrs. Judd came out and screamed at us to get off her tree. 


I think she would be happy that the tree is now completely out of reach.

Then we took a meandering drive through the narrow streets of this charming little city. We found the sledding hill on Birch, the big scary house (I think on Tulip), our babysitter's house where we went after school (there was no daycare), the fire station where we went rollerskating.  When I was a child I thought everything was so spread out. I was wrong.

We stopped at IHOP for lunch. Matt got a Belgian waffle and sausages. This is how he eats his sausages.

He must get that from his father's side.

 Thank you, Wendy and Matt, for a lovely day.