my old block

Talk about nostalgia. This afternoon S and I went on a walk through the neighborhood I grew up in. The weather was perfect, a warm sunny day with a touch of wind and a few clouds to keep us from breaking a sweat. I pushed the dude in his stroller down the sidewalks that created my childhood memories.

Every shaded strip of side walk brought back another memory. Every large bump created by tree roots growing underneath gave me good feelings. I couldn't help but smile.

Everything looks exactly the same. Mature trees lining the sidewalks, so beautifully shaded and green. Backyards filled with toys and chill dogs that stop what they are doing just to smile. Short fences that allow evening chats with the neighbors while barbecuing.

It's funny how big things seem when you are a kid. So tall and open.

Walking past 4059 I remembered my older, much wiser neighbor friend, Fransis tell me how she could count to 20. She pulled me in the wagon while counting over and over again. It seemed like it took forever to reach 20 when really it only took a few sidewalk squares worth of time.

As we turned the corner I remembered picking up a lost baby squirrel and bringing it home with me to give it a better life. Turned out my dad wasn't to fond of me carrying around a live city squirrel so we had to let the baby go.

On the next block I couldn't help but laugh while looking down the slope of the sidewalk. It made remember the time when my best friend, Christine and I came up with a genius plan of pulling my little sister (at the time about 5 yrs old) down the hill in the wagon. Since we pulled her down it was only fair that she had to pull both of us up the hill. Christine's mom drove by on the trek up and told us to get out and pull her....

I feel so lucky to live within walking distance of my old stomping grounds. Having S here makes it that much better knowing similar memories are being created and stored in his fresh little brain. Knowing that he is listening to the same church bells that I did when I was a kid makes me comfortable. It feels like the color green. It feels soft and free. It feels like the sun setting behind huge motherly trees with the scent of bbq steak floating in the air.

I feel thankful.