It is the town where I grew up playing twilight summer softball with the neighbor kids. It is the town where my friends and I, in typical Junior High fashion, would scour the local Safeway for the just right hair color ("you're going amber? Ballsy.") It is the town I skipped out of without a second glance as I left for college. It is the town that welcomed be back with open arms when I returned after carelessly abandoning it for four years and two continents.
It is also the town that I have slowly come to realize will be my home's home for quite a long time. This epiphany was strange for me when it first arrived because for some reason, I always envisioned myself settling down somewhere else. I'm not sure why. I mean, does anyone ever think to themselves "I am going to grow up here and then grow up here some more and then do some more growing here and then die here"?
But yes, we will be here in our home for a nice long while. My husband, you think he's married to yours truly, but in all actuality he's more married to this town. Which, thankfully for him, brought him to me. He has a story for every business (past and current), hedge and street pole that he likes to hash out with his friends whenever the slightest of an opportunity is presented.
And after today's neighborhood walk-about, I'm at ease with this whole growing-roots thing. I've lived in this house for three years now, which is a comforting feeling after moving six times in five years. And in those three years, I never once turned right at the bottom of our cement stairs and went alllll the way down and explored the neighborhoods beyond. I've never had any friends down thataway, and there are no stores. Just houses, and old cars, and new mail boxes, and so much character.
Today packed a punch of 66 degrees, and was perfect for such a stroll. Here's a little peek:
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