Morning walk observations....

(I actually began this the other day.....but, couldn't get eblogger to work correctly.....so, I will attempt it again today as I sit at my desk looking outside at the pouring rain!)

Even thought the temperatures and the humidity are oppressive, I continue to get up every morning and take my daily walk.  I arrive back home wringing wet, but happy that I pushed myself to get my exercise in.  Then I eat some chocolate covered raisins to reward myself! Just kidding...................sort of.  ha! : )

As I walk along my neighborhood of some 30+ years, I  have every area memorized in my mind.  I know all of the nuances.....the "bumps" in the road....the houses where the dogs bark the loudest....the yards that are perfectly manicured....and, those that are not.  I have seen older cars replaced with shiny new ones....and tree stumps removed when the springtime storms have gotten the better of the large, and stately trees that surround the neighborhood.

I have watched families come and go through the years.  There are only a few of us left at the bottom of the street....we are now the "older folks" who have lived here the longest.  I'm not sure that I like that title, but, what can one do?  Maybe "seniority" has its perks....?

Many of the homes are being sold and purchased by younger families.  It's nice to see the children out playing and listen to their squeals of laughter and joy.  It seems that it wasn't that long ago that my own two boys were doing that....I miss that.

This neighborhood is close to the elementary school as well as the high school which makes it prime property for families.  There are grocery stores nearby as well as lots of drugstores....and, one of the newest (and most popular) outdoor malls in the city.  One doesn't have to go far to get whatever they might need.  I have gotten quite spoiled living here!

Many of the homes have such stories to tell.  My across the street neighbor moved in with three small children years ago and, with the blink of an eye, they have all now graduated from college and beyond.  Two are married and one of the two has two children, and the youngest is now a lawyer in a prestigious local law firm.
I watch their mother (who is now a happy grandma) playing with the grandkids in their front yard.

Some of the neighbors have had to deal with loss....husbands and, even a son, to AIDS years ago. Illnesses have touched families around me and I have watched them bravely move on with their lives.

Many of the older neighbors have moved on to smaller "garden" homes that are all on one level so that they don't have stairs to maneuver....or, yards to mow.

Unfortunately, in these tough economic times, I watch "For Sale" signs go up with the message "Price Reduced" attached to the main sign.  There have even been a couple of foreclosures....But, eventually, they do sell and big moving vans show up filled with new beginnings and interesting stories to come.

So, as I sit here, I realize how much of my life has been spent in this house in this neighborhood and, how very much I love it here. I love that I can have my boys and their families stay here with me when they visit, I love the location, I love that many friends live so close by....and, I love that familiar "hug" that I feel whenever I come back home after a trip. 

Walls have been painted, carpeting has been changed, furniture has been updated, repairs have been made, my own children have grown and moved on to their own neighborhoods with their families....but, no matter what.....this is still home....and I am so grateful to still be living here to observe life going on all around me.

:  )