Memory Lane

Today is the Cal vs. Oregon State game in Berkeley and J.'s cousins (who attended Oregon State) and family came from Oregon and So. California to attend the game. This morning, we had a 'mini-reunion' at - of all places - Hometown Buffet in San Leandro - kind of a mid-way point for other cousins coming from Oakland and Sonoma to meet for brunch. It was a great morning full of kids and fun and getting caught up on what we've all been doing since we saw each other last.

After brunch, we took J's brother home to Hayward and then headed up the hill to see where we used to live. WOW, it's changed a lot. Not our 'house' - the condo building looks EXACTLY the same. But the neighborhood is very different. Many more homes, condos, etc. built. The elementary school the kids would have attended if we had ever put them in public school while we lived there (which we never did and probably never would have) has closed and a new K-6 school has been built high in the Hayward Hills. The homes are gorgeous, with beautiful views. But they are seemingly inches apart and while the views are great, there is NOTHING up there. No grocery. No stores of any kind. It's 20 minutes down the hill to any kind of 'commerce'. That's one of the things we never liked about living there - it was a ways 'into town' to shop. And the freeway was very far away.

It was fun to cruise the neighborhood, feeling disoriented because it's changed so much. At one point I said to J. 'we're near Tine's house'. And he said 'yep, it's up that ways a bit'. And we both knew we were talking about Christine, B's former babysitter - only B. always called her 'Tine' (pronounced 'Teen') and that's what we still refer to her as. There were a lot of memories in those hills, but I realized how happy we are to be where we are. Even with the commute for J., buying this house and living in this town is still the best thing we've ever done. Those 'hillside' homes aren't really neighborhood homes - it's pretty hard to ride a bike or skate or play when it involves steep streets. The neighborhood seemed 'remote' and not really kid-friendly. I saw two young kids playing on the retaining wall in their backyard - only that wall had at least a 6 foot drop onto a steep 'lot', which is part of the backyard but unusable since it's just a hillside, really, with a wall to hold the dirt the house is built on. I shuddered about those kids playing up that high - seemed dangerous to me.

Our kids are so incredibly happy here. They're having the childhood we did - jammed with zillions of friends, constant activities and always something to do. Tracy is a great town to raise kids! and we love our home. We wouldn't have anything even remotely close to this had we stayed in Hayward. The trip of memories just reconfirmed that for me.
J. asked if I wanted to look at the models. I said 'no, let's just get home'. I had no desire to look since I have no desire to buy. I don't want to live anywhere but here, ever, really. I've thought about us selling this house in a few years and down sizing - lowering our expenses and also providing cash to help with looming college expenses. But truthfully, I don't want to leave here. I will never feel the same about any other house - this is the house of my dreams and I can't imagine living anywhere else. I know someday, we'll need to move. It's a big house and will reach a point where it's just impractically large for two retired old people. But for now, it's the home I have the happiest memories of my entire LIFE and I never want to leave it. And I know J. and the kids feel exactly the same way.

Home is home.