Welcome to the third day of my Housewarming Party! I sure do get distracted, don't I? I don't know how the days pass so quickly. I get so involved with finding old friends on Facebook that I forget about my
But back to the party. I know that this is supposed to be a festive event, but I need to wax nostalgia for Day Three's Party Favors. For the past decade, the kids and I have been going to my hometown of Geneva, New York during the first two weeks of August. Dr. H. usually goes to a big botanical conference during this time, while we spend 2 weeks with my p
arents at their home on Seneca Lake. This is the house we built and moved into when I was in sixth grade. It's not my childhood home; I think of it as my coming-of-age home. And my coming-home home.Everything about it is amazing. It's not fancy, but it's roomy and bright. Functional and comfortable. Three stories and a beach on one of the Finger Lakes. As my father says, "a swimming pool 700 feet deep, 2 miles wide and 35 miles long.
" And don't get me started on all the memories the house holds for me. I can't think about that right now.'Cause here's the thing: this will likely be our last visit to my home on Glass Factory Bay Road. My parent have bought a house down here in Tennessee just a half mile down the road from us. Of course we are thrilled about that; we've wanted them to do that for years. But, well, that means they have to sell their house in Geneva.
And that means my kids won't grow up skipping rocks in Seneca Lake and going sailing early in the morning while the wind's still good. This is the last summer they'll spend all day in the lake, jumping from big rock to big rock. Next year my daughter won't be sleeping in the bedroom where I tallied up the months my boyfriend(s) and I dated; she won't put her clothes in my dresser or walk barefoot across my shag carpet.
For today's Housewarming Party Day #3 Party Favor, just answer some or all of these questions in the comments for 10 po
ints (and yes, I'm keeping track!):* Do you have a special childhood home or did you have several homes?
* Do you imagine that your children will someday "come home" to your current house, or do you see yourself moving someday?
Want to tell me anything else about a home to which you were especially attached? I'd love to hear it!
That's it! And remember, you can always do the
Week-long Gifts (leave me a comment to say you've done any or all of these, each time you do)
1. Mention SmallWorld's Housewarming Party on your blog, and you'll get 5 points each time you do!
2. Put my party sign on your blog somewhere, and you'll get 10 points.
3. Subscribe to SmallWorld and get 2o points! (How to subscribe: look on my sidebar and click on the button that says "posts" under the header "subscribe.")
4. Cut and paste the day's Party Favors on your blog for 10 points each day.
5. And by the way, you can jump in the party on any day, and you can even go back and do the previous days if you missed them the first time around! Our door is always open to new friends! See Day 1 here.
See Day 2 here.
We moved from West Seneca, NY when I was 9 - a big move, to San Jose, CA. I would like my kids to see that house but I am not too nostalgic about it. The house my kids consider home is the one we left behind in Oregon when we moved to Pennsylvania last year. It's rented out; we left with the idea that we'd be back. We aren't so sure of that anymore, though...
ReplyDeleteThe house we live in now is a decent house; it's home now but not likely to be a forever sort of home. We figure when my husband's done with school and working again we'll move - either back to Oregon, someplace completely different, or to a different house in this area.
Maybe that's when I'll finally get a front porch!
that sounds wonderful! i know what you mean about wanting your kids to share in those memories. when my grandparents died and we had to sell their house i was so sad!
ReplyDeletei hope we stay here forever and it will always be a home my kids can come back to. but if we don't, i know that will be ok too.
Ugh, your description made me long for a lake house we used to go to a few times each summer. SO many memories there. Unfortunately, the home belonged to my mom's husband's family, so when they divorced, we never saw the house again. :( It is my dream to someday have something like that. Probably won't ever happen, but maybe we could rent one for a week sometime!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite childhood home was a log cabin we lived in when I was 8-10 years old. It was a real log cabin in the woods, and I loved it because I was really in to reading the Little House on the Prairie series, and I could really play Little House at that house.:-)
ReplyDeleteThe house had a loft that I used as a playroom and I could look down on everyone in the great room while I played.
I really like the house we live in now- even though it is a little small for all six of us. If we do some work and add on, I could see living in this house as our children grow and having this as a place they could come home to.
Leah
http:www.homeschoolblogger.com/lcourtneymom
I lived in the same house from the time I came home from the hospital until I got married.
ReplyDeleteSince we live in base housing, I know my kids won't be coming home to this one. Hopefully our next home will be our forever one, and I sure hope once my kids move out, they'll bring their families back!
I "waxed nostalgia."
ReplyDeletehere are my answers:
* Do you have a special childhood home or did you have several homes? I had several homes. (You can click here to see a list of all the places I've lived, if you really want to know.) My dad was in the army, so we moved frequently. I've lived in military housing (some apartments -- some townhomes -- some duplexes), individual "civilian" homes (some rented -- some purchased), dorms in college, seminary housing, etc. As far as a "special" childhood home, the house where my mother grew up is special. It was one of the only "constants" in my life. It's an old farmhouse in Sapulpa, Oklahoma.
* Do you imagine that your children will someday "come home" to your current house, or do you see yourself moving someday? I imagine that we'll move someday... before they're old enough to "come home." But, who knows -- God may have other plans!
Want to tell me anything else about a home to which you were especially attached? I'd love to hear it! There's so many memories flooding my head. This nostalgia thing is quite a "touchy-feely" topic, don'tcha think?
What a lovely home, and I'm sorry it won't be a part of your children's lives anymore! But how awesome for you to have all those memories - a lake home is so special.
ReplyDeleteI have the best memories of my grandma's house in Michigan. Always an open door with lots of family members in and out. It's where my mom was born and lived until she was grown. The house was razed a few years back (well, like a decade back if I really think about it!) to make room for duplexes or something. That was sad. It's really strange to go back to Michigan and not have Grandma's house to go to. She's gone, too, but I WILL see her again.
What a lovely home, and I'm sorry it won't be a part of your children's lives anymore! But how awesome for you to have all those memories - a lake home is so special.
ReplyDeleteI have the best memories of my grandma's house in Michigan. Always an open door with lots of family members in and out. It's where my mom was born and lived until she was grown. The house was razed a few years back (well, like a decade back if I really think about it!) to make room for duplexes or something. That was sad. It's really strange to go back to Michigan and not have Grandma's house to go to. She's gone, too, but I WILL see her again.
Wow, the place looks pretty good! Due to those serene landscape that lets you relax with the kids or whenever you're feeling down. You know, it may not look fancy, but that made it special.
ReplyDelete