There are times when you hear a word or see a picture of something and your mind takes off down memory lane..... Helping a friend move her daughter into new university digs brought back memories of over 40 years ago. A year after we were married we moved to Sudbury with our brand new daughter, brand new house, brand new job - into our very first home that we owned together. What a project that was - had to paint everything, sand the floors everywhere, give it a new colour and then wax it - for days! I was doing as much as I could while Michael was working. It took us about 3 weeks to get everything in order.
So 2 days before Christmas, 1965, we came back to Hamilton to spend the Holidays with family. We picked up our leftover stuff in storage, my mother and our 1 month old daughter. Packed the car up and headed north to our new home. We lived in that house close to 2 years then change in work made us sell the house and move back to Toronto. All I can say that those 2 years were the best and worst we experienced. The memories are there and also looking at old pictures sometimes makes me cry.
O.K. - to the present. Last Sunday, we packed up the van with the girl's stuff she needed in residence, her mother, daughter Kathrina and the 2 of us. I personnally have not been back to Sudbury since we moved south. Through the years Michael travelled that way because of work, but we never really thought about moving back up there. So when we got there and unpacked the "stuff" we left them to sort things through and we took off to have a look at the old house.
The city has changed so much. New roads, new stores all kinds of new things. We were looking for old landmarks but most of them have disappeared and/or changed. All of a sudden we are parked in front of the house. I take a deep breath and looked at it. It has been painted, new windows put in and a carport built on the side. Pretty trees are now on the front but the front steps are still the same as they were years ago.
I got out of the car and headed up the driveway where I found the owner unloading his pickup truck. I introduced myself and told him that we used to live here a lifetime ago and just came to see the house again. He only owned it for the past 4 years so didn't ask too many questions after that. He took us to the back yard which used to be nothing but sand dunes and no other homes anywhere near. Now it had some trees, a playground, fences all around. I figured children lived there even now. Then he asked if we would like to see the inside. I was so exited.... They made lots of changes by moving the stairs to the basement to another part of the house; opened up the 3rd bedroom that was Mother's, and made it into a family room and enlarged the kitchen. Looking down the hallway I saw that the "baby's" room was still occupied by children because of the bunk beds. I think I had tears in my eyes and we talked for a few minutes then said a very special "thank you" to the gentleman who made us feel so comfortable.
Once we were outside, I got my camera and took some pictures of the house. Kat took a picture of the 2 of us in front showing the number and front door. Times like these are rare and can be wonderful and very painful. I can't handle a rush like this often, but having done this trip was important and it helped to put a closure on our "old" lives in another city.
On the drive back to our home a lot of time was spent talking about the "old days" and how things have changed. I know I will not return again for another visit but having a look and let my mind wonder back to those days was very uplifting.
So, if you have a chance to "look back" somewhere in your past don't hesitate - just do it. It can be painful but at the same time everything is brought back to the present and into proper perspective - things are better now, and you can enjoy singing the song: "those were the days, my friend..."
Until next time,
Hugs,
Nanabear.
