Field Trip Filled With Reminiscing !!!!!

Joel had an appointment in Claremont and I said I would go along for the ride.  See, I grew up in Pomona, the town right next to Claremont.  I lived there for 17 years, all thru my adolescence and teens years.   After Joel's appointment, I navigated and took us down Towne Ave.  First stop was to Holy Cross Cemetery, where my dad is buried.  The headstone was covered with mud and leaves, but I went right to it.  It's hard to believe that he's been gone 42 years this July 29th.  He would have been 92 this last January 31st. 

Gosh, I miss him.  He would love his great-grandsons  and spoil them just like I do.  He would love my Joel too.  He always appreciated a good man, and one who treats his "baby" so well.  

There are always such beautiful trees and gardens in cemeteries.These 2 twisted trees remind me of the trees we saw in the Garden of Gethsemane 2 years ago, even tho they aren't olive trees.

Next stop was to my childhood schools.  Garey High School looks the same as in 1972 when I graduated, except the chain link fence my high school boyfriend took out when he lost control of his Camero, is now a line of steel poles that probably holds up better to the new, inexperienced drivers.

Next stop was to Simons Junior High, where I spent 7th, 8th and 9th grades.
I was a cheerleader there for the Simons Spartans.  

Last school stop was to my first school, Philadelphia Elementary School.  It too looks the same.  I remember  being safe walking to school and home every day.  

Wow, how times have changed.  

Of course we had to go to my childhood home, 2237 Angela Street.  We lived here for 17 years.

 Memories!!  The dwarf lemon tree and big maple trees are all gone.  Replaced with palm trees?!!!  Yuck!!!  And, there's a fence out front.  I remember playing baseball out front of my home in the summer days and than hide and seek in the evenings, while the adults were playing shuffleboard in the Brandon's garage.  We had the whole street to hide in, except for the Lobretto's yard.  

They didn't like any of their neighbors and we would never think of going in their yard.    

We went through the intersection of Philadelphia Street and Towne Avenue and Market Spot is now a Mexican restaurant.  I remember while Mom was shopping, I visited the deli and got free slices of Tillamook cheese.  I was always amazed that the high school boys that worked in the deli always sliced off the big wheel of cheese exactly the amount you wanted.
Were those scales fixed?  

Tillamook is still my favorite cheese.

Reminiscing is fun, especially when you recall the good memories.  

Let's leave the skeletons in the closet.  You can't change them, only learn from them.  

I had fun with my husband today.  I am happy today!!