Change Is...

{select one}
a. good
b. hard
c. inevitable

d. all of the above

Two months ago we began the process of downsizing and moving; a choice that did not come easily - or peacefully at first.

Like so many, we have struggled in this economy; a chain of events, not unlike dominoes all lined up ready to be tipped, forced our hand - we had to make changes. Finally, in January, we pushed forward with a move and I became just too overwhelmed and then sick all over again after fighting illness all through the holidays.

For our family change is all of the above, it was definitely with slight resistance that we moved on. We loved where we were and why not? We had space, light, joy and countless memories of Harrison's first years in this house. Emotionally we wanted to stay; but in reality we had only planned on staying there once Big Brother went off to college. Three years tops.


Then we fell in love. That house represents growing from babyhood to boyhood, growing from boyhood to manhood, discovering talents and passion, rediscovering the innocent beauty of life, saying good-bye to old friends, meeting new friends and so much more. We filled that home with our laughter, music, love and joy.

But it is an old house filled with history as well; and sometimes it truly felt as if the walls could talk. The past seemed to seep out of the walls, footsteps of those before us whispered across the hardwood and we loved that. Let me share what we learned about our house.

It was originally built in the late 1800s - around the 1870s as a single story dwelling - we were told. Then it was built up into a boarding house just after the turn of the twentieth century. During the time that gambling ships would sit off the California shore; gamblers would come down the piers up and down the coast and stay for the weekend. They would gamble three miles off shore all day and then come stay at the various boarding houses in the area at the time.
The owner of the house {as we rented} is third generation (we rented a different beach house from her parents when we were first married), her father lived in the home as a child and then as a married adult raising a family, he bought the house and brought up five children. When he was a child, General George S. Patton was in town for an event and his grandmother invited the general over to the house for tea, an invitation the General accepted as he had a free hour. (those were the days...) To us, that is amazing, a historical figure of such great importance at the time to come over for tea! And if you don't believe it, just ask the neighbors around the corner whom have lived in the area for 80+ years and were there when it happened.

Why do we love and have such fond memories of this house, see for yourself -
Three and half years in four minutes: