Monday, July 23, 2007

You Can't Go Home Again...Or Can You?

I talked to my parents today and they are moving forward with selling their house in Milton. (Milton is about 20 minutes from Pensacola) They are having a garage/workshop built on their property in Holt, Florida, which will be finished very soon. Their hope is to sell the house very soon, put all their stuff in the workshop and then move into a rental while they are building the house.
They also told me that the house we used to live in on Blackwell Lane in Pensacola is completely gone. A tree split the house in two during Hurricane Ivan. Apparently that property and others surrounding it have been sold to HUD. Across the street to the right is where Uncle Cliff and Aunt Ruby used to live. (not blood kin...close friends of my Nana's...you know how it is) The house burned to the ground. Aunt Ruby moved out years ago. I think vagrants did it. Across the street to the left is the house my mom grew up in...Nana and Paw-paw's house. The family sold the land to my cousin years ago. They put up a trailer behind it. The house is termite ridden and sagging. According to my mom the yard is not kept...overgrown and horrible. Down the street a bit in the field between where Aunt Ruby's house was and Mrs. Jernigan lived, according to my mom, there is now a vagrant camp. Across the way from that, a bunch of apartments have gone up. Apparently the old neighborhood ain't what she used to be.
My mom also told me that the high school I attended has been turned into a middle school. SIGH. Will any signs of my childhood be left?
Sarah and I are planning a trip to the Pensacola area in April of next year. I know that we will spend the bulk of the time at the beach in Destin but I had hoped to give Sarah a bit of a tour of my old haunts. It doesn't sound like there will be much left to tour. I'm not sad that my parents are moving from their present house. It was flooded during Ivan and they were stranded in the attic overnight. It was a nightmare for them and they would love to get away from the bad memories. Having endured a fire I know how they feel. I guess I'm just feeling a bit nostalgic. So much has changed back home. But I suppose home will always be where my family is whether it be Pensacola, Milton, or even Holt.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, there is the Marty G memorial to which you could take Sarah. ;-) It's endowed with a flame they say will not burn out, awaiting your return. Also, OBC is ridiculously large - also not what you'd remember. Also, I may be reading too much HP7.

The beach isn't even the same. Prepare yourself.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I know. When I go back to my old high school (which is right next door to my parents' house), I hardly recognize it. Almost everything has been replaced or expanded.

Oh, and get this. The church where Shelley and I got married? Now a college dormitory (http://www.thesanctuarylofts.com). Ain't nothin' sacred any more.