June Street and Other Memories

It is Tuesday morning, and I am so glad to be at home. I spent a bittersweet day yesterday going to SC for the funeral of a childhood friend. The people I hugged at the funeral were people who were babies in the church nursery when I was, or took care of me when I was in the church nursery! I hugged so many people who helped shape my life, and I helped remember the life of a dear friend who mentored me like she did her own baby sister (who happened to be  my best friend in childhood).

After the funeral, guess where I went? Yep--you know it...

As you can see the picture is a bit fuzzy (and some of the others will be as well) but, as is often the case with me, there's a reason.

When I first turned off I-526 onto Paramount in my old neighborhood, I drove very slowly past the park that is immediately on your left. I had the window down and was snapping pictures of the the Welcome to Wando Woods sign.

I was vaguely aware as I snapped pics that someone was yelling. After the second picture, I realized the yelling was directed toward me! On the third picture, my mind and  senses all lined up and I realized that 3 young African American dads who were watching their kids on the playground, we yelling AT ME, "Hey--who you takin' pitchuhs of?!"  They thought I was taking pictures of their kids! I was so unnerved that none of my pictures turned out well!

I headed on down toward June Street and  truck was right behind me. The truck had seen me taking pics at the playground and it went ALL THE WAY DOWN (13 streets!) to June Street with me. I stopped at the June Street sign and took another picture. The truck stayed on my tail all the way down the street, and I was really worried that the guy in the truck was some sort of Community Patrol who was watching me! I was carrying yesterday, because I knew I would be driving alone late at night, so I had visions of getting pulled and having to explain why I was taking unauthorized photos at a playground with a loaded gun in my possession!

After a lap or two around the neighborhood, and  a ride down the "Big Dip"

(doesn't look so big now does it?!), the guy finally left me alone. I also rode down Flynn, which was our route to the river (remember?),

and I got a picture of June Street as I turned to head back toward my old house.

Do you all remember learning to ride your bikes here?

As I was ready to leave,  I got a very fuzzy picture of my old house. It has been sold again, and it is not in very good shape, even though it looks pretty good in the picture.

After Wando Woods, I scooted up to Columbia and got there just in time to take Will to supper as he got off work. That was so fun to see you, Will!

From Columbia, I drove to the Charlotte airport and picked up Vally who was just in from Omaha.

I decided that memory lane is sweet and fun to do every so often, but just seeing my family  and getting back to my own home is really what I love!