From There to Here

It began here. Born in a midwest hospital with the first years spent just a few miles from there and in this home.

Mom, grandmother, grandfather ("Pop"), mom's two high school age sisters and me: We lived there. Bio dad was not in the picture nor was he ever. I never quite understood why and would have liked to have heard his side of the story. Bio dad died at the age of 67 a few years back. I'll never really know "the rest of the story".

The home remains today much the same as it was back then located on a corner lot just across the street to the left of the home from the Union Pacific railroad tracks, primary to the travel of passengers and freight through the midwest.

I often wondered how things would have turned out had mom not married a soldier and the three of us moved to his home in California.  Growing up midwest probably would have been a good thing.

This home, the place where mother and her sisters grew up and which served as my first home, was up for sale a year ago.  $48,000 for 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, 1,600 square feet including the basement.

It was tempting to buy.  Grandfather purchased the home in the 1920's. It had just been built.  A little piece of family history would have been neat to own.  But the distance from here to there was great, the midwest winters tough (frozen pipes) and the question of whether to rent it or use it infrequently a tough one to answer. 

I'd relocate to the midwest and live in this home.  In a heartbeat.  My heart belongs to the midwest.  Never was much of a California boy.    Most likely Wifey would choose to remain here.  I'd be there.  She'd be here.

Then what?