There's No Place Like Home

 This morning I was looking at a website of a man I've been following for years. He lives in Philly and today had a picture of his boyhood home. So, I began reflecting on my boyhood homes as a Boone Iowa kid.

My first place was on 4th Street and we lived in a smallish home that sat not only on 4th but it was also called Highway 30 which ran from New York to California. I was around four years of age at the time(circa 1950 AD).Obviously my memories are flimsy but I do remember the hundreds of semi's driving past our place. It scared me no end. If I was in the front yard and one came bye I'd run to the back yard. My only other recollection is one day I got in my dad's Studebaker which was parked in the driveway. Somehow I pull the release on the brake and the car rolled into the highway. Evidently, God did not want me to die that day.

After the 4th street residence we moved to a much bigger home situated on the corner of Clinton and Second Street. It had two stories and a double car driveway. The previous owner had put a basket above the garage and even at six years of age I pounded the basketball constantly. 

For some reason my parents purchased homes with huge drawbacks. As an example, six years later we moved to a two story stucco place that had, and I kid you not, 75 windows that had to be changed out to screen ones when warmer weather came around. 

Our corner lot on Clinton St. had a huge amount of grassy areas. both in the yard and the parking. The lot  ran one half block. Why did I write the word drawback? Well, because in 1952 lawns were mowed with push mowers because gas powered ones weren't on the market. In my mind I can still see my dad pushing that thing on summer days with 90 degree temperatures. It's when I first learned really neat swear words.

This morning I went online and punched up that house address hoping to conjure up more memories. It didn't work out so well. I don't know who the realtors are in Boone but I think they should attend advertising school. I ask you, would you buy this home by looking online?

Can't see it? Look closer. It's directly behind the trees----somewhere. Stay with me. After today we'll be looking at our 705 11th street place. It, too, was a corner lot. My folks never learned.