Memory Lane

Mom was doing really well on Friday! However I was battling a cold and almost didn't go for fear of giving it to her. John stayed home to wait for a delivery so, not feeling like cleaning I suggested we go to the cemetery because she'd mentioned awhile ago that she'd like to go.

Mom almost never leaves the house except to go to the doctor or to stay a few days with my sister so I was quite surprised that she was willing. It was a drizzly day but the rain stopped and we headed out. It's been a couple of years (or more) since I'd been out to Onondaga Hill and on down to the Valley. She and I both we're pointing out all of the changes from years ago - new mini mansions and churches - or we'd remark as we drove by a place that we hadn't thought of them in ages or what ever happened to them?

She made sure to point out the Post Office to me, except they'd built a new one across the street years ago. The old one is a Chinese Restaurant now. As we started down Seneca Turnpike hill we both remember how Grandpa would always tell about how they tested the Franklin autos on the hill. The Dairy Queen at the bottom of the hill is now another Chinese Restaurant.

Heading out Valley Drive we quickly came to "the duck pond" and there were several geese on both sides of the road and Mom thought she spotted a swan.

It took me awhile to locate Grandma & Grandpa's headstone. It was right where it's always been ;-) but the last time we were there the two shrubs that Grandpa had planted partly obscured the stone. Somebody had either trimmed up the bottoms or the deer worked them over good and it just looked so different. (I need to find out how we go about having them removed altogether.)

After Mom paid her respects (from the car) we drove around and found Frank's uncle's monument and then drove through the older part of the cemetery picking out well known Syracuse names.

Mom was worried about the time and my getting back to work but we still had plenty of time and I was still looking to get of doing any cleaning. We headed over to our old house. We did the math and it's been 45 years since Mom moved into her current home. It was a good thing they hadn't changed the house number! When we lived there the attic was unfinished and they have since added on to the back.

I took the long way home. Mom wanted to see the new town hall building but I wasn't able to find it. We did drive by the golf course where both my father and brother worked in their teens and then past the park where I played when I visited my grandparents. We drove by their old house and it hasn't changed much, except for the color.

I'm sure this was boring to read but it was a fun morning for both of us.