The World of Stuff .com

Homes

Tonight my family went to Baja Café, a Mexican restaurant we’ve been going to for a long time. I can’t even remember how long, but it’s been years and years, and we’ve always enjoyed it. My parents are even on a first-name basis with the owner. That’s how many times we’ve been there.

The restaurant is very close to the house where I lived until I was eight. Whenever we’re leaving, we pass by our old house and see how it’s doing. Tonight, we were able to get a good look. The wooden fence on the side of the yard was no longer there. Since no one was home, we stopped the car for a moment and looked at the backyard. Both of the orange trees were gone. I remember how I climbed the big orange tree one time and then hurt my elbow somehow. I still have the scar. I saw the corner of the yard, where our greyhound, Ace, would always run around in circles. In the corner, the old shed was still there. There was a motorcycle parked near it. The grass was overrun with weeds. The trees on the side and in the front were bigger than they had been. The “Beware of Dog” sign near the front of the house was still there. I picked it out at a pet store one time.

I could hardly believe the sensation of having so many memories rushing back to me. I looked at the front door as we passed by, and it seemed strange that I had gone in and out of it so many times. The memories were there, yes, but I couldn’t really remember what it was like for that strange building to be my home. I remember the last time we were there. It was October 1997. The house was almost empty, and we were about to get rid of Ace. Memories like that are still with me, but it’s all over. I’ll never be back there again.

I won’t even have the chance to see my old home anymore. My parents have decided that they’ve had enough with Baja Café; the food just isn’t good anymore, they say.

When we got home, I took a look around and realized that a home is a temporary thing. In a matter of months, the life I’ve lived since I was eight years old will become a stranger.

*

Tour A Low Impact Woodland Home.

Here’s one way to get rid of bees. (Disclaimer: I do not endorse exterminating bees in the manner therein described. But come on, the pictures are pretty awesome.)