Here We Are

in Newport News, Virginia.
The Yard Man and I are here at the very spot of my growing-up years.  We are down at The Dear Old Neighbor Man's property beside the Warwick River.  It's where the 120-year celebration of the church and community was set to begin. The afternoon fun was to include games, water activities and hot-dogs on the grill.   Items we had been instructed to bring along were: Swimsuits, Towels, Blankets and Lawn Chairs, Sunscreen, Hats, Sunglasses, Life Jackets, Water Shoes.

Alas, umbrellas and rain coats were not on the list! The afternoon was waning by the time The Yard Man and I got to the spot, and there was a steady rain falling.

"For sure they cancelled the afternoon activities!" I had surmised to The Yard Man

But, surprise!  There were a few people huddled in The Dear Old Neighbor Man's boathouse.  There were a couple pieces of watermelon left.   We had enough time to greet everyone and eat the watermelon.  But, sadly, the afternoon's activities had been quite extensively changed by the weather.

Dinner would be served at the church because of the rain, we were told.

On the way to the church (half-mile away) The Yard Man and I drove past the pond that used to exist in my grandparents' back yard (yes, yes, Viewer Dear, the pond still exists.  It's covered by a thick layer of green pond detritus [as it has always been (since I've known it)]  It's my grandparents who have moved away).

Even the access trail from the road up into the woods still exists (as it did in my childhood [though it's no longer the "cliff" that it used to be])!


What truly no longer exists is the house and barn that were built by my great-grandfather way back in the 1800s.  "Slow down!" I instructed The Yard Man as we drove past the site. The buildings have been recently bulldozed to make room for a housing development.  My great-grandfather raised his family in that house, my grandfather raised his family in that house, my uncle raised his family in that house.  The end.

The ancient pecan trees that were planted by my great-grandfather and fed generations of his descendants are still growing and thriving.  They are scheduled for demolition as well.

Time moves on.

The Yard Man and I moved on, too.  We stopped at the church briefly (and The Yard Man ate two hot dogs), then we set out to find a restaurant.