This week’s Tuesday Topic: Let’s go down memory lane and tell us about the house/street you grew up in. You can write about this topic or post any running-related blog post. Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!
Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I am still on cloud 9 from spectating the marathon. I had a lot of fun going to Pilsen to cheer on the runners. The best part was seeing Desi. I saw my niece and a couple of other friends. I was even inspired to enter the lottery for next year’s marathon. We’ll see. The first thing I need to do is start running again. I ran yesterday for 20 minutes. Baby steps.
I emigrated to Chicago on July 4, 1978. My dad was already living here so I came here with my mom and my 6 siblings. My dad already had a house for us to live in. It was a big building with about 10 apartments which he rented out.
We lived in a one-bedroom apartment by the middle front door, where I circled the AC unit. Let’s count. It was my parents and 6 girls. My brother was lucky and had a room in the basement. I remember my parent’s room was really small (I don’t think it was an actual bedroom) but it was big enough for a twin-size bed and a dresser.
There was a door that separated our apartment and the apartment next door. The tenants must have moved out because then we also occupied that space. The additional room gave us another bathroom and another living room/bedroom. I don’t remember a kitchen so there’s that.
Next to the building was the alley and then next to it was a fire station.
Our school was diagonal from us. The circle on the right of the photo is the church and the other circle is the actual school. I don’t remember what the building in the middle was for, but I am sure it was part of the school. Only 6 of us attended the grammar school and graduated from there. I don’t think any of us were ever late to school!
I don’t remember how long we lived there but we then moved to another apartment building owned by my dad. It was either my sophomore or junior year of high school because I remember my senior year living in the other building. We then lived there until my dad passed away in 1991.
I was tempted to drive by the old building to take pictures but instead used Google Maps. I must have been back there maybe once or twice. I have memories of living there but not that many. I remember some of the neighbors, walking to Zayre (anyone else remembers that store) with my mom so she could buy me a bike, roller skating, and hanging out with family members and friends. I remember walking 2 blocks to the bus stop to go to my high school. There was a Farm Foods two blocks away where we did our grocery shopping. I also remember going there to take bottles of Coca-Cola, RC, etc, and getting money for the empty bottles. I remember the library. I guess I do remember more than I thought I did.
I still know how to ride a bike, but how the heck did I forget how to rollerskate? I didn’t have the actual skates but instead had the detachable ones. 🤨 🤔
I am behind on reading posts from Friday’s link-up. I promise I will get to them.
The topic for next week: NRR: Do you like or dislike Halloween? Tell us why or why not. Feel free to write about this or any running-related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!
I shared a bedroom with my sister – but you had to share with 6! That’s quite amazing. I think living in humble conditions as a child makes you stronger and also strengthens family bonds.
I loved this trip down memory lane with you!
And well done for returning to running!
Now that I think about it, we had bunk beds in the bedroom and a pull out sofa in the living room for us 6 girls.
Thanks for sharing your story.
I was born in Pittsburgh but inky lived there for a year, then moved to Brooklyn until I was 5.
The rest of my years until college was on LI. I only had one brother.
I do drive by my old house when I’m nearby. It looks so small
I learned something new about you! So from Brooklyn you moved to where?
I also shared a room with my sister until my family moved to a bigger house in a bigger town (when I was in high school), we still have family in my childhood town, so it’s always interesting driving by the house when we’re back visiting the area.
Do you think that maybe one day you would like to knock on the door and ask if you can go in to see the inside? I have thought about it but I am sure the apartment will look very different.
This is so interesting! I have one brother, and did not have to share a room with him. I know we hung out together a bit growing up, but despite having only 2 years difference in age, we really grew apart when we left the house after high school. That really must have been nice growing up in a large family! My parents still live in the house I grew up in, so I see it often.
Pilsen was such a high energy part of the race course! I loved going through it.
How fun that your parents still live in the same house! I’ve always wondered who lives in our old apartment and how it looks like now.
I learned something new about you today – thanks so much for sharing your story! I didn’t share a room with my sister but my family lived in an apartment for the first 12 years of my life. I often compare that to living in a house for the later part of my childhood. So many similarities but many differences as well.
I am full of surprises! 🙂