Last week my sister and I were discussing via texting who would visit whom the coming weekend:
From me to
her - "If you need a change of scenery more than I do I am OK with you
coming here...the beach is calling me but warmer weather is coming for
that."
Kathryn to
me - "...beach is calling me too..."
Thing is, while I now and have for years
lived here in suburban Milford, MA , for a while now Kathryn is living in a
beach area near the state of MA and NH border.
We were born in CT, she in 1950 and me in
1953. When I was 3 or 4 years old, our family moved to Cape Cod, MA, a working
middle class area of West Yarmouth, South Sea Avenue, the road that just a mile
or so away links to Sea Gull Beach. Cape Cod, MA is full of beaches. So we grew
up "on the beach" at a time when Cape Cod was not nearly so built up
as it is now and was much more of a Summer Tourist dependent area than perhaps
it is now, although Summer Tourism is still a huge part of the area's working
class economy.
Since you understand the years in which we
grew up you also know the historical times in which we grew up. At home we were
taught manners, our good public education was reinforced in a variety of ways,
including our ties to Nature and gardening and growing some of our own
food.
I am not one of those people who is going to
dwell in or on the past and insist that times were better then than they are
now. I will just say times were different.
I moved off Cape after college. I visited
often. My sister stayed longer before also moving off Cape. Not many of our
family are left there.
We still have our house, but after a few
years of trying Summer Rentals, we decided to rent on an annual basis to a
family friend and family. It is a house for a family. A "special"
family who appreciates the "quirkiness" of an older Cape Cod
home.
To my sister and me, growing up on Cape
Cod, Ma was "special". Cape Cod, MA is still "special".
Just not "special" in the ways we remember it being
"special". "Special...but Different."
So my sister came here to suburban
Milford, MA from her beach area where she is currently living for her
"change of scenery, mini-vacation."
Here is how our weekend here transpired
through the lens of edited texting, before, and after...
Kathryn,
coming to visit: "Might bring my teddy bear lol see you later today love
K"
To Kathryn:
"Teddy bears always welcome too!"
From
Kathryn, after visiting: "Hi back here...about 3:30...had a really nice
time with you and (my husband) Joe and at your home would like to do that again
love seeing your poetry Beth you do have a wonderful way with words chat soon
Love K"
To Kathryn:
"Hi Sis. Yes a lovely afternoon evening Saturday and morning early
afternoon Sunday. So nice to have warmer weather and sun to open rooms closed
to try and save some winter heat expenses. And vacation and dine and relax in
my own living room and dining room with someone who is sympatico which is a
rarity! I sat in living room by myself after you left and it was just not the
same. Went upstairs to my normal haunt and realized how content I was. Nice
feeling....
From
Kathryn: "I can rest and relax and rest a bit weepy this morning memories..."
To Kathryn:
"What memories?"
From
Kathryn: "Growing up seeing the items you have from South Sea Avenue
(note: our house on Cape Cod)...it is healing tears so always feel better after
I cry want to come and visit again same as you about sitting in living room
feels like home..."
To Kathryn:
"Yes. Know what you mean. Sympatico. Growing up there were issues but
always loving. Looking back (note: growing up on Cape Cod) it was really
special. Still hard to let it go. You and I go back further and have memories
noone else close to us has. I have told (my husband) and Courtney (Joe's and my
daughter) that too. Oh dear. Now I am weepy. Changes of seasons in more ways
than one. Have a good day. Keep me posted. TTYL Love"
- Weekend of
February 27 & 28, 2016
elizabethsdiary20.blogspot.com
