I have my property, my center for the last 30 something years. Property taxes are a struggle, but the house is mine. I’m making it barely on SS but I’m thankful, I have my home my dogs, and my health, and my mom, at 92, down the street. Granddaughter and son, in town, and they’re happy. The world is crazy, and we have right this minute. Thank you
That was me, too, back in 2007, selling my shit, packing up, and gone the first of June. Except I was in northern Wisconsin, a nice little place I'd had for 15 years, back on the Chippewa...and now I'm just trying to keep it together still, but considerably older. Still mine though.
What a beautiful and elegiac ode to neighborhoods in general and neighbors in particular. I grew up in a neighborhood outside of Pittsburgh that was so stable, I didn't know people sold their houses and moved away.
I grew up in a house my Grampy, a retired Army Major, built after WWII in Salem, Mass. Two stories and an attic turned into third floor by my dad, Grandparents, parents, five of us children, and a maiden Aunt, an Army Nurse under Patton and a lifesaver to us kids. What an idyllic childhood we had. So so sorry those times are gone. Our children aren’t having children and they’re out exploring the world.
I lived in Colorado Springs for 15 years and finally decided it was time to leave when a lady I went on a date with told me she couldn't see me again for fear of losing her security clearance. This was the building of Reagans star wars initiative when the area became the silicon valley for the military. The area is one big military installation with the AF academy at the northern end then Peterson Field which I think became Space Force HQ, Ft Carson,NORAD and the Pueblo Army Depot in the south.I still get news from the pikes peak region and every new business is a weapons mfg headed by a recently retired bird colonel, absolutely the epicenter of the Military industrial complex. It's hard to protest anything your paycheck depends on.
Also the HQ of hate groups like Focus on the Family and other cults added a degree of creepy that was hard to ignore. The current mayor hails from Nigeria where hatred of LBGTQ relationship stops just short of the death penalty. He is in the mold of Clarence Thomas SO the city fathers can point to their one black friend
Spike Lee's movie Black Klansman is all about CS. I miss the high altitude climate and nothing else.
Poignant story. I believe house have souls, we leave a bit of ours there when we leave. We have had many houses, each one with a different part of our history.
We live in an old house slightly younger than we are, built in 1951. Our last house, a sweet home just waiting for our final chapter.
So sad what’s happening in real time to us here in America. I must admit, I too am leaving - but I don’t have a house to sell. And I’m not moving domestically, I’m moving to Europe where I can live a slower pace with less stress.
I’m in Denver. I remember that pain. We lost neighbors. One of my friends was barely able to hang onto her house.
I was a partner in a tech startup that was just on the cusp of taking off. We were finally breaking even, and not so dependent on angel investors. Our app was a real estate marketing tool, and customers loved it.
Then came the Republican Great Recession, courtesy of George of the Bungle. We ended up having to turn over the business to our largest investor, to escape bankruptcy.
What a wonderful glimpse of everyday life that reminds me of the house I grew up in and all the wonderful neighbors. Neighborhoods were more stable when I grew up and I can't really remember a house being put up for sale until Mrs Berry, next door neighbor, died. We shoveled her drive every snowstorm and she would give us hot chocolate with marshmallows. Thanks for bringing me back to a simpler happier time.
Absolutely. As someone below commented, greed heads come from all stripes and viewpoints. The bubble did burst before Obama was ever President, however. Thanks for commenting!
‘Tis sad indeed. However, “Greed Heads”, are a varietal bunch, and as such neither conservative nor liberal…
they are both!
Neighbors belong to a societal group that transcends arbitrary constraints…like political blame, affiliation, dog ownership and right-wing radio broadcasts. Having lived on the front range in Colorado for 54 years…leaving my neighborhood and neighbors because of the “greed heads” in the state legislature, was…
IS the hardest, most disheartening experience of my entire life. I dream of being able to return one day…if common sense ever deigns to return to the state’s legislature. Until then…I will enjoy the good neighbors who surround my life, now.
I agree that neighbors come in all stripes, shapes and viewpoints. The specific greed-heads I was referring to were the ones who 1) deregulated the banks and 2) engaged in illegal wars. Thanks for commenting!
I have my property, my center for the last 30 something years. Property taxes are a struggle, but the house is mine. I’m making it barely on SS but I’m thankful, I have my home my dogs, and my health, and my mom, at 92, down the street. Granddaughter and son, in town, and they’re happy. The world is crazy, and we have right this minute. Thank you
That was me, too, back in 2007, selling my shit, packing up, and gone the first of June. Except I was in northern Wisconsin, a nice little place I'd had for 15 years, back on the Chippewa...and now I'm just trying to keep it together still, but considerably older. Still mine though.
What a beautiful and elegiac ode to neighborhoods in general and neighbors in particular. I grew up in a neighborhood outside of Pittsburgh that was so stable, I didn't know people sold their houses and moved away.
I grew up in a house my Grampy, a retired Army Major, built after WWII in Salem, Mass. Two stories and an attic turned into third floor by my dad, Grandparents, parents, five of us children, and a maiden Aunt, an Army Nurse under Patton and a lifesaver to us kids. What an idyllic childhood we had. So so sorry those times are gone. Our children aren’t having children and they’re out exploring the world.
I lived in Colorado Springs for 15 years and finally decided it was time to leave when a lady I went on a date with told me she couldn't see me again for fear of losing her security clearance. This was the building of Reagans star wars initiative when the area became the silicon valley for the military. The area is one big military installation with the AF academy at the northern end then Peterson Field which I think became Space Force HQ, Ft Carson,NORAD and the Pueblo Army Depot in the south.I still get news from the pikes peak region and every new business is a weapons mfg headed by a recently retired bird colonel, absolutely the epicenter of the Military industrial complex. It's hard to protest anything your paycheck depends on.
Also the HQ of hate groups like Focus on the Family and other cults added a degree of creepy that was hard to ignore. The current mayor hails from Nigeria where hatred of LBGTQ relationship stops just short of the death penalty. He is in the mold of Clarence Thomas SO the city fathers can point to their one black friend
Spike Lee's movie Black Klansman is all about CS. I miss the high altitude climate and nothing else.
Wonderful narrative. Thanks mate, for the humanity, and the grace.
Poignant story. I believe house have souls, we leave a bit of ours there when we leave. We have had many houses, each one with a different part of our history.
We live in an old house slightly younger than we are, built in 1951. Our last house, a sweet home just waiting for our final chapter.
So sad what’s happening in real time to us here in America. I must admit, I too am leaving - but I don’t have a house to sell. And I’m not moving domestically, I’m moving to Europe where I can live a slower pace with less stress.
I’m in Denver. I remember that pain. We lost neighbors. One of my friends was barely able to hang onto her house.
I was a partner in a tech startup that was just on the cusp of taking off. We were finally breaking even, and not so dependent on angel investors. Our app was a real estate marketing tool, and customers loved it.
Then came the Republican Great Recession, courtesy of George of the Bungle. We ended up having to turn over the business to our largest investor, to escape bankruptcy.
What a wonderful glimpse of everyday life that reminds me of the house I grew up in and all the wonderful neighbors. Neighborhoods were more stable when I grew up and I can't really remember a house being put up for sale until Mrs Berry, next door neighbor, died. We shoveled her drive every snowstorm and she would give us hot chocolate with marshmallows. Thanks for bringing me back to a simpler happier time.
I loved this story. There’s a million of them, stories that is, out there. Thank you for this great one.
😪
I'm back at my moms. Our main childhood house.
Everyone else is gone or dealing with heavy illness.
My dad loved his zoysia lawn.
its patchy.
I try.
it's all too much.
Well have a huge sale soon.
Life flies.
Didn't Obama also agree to the bank bailouts in 2008?
Absolutely. As someone below commented, greed heads come from all stripes and viewpoints. The bubble did burst before Obama was ever President, however. Thanks for commenting!
As senator, Obama voted for the bail out. As president he also supported it. It wasn't done by one person, it was all out government selling us out
‘Tis sad indeed. However, “Greed Heads”, are a varietal bunch, and as such neither conservative nor liberal…
they are both!
Neighbors belong to a societal group that transcends arbitrary constraints…like political blame, affiliation, dog ownership and right-wing radio broadcasts. Having lived on the front range in Colorado for 54 years…leaving my neighborhood and neighbors because of the “greed heads” in the state legislature, was…
IS the hardest, most disheartening experience of my entire life. I dream of being able to return one day…if common sense ever deigns to return to the state’s legislature. Until then…I will enjoy the good neighbors who surround my life, now.
Blessings
🥓🍔🇺🇸‼️
I agree that neighbors come in all stripes, shapes and viewpoints. The specific greed-heads I was referring to were the ones who 1) deregulated the banks and 2) engaged in illegal wars. Thanks for commenting!
👍🏻
It was partly GWBs fault. Mostly Clinton’s though. And both of their part was eclipsed by State stupidity. Mainly the big Blues.
I appreciate the comment. I will point out that Clinton had been out of office 8 years when the bubble popped.