We arrived in Ojai today and are staying at my in-law's house. It's weird being here after being gone for almost 3 years. What is even more weird is being next door to our old house and not having it be our house anymore. Rick is hoping to meet up with some friends on Tuesday and we'll also be taking a drive to Barstow to visit my mom sometime. For now, we're just home relaxing after the long drive today. Tomorrow we're driving down to get a rental car and do some shopping since my ILs haven't been home for almost a week. I heard some crows and scrub jays earlier. That's a sound I haven't heard in a long time. I also got poked by an oak leaf -- grrrr.
I lived in Ojai for over 41 years, so it's familiar to me. For the boys, it's a different story. Neil was only 4 when we moved away in 2006, so I'm sure he sees things differently. It feels funny though. I know I am technically home, but at the same time, it doesn't feel like home to me anymore. In the movie The Lion King, Pumba says, "Home is where your rump rests." I don't know about that. To me, home is where my stuff is. I miss Nicole and our two cats, Belle and Kitty. Not to mention Nichelle, who's been in Hawaii since June 4th. Hopefully, we'll have a nice visit in Ojai and will be able to meet up with some friends and such. Nathan and Neil are in heaven -- their grandparents have so many toys and the boys don't know what to play with first. One thing that is really funny is that the population of Ventura County, where Ojai is located, is the same as the entire state of Montana. Considering Montana is the 4th largest state in the US, that says a lot. So, how about you -- does where you live now feel like home to you, or does where you grew up feel more like home? I feel a little out of place here ...
Surprisingly, neither. I grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario; left when I was 16 when my grandma died (I grew up with my grandparents) and moved to Vancouver Island to live with my mom. I lived there for 15 years (mostly in Victoria), and that is where my heart is, where I feel is truly home...this side of heaven, anyhow!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your having a great vacation! Did you used to live next to your in-laws? I do now, it's an entire blog post of it's own, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteTo me, at this moment, home is where I grew up. I lived in the same house until I went to college, but I came home every weekend. For almost two years, I lived in an apartment about 5 miles from my parent's house. Then I got married.
ReplyDeleteHubby moved 5 miles from his lifelong home, whereas I moved almost 150. The first 26 years of my life have been in storage for the past seven now, which is a rather sore subject right now. So, for me, 'home' is Hagerstown right now, and I wanna go back.
Stef
I'm such a homebody and I live 6 minutes away from the neighborhood I grew up in! But at least it is a different town! :) But my current town feels like home to me, I've been here 10 years.
ReplyDeleteThe house I grew up in doesn't exist anymore, and my parents left that area long ago. I still get pangs to go back there, but definitely where I am now feels more like home.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy your visit!
Where I'm at now is home, I've been here for 26 years. Estes is beautiful and I feel AT home there, but it's not home anymore.
ReplyDeleteHope you're having fun, talk to you soon.
Nancy
Sounds like you're having a wonderful trip. I would love to take my husband back to see my hometown. It's like a little piece of yourself that you're sharing.
ReplyDeleteHome to me is where my family is. My parents still live in my childhood home which is about 1/2 hour east of where I am now. I visit there alot and a room is still set up if we all want to sleepover.... my kids love the idea that they are sleeping in my old bedroom! lol I moved about 2 hours away when my hubby was finishing school but there was never a doubt we would move back to close to my parents. We now live in a get town just outside of Toronto, Ontario and that is home to me. (Though it is still nice to visit my folks!) lol
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