Moving

by Merrillee Whren

No, I'm not moving, but Anna DeStefano's article about Atlanta in this month's Wet Noodle Posse e-zine made me nostalgic about the nine years I lived there. She reminded me of the indescribable beauty of the dogwoods as they dress the Atlanta landscape in lace. Her article made me recall fun times with friends at Chastain Park, Stone Mountain and a raft trip on the Chatahoochee River. But Atlanta is only one of many places I've lived, and each place holds a lot of memories of good times and good friends.

In recent months several Noodlers have sold houses and embarked on the adventure of moving. A move can be intimidating, but it can also be an opportunity to expand one's horizons by learning something new and making new friends. Even though a person can find the same fast food restautants and stores to shop in, each area of our great country has its own specialties. If I'd never lived in Boston, I probably wouldn't know that they call water fountains "bubblers." And I may never have walked the Freedom Trail or seen the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park. If I'd never lived in Dallas, I probably wouldn't have attended the Texas State Fair and seen Big Tex or seen people walking around munching on huge turkey legs. Living in the Chicago area made it possible for me to see the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field and have the opportunity to stroll along the shore of Lake Michigan and check out the entertainment at Navy Pier.

I was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, the gateway to the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore. When I was a kid, I also lived in Montana, where my neighbor had his own little rodeo. I saw a calf being born, fished in the Yellowstone River and visited Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. I went to high school while we lived in Spokane, Washington, the area where three of my novels are set.

Part of my college years took me back to South Dakota, but I also attended Milligan College near Johnson City, Tennessee. During summer school one year, some of us took the short trip over to North Carolina, where we took in the Scottish festival at Grandfather Mountain. After college, my move to Cincinnati, Ohio, resulted in my meeting the love of my life, my husband Bob. Now that was worth the move.

Thanks for indulging me while I reminisced about the places to which I've moved. Because of my many moves, I've managed to visit all fifty states. Now I live on an island paradise, and I don't plan on moving again. What can you tell me about the places you've lived and the memories you made there?

posted by Merrillee @ 1:41 PM