Going Back in Time

These are my grandparents in 1917, Romeo and Leonie Rozier.
Grandma Leonie died when my dad was only 6, so I never knew her.
Grandpa Romeo died in 1959 when I was just 5.

On the way home from our little anniversary celebration today, we took a trip down memory lane. Well my memory lane, anyway. Since we would be going right by this neighborhood on our drive home, we took a picture of the house my Grandpa Romeo use to live in.

I had to hurry and snap the picture while some people
in this neighborhood were watching.
Then I said, "Hurry Den, get me outta here."
I was worried that someone would think we were casing the house.
4734 El Monte Way

We decided to also go see my childhood home.
I lived here till I was 7.

Again, not the best picture because I took it in such fast motion.
4476 E. Madison

Does it look anything like it did back in 1957, below?
The world was sure gentler back then.
L to R: John, me, Mom, and Richard

Michael Cardoza use to live here, across the street from us, and we would walk to school together nearly a mile away! I loved his mom Joyce, but I use to feel SO sorry for her since she had 3 sons and no daughters. Little did I know...

Same house as above but it is 1959, not 2008
Here is Michael Cordoza and me on the first day of school (kindergarten) on his front porch.
(There's that haircut again.)

This day would not be complete without a picture of Mrs. King's house, also across the street from us. She died many years ago but I remember her well back in the 1950s. She was an older widow who lived alone and I use to go visit her. She would let me have a chocolate covered cherry she kept in a box in a drawer in her extra bedroom. For some reason I thought that was her late husband's room and I thought she was giving me very old chocolate. But I ate it anyway and loved it. For years I would give my oldest son chocolate covered cherries on Christmas morning in memory of Mrs. King.

If you look closely behind me (age 3) you can see Mrs. King's house in 1957.

Our trip would not be complete without finding the church on the corner of Grant and First. This is where we went every Sunday to church, and every Wednesday for Primary. It use to be The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
but was sold years ago to the Church of God.

I asked Den to drive around to the back of this church. There use to be a little play area here (above) complete with a slide and monkey bars...where we would play until Primary was ready to start inside the church. This is one of my very earliest memories. I was only about 3, and my Mom forgot to put underwear on me that day. She was Primary president and was probably just so busy. I remember feeling SO uncomfortable and afraid to even move in my little dress. I remember making sure not to go on the slide or monkey bars that day. It was a traumatic day for me. Must have been, for me to remember it all these years later.

Neighborhoods sure do change through the years.