When someone asks where I grew up, I sometimes respond, “How much time do you have?” At least, that is the first thing I think about saying. Usually, I only say that with someone I feel might have a sense of humor, but I’ll occasionally say it to see if the person is genuinely interested. Whatever I respond, the title should hint at my answer.

My family moved a lot. By the time I was six, I lived in three states, five cities, and seven residences. When I graduated from high school, I’d lived in eleven different towns or communities and sixteen different abodes, if my memory is correct.

Some reading this may think, “That’s not so bad.” Remember one thing before you think something along those lines. We were not a military family. Nor were we forced to move because we couldn’t pay the rent or Dad was being transferred to a new office.

We moved every time Dad got the urge for one reason or another. We moved to the “country” four times so we could hunt, fish, or whatever. Each time, we moved back into “town” a year or so later. Once, we moved back to town, and a year later moved less than a block before moving back to the country a few months later. Only once did we live in the same house for two full school years.

Sadly, I seemed to follow in my dad’s footsteps. My first years as an independent adult included several residential addresses. However, unlike my dad, I finally settled down, living and working in one city for twenty-five years. Then I relocated to the area I lived in when I finished high school and started college. I’ve been here for twenty-eight years.

If you’re still reading, thanks for hanging in here. There is a point to this piece beyond my lamenting my nomadic upbringing.

Thankfully, my wife and I have lived in a great neighborhood for over twenty years. It provides many opportunities to photograph the things we love about the area and share them with friends and family. Now I intend to start sharing them here at times. I hope you enjoy them. This is a small private lake within walking distance of our place.

© oneoldcop – 2023