ME AND FOREST PARK

Had some time off.  Took a trip to Forest Park.  

Didn't realize how many memories was still floating around 

in my head.   I thought I covered most everything in my

previous blogs.  Surprise!  It was too hot and Santa was 

too heavy to drag him along.  The hat fit in my purse.

So this will be my version of "Where's Waldo?"

This is where it all began.  North Avenue and North Oak Street.

It was a corner house.  North Avenue was the address,

but because of traffic, mail was delivered on the N.Oak Street

side of the house.

Hendrix Drive Elementary School.

This is where I went to grade school.

November 22, 1963, I was 10 years old in the 5th grade,  when I 

heard the news.   Santa's hat marks the spot on the side of the school.

Question... " Where were you when JFK was shot."

Our family church.  Like most people in Forest Park, everything

from Sunday School to funerals happened here.

To this day,I feel this is one of the most beautiful 

churches in Atlanta.  Maybe I'm biased, 

but it's my blog.

Many a bride and groom ran down these stairs towards

their future.  In 1975, I was one of those brides.

Forest Park Middle School used to be Forest Park Jr. High,

when I went there.

The only sport I was ever involved with happened here.

I was the worse player but I made the basketball team.

Yea, me...

Summers were spent here.

Summer crush.  A blonde haired lifeguard, who drove an 

orange VW beetle, and his name was...

You figure it out.

1969-1971

Same school, 2013

This was Forest Parks skating rink in the old days.

I was only allowed to go there on Saturday mornings.

Friends of mine invited me to go with them one evening.

With great expectations, I asked Daddy if I could go.

NO...

I spent the next hour in my green bathtub, crying, while 

Petula Clark sang Downtown on my transistor radio.

It wasn't Starr Park back then, and a lot of it has changed.

We used to go there to see the Christmas lights.

A bench...

A swing...

A jungle gym...

I just liked them...

Glen's used to be a Gulf Station.  My brother worked there years ago.

He still takes his cars there to be serviced.  As a matter of fact,

Mama's Jaguar is in the shop behind Glen and his sons, 

 Brandon and Chris.

Across the street from Glen's place is a new addition to Forest Park.

I heard that Mama and Daddy had bricks in the walkway

around the fountain.

It was a nice surprise to find a brick for the Class of 1971.

My name isn't on it but I'm still part of it.

It's the same way with Forest Park.  No matter where I am,

I'll always be a part of it...

2013