7057 Hanbury Street in Long Beach, California will forever be my family's home. My Grandpa and Grandma Holt were the original owners, and has been in our family for 57 years. It is this house where 5 Holt kids played, loved, and built endless memories. As my mother put it, it is where we were all taught to love unconditionally.
After Grandpa Holt passed away, my Uncle Monty, Aunt Joan, and Crystal moved into the house (I don't think anyone was willing to let it go just yet.) They will be moving up North soon, leaving the house to a new family. I have no doubt they will continue creating endless memories and love unconditionally as LOVE is forever embedded into the walls.
Here are a few of my own memories of 7057 Hanbury:
- Brandi and I would report to the Hanbury House afterschool for several years until Mom was off work.
- This house was our pretend address, so Brandi and I could continue attending the schools we wanted...Helen Keller Elementary and DeMille Middle School.
- This is where Tim came to announce Victoria was born with a rose for Brandi and me.
- Tim planted a itty-bitty twig in the yard, which has been become a fully grown tree (right side of yard in picture above).
- I kissed my first boy 2 houses down from this house.
- I remember all the holidays. Grandma sure loved to decorate and cook for ALL the holidays.
- I remember the smell of Grandpa's printing garage. This smell will always be present in my memories.
- Mom would tell us stories of how they had rabbits in the backyard when she was growing up. Not cute little bunnies…but rabbits to EAT!
- I would help Grandma and Grandpa with cutting the notepads after Grandpa printed and glued them.
- I remember saying goodbye to Grandpa for the last time when visiting California for Spring Break one month before he died.
- I always secretly wished the upstairs room could be mine.
- Grandpa sitting on the porch or leaning up against a car smoking and visiting with the neighbors.
I can think of so many more. I encourage those who consider Hanbury HOME to comment with your memories.
You will forever be in our hearts 7057 Hanbury Street
Emily as I said 7057 is a material building it is the memories that will always be with us. Mom, Dad, Monty, Gib, Tracy, Kevin and I learned the meaning of family in that home. The good memories so out weigh any not so great memories but that is what a family is. People who love you unconditionally !!! Daddy's garage is one that comes up everytime I walk into the print shop at work and it physically hits me with the smells. Mama and I meeting the bakery truck everyday at lunch time and I got a jelly donut. Mama and I used that time of day every school day to have mother/daughter time. Monty and his volvo and mini cooper and my christmas gift of a big red stuffed dog, newspaper routes. Gilbert riding his big wheeled tricycle, being a bat boy for Montys ball team. Tracy and his sleep bike riding (not walking...riding his bike in the neighborhood asleep) his all brown bedroom, Kevin and pirate pj's,broken collar bone, LONG hair. Backyard gatherings, above ground swimming pool, slip n'slide in the front yard. Ball games in the street Mom always played and daddy would watch from the porch. 4th of July block parties. Mom being PTA president and working the polling booth during elections. Dinner ALWAYS together around the kitchen booth. Our home being shared with a friend of Montys who was having a difficult time at home and needed a family for awhile. Extended family members who needed a place to go for awhile. These additions lasted a number of years but again 7057 was a place for unconditional love. Even after I was married I returned home just about everyday for a little family time. For years I thought it would all be different if there was no house but then I realized it wasn't the house it was the people in it and that it was a safe haven. Now I know the feeling can come over me when I just think about it. I truly believe that there is an overabundance of love in the walls at 7057 so I pray that the next family that calls this house "home" will feel the love and make unconditional love memories of their own.
ReplyDeleteJust some thoughts...Love Mom