(Listening to “My Hometown” by Bruce Springsteen)
I enjoy going home, but the one time of year I especially enjoy going home is fair week. Since the wife was out of town with Tiny, I decided to take Littles to my hometown, Lynden, WA.
Lynden hasn’t been my home for 19 years, but I still call it home. It will always be my home. My parents still live in the house I grew up in. It looks a little different, but not much. It’s still the same color and it’s still very well-kept; one of the handful of houses on the block that isn’t showing it’s age. My parents had the house built. The development was new at the time. When we moved in, there were two empty lots on either side of us and across the street. Only half of the block was somewhat complete. The other half was a field with a dirt road. I remember the construction of the other half. The trenching for water and sewer pipes, electrical lines, and cables. My friends and I played in those trenches and pipes, playing “army” and having dirt bomb wars. I remember the road being paved for the first time. The fresh black top was so smooth and would smell like tar when it rained. More homes were built. New friends moved in. We scoured construction sites for scrap wood to build skateboard ramps. Everything was just beginning.
That was a long time ago. Now, the neighborhood is showing its age. Concrete sidewalks my friends and I had carved our initials into have been worn away by years of Pacific Northwest rains. Trees that were freshly planted are now fully grown. Some of the most meticulously kept houses and lawns of my youth aren’t as maintained as they used to be. A few of the original neighbors are still there, but many have moved away or passed on. My neighborhood friends have all grown up and started lives of their own; some of their parents still live there though.
I love going home. It’s one of the things in my life that never changes, sort of like a fixed data point in time to which you can always go back. My town has changed; people have moved away, familiar businesses have closed, places my friends and I used to hang out are gone, but my home hasn’t. When I walk into my parents house, I feel like I’m in the scene from “Field of Dreams” when Moonlight Graham walks off the baseball field and turns into an old man, only the exact opposite. I feel like a kid again. I walk to my old room and hear the familiar creak of the door as I open it. I set my luggage on the floor. I can still see pinholes from where my posters used to hang on the wall. The room still seems to smell like me even though it has been 20 years since I’ve lived there. At night, in bed, I can still hear KISM’s Top 10 at 10 echoing off the walls from years past. I’m baffled at how my whole life used to fit inside these four walls. Going home means seeing my family and that’s always great. We spend time together, catch up, reminisce, and laugh. I also make it a point to see a few of my close friends who are still in town.
Another thing that doesn’t change in my hometown is the Northwest Washington Fair. The fair is always an experience. It’s a huge event for the community. The whole town seems to either shut down or revolve its business around it. Anyone within a mile radius of the fairgrounds are parking cars on their property. Kids are selling bottled water and soda. The most popular question when talking to someone becomes, “Are you going to the fair?” The memories are timeless. Whether you’re 6 or 60, if you have lived in that town, you probably have some great memories of the fair. The demolition derbies, waiting in line for the Zipper, Moo-Wiches, elephant ears, carnival games, running into people you know, the endless booths of merchandise, the grandstand shows, the 4-H barns; it’s all seared into your memory. For the third week of every August, the fair is the place to be.
I love my home and the fair and am very happy I took my daughter to see them this past week. It was very special to share them with her and it’s a trip I won’t soon forget. With that said, here are some pictures!
Home sweet home on Vine Circle! We moved to Washington from New York when I was 6, but for all intents and purposes, this is what I call home.
There’s the view from my front yard. Hours and hours were spent in this could-de-sac skateboarding, playing wiffle ball, and riding bikes.
This was a fun picture for me. My daughter skateboarding in the same coul-de-sac I spent so much time in. That’s my parent’s house in the background. The house looks great, dad!
Hanging out at Boulevard Park with Bellingham Bay in the background. Littles loved putting her feet in the water.
Littles playing with her Auntie Candace. I love being near the water. Being landlocked in Denver, it’s always great to get a breath of salty air.
A view I don’t get to see often enough. Bellingham Bay.
Littles was here! 2017!
Here we are by the water. We had to trick Littles into looking at the camera. We couldn’t get her to smile though. Sometimes that’s life with a 3-year-old.
The next best thing to being in the mountains.
We wore Littles out at the park. She can barely stay awake for lunch. We were having pizza, and thumb.
I don’t know why, but I love getting fish and chips from here.
Because snowboarding is never too far from my mind. There aren’t many places you can be next to the water, drive an hour and a half and be in the mountains. The PNW is one of them.
Mt. Baker is in view from pretty much anywhere in Lynden, if it’s not covered by clouds and rain.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Northwest Washington Fair!
Littles loved the rides. Her smile says it all!
Seriously. That smile. My heart might burst.
Loving the rides!
More rides! Littles has no idea who the girl is next to her, she just jumped in the cart and they became friends. Littles has such a good heart. She makes me a proud daddy!
This was Little’s favorite ride by far. It’s called “The Dragon.” She could not get enough of it.
Every time she went on it, she became more brave. Arms up!!!
Right in front. Arms up! I will never forget hearing her scream and squeal with delight! I don’t know who was having more fun, her or me watching her.
We worked up quite an appetite going on all those rides! Here’s Littles enjoying a Moo-Wich. It’s two homemade chocolate chip cookies with ice cream in the middle, a fair favorite.
Taking a break from the fair to play with her cousins.
Kids are awesome. You put them in a room with toys and they’re best friends for life.
And we’re back at the fair! Time to see some animals! When we went through some of the barns, Littles held her nose. Pshhh. City kids.
Petting some animals with cousin Tara.
Another break from the fair. We’re hanging out at the Lynden City Park with Grampy and Grammy.
I had to take Littles to one of my favorite places, Mt. Baker.
She’s happy to be at Mt. Baker, but she was more happy about the fruit snacks I promised to give her if she smiled for a picture in front of the sign.
My parents still have my senior picture on their wall. I hear the Canadian Tuxedo is making a comeback. I think I went to a Brandon Walsh look-a-like contest after this shoot.
My dad made this chair for Littles. He put pennies in the arm rests. Whenever we’d pull into the garage, Littles would say, “There’s my chair!”
Dad didn’t do too bad braiding Littles hair. With three girls in the house, I catch on pretty fast!
All great things come to an end. We headed home to Colorado, but Littles had to take a few more laps on the moving walkways in the airport before we got our bags.
The expression on her face sums up our trip. We had a great time and hopefully we make it back next year with the whole family!
Dad vs. Human 