Seventeen

I could probably start an entirely separate blog on the topic of Lavallette, NJ. But I'm out of town for Thanksgiving and not ready to broach the topic just yet. But as a teaser and because I'm so full of thankfulness right now...

My beloved childhood vacation bungalow is set for demolition. And lo and behold, so is her motherly 'big house' in front. Not because of Sandy, but because of neglect and a recent property sale. I'll have to come to terms with the demolition of this special house, built in 1920, but in the meantime...

Thanks to Facebook I was connected with a woman who knows the new owners. And in my sadness over what is to come I had a moment of panicked clarity and asked for the house number on the big house. I was assuming it didn't mean much, if anything, to the new owners and suspected if it was just going to wind up in a pile of rubble that I should follow the advice of Randy Pausch and just ask for what I wanted.

Sure enough, they said, "Yes."

And now, even though the residents of Lavallette are dealing with far more important things, the plans are in place for the transfer of a very special house number to my mother, and if she will relinquish it, to me.

Happy Thanksgiving, indeed.