Topic: REVISITING YOUR PAST

[GrannieAnnie]

Today we had a visit from a man who grew up in our house before we bought it from his father about 20 years ago. He was happy to see his former bedroom, pointed to our shower and said that's where he hid to cry when his doggy died, and he was pleased to see the grape arbor his grandfather built was still standing. He was amazed we haven't replaced some appliances (he renovates kitchens and baths). 

It reminded me of a visit back to my long-deceased grandmother's house (built by her father) and the sad shock of seeing it in poor repair after many happy memories of it in pristine condition.

Just wondering if any of you have tried going back in time.

[springbok]

I have done just what you have said, but via google earth.  With the new "walking the street" views its been a bit of a shock.

My sister and I looked at our grandmothers house and I was very upset to see her precious garden had been replaced by concrete, her grapes had gone and the house just looked cold!!  Stripped of everything that was hers........very sad.

We looked at our other grandparents house too, same thing, unrecognisable to us!!  Made me sad!!

My current home still has its 1920's interior, and everyone has said rip it out...........!!  I cant, infact I am making sure each room is decorated with the 1920's in mind with a modern twist.........I love the fact my current home has a past!! 

[macmac]

It was our 38th wedding anniversary last month,we haven't moved very far and still live in the town where we started out.Anyway we drove to our first house.Blimey it looked small,tired, old and not how we remembered it but then I get that feeling when I look in the mirror wearing my reading glasses  :o ;D
Lovely thread idea GrannieAnnie I look forward to other peoples experiences :)

[Digeroo]

I went to see a house that my grandmother lived in when I was a child.  I was surprised at how small it was.  At the time I lived in a small flat so remembered it as huge.  And it was completely surrounded by new houses. 

[caroline7758]

Our first house after we got married was supposed to be knocked down and we made a loss on it because it was "blighted". 30 years later I drive almost past it every day on my way to work. >:( Not much chance of it having changed much as it was a back-to-back with no garden or yard.

I'd like to go back and see my maternal granparents' house as i have many happy memories, but it's a long way away and I have a feeling it would have changed a lot.

[Duke Ellington]

I have an urge to visit the house where I was born in London. I would love to visit my first school too and the parks we used to play in.  I must do it one day.

Duke :)

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm glad Bokkie mentioned GoogleEarth!  I used that to "visit" a house far away from here where my great-grandparents lived out in Indiana. They died long before I was born so I never had the chance to meet them but was researching them doing a family tree and discovered their address, their house still standing. I copied the picture off the internet and added that to the tree. GoogleEarth is an amazing tool if you can't travel.

[PurpleHeather]

My brother in law bought the house exactly across the road from the house where my grand parents lived.

We visited him and he introduced us to the present owners who were in their garden at the time.  He explained and they asked me if I would like to come in and see the changes but I declined.

I told them that I wanted the memory of that house in my mind to be as it was when it was my grandparents home.

I do love to see what improvements people have made to homes but in this case. It would have been one step too far.

They seemed to understand that I felt as I did. My daughter went in and told me and them that it was beautiful, as I am sure it was.  There were things which would were certainly not right for today like the gas cooker which I have since seen a replica of in a museum but I did not want to see the changes. I prefered my memories.

She had not grown up with it being part of her life as I had.

[small]

I used Google street view to 'visit' our first house in the North-East, the rowan tree we planted in 1974 is still there, far too big for its site now!  And last week I did a real trip back to my birthplace - very emotional, I'm not sure whether I'm glad I went or not.......

[kypfer]

When Mum sold the family house and downsized, one of the "features" in the Estate Agent's advertisement was the mature apple tree in the back garden. I remember it being planted in 1956, watching it grow throughout my childhood and teens, pruning it and picking the prodigious amounts of deliciously sweet fruit it produced every year right up until the autumn before the house was sold.

Within weeks the tree had been removed and the "landscape gardeners" had "tidied" Mum's pretty garden to make room for an extra car-port ... I never did go back  :'(

[potatoehead]

I tried but i still look 50, wtf am i doing wrong?

[gp.girl]

The lady who owned our house visited a couple of years ago when we did open gardens. I think she was pleased we'd done lots with the garden even if it is different.

http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac33/gpgirl/My%20garden/

Hope the link works....