Saturday, July 02, 2005

There are too many damn Sharon's around here..


I live in California and I LOVE it. I mean LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I never knew that there was a California girl deep down inside of me. I still can't believe that I cried when I found out that we had to move from NEW JERSEY to California. To be fair, I loved New Jersey too--so I guess I am just shallow. Or easily distracted. Like I was saying, I love Palo Alto. I love it even though I am in the minority for not buying everything organic and I don't drink soy milk. I love it even though I am usually the only mom in a park full of nannies. I don't play tennis or golf. I am not a size 2 or blonde. I let my kids eat at McDonald's, drink soda and watch TV. I don't even mind the rediculous housing prices. I do drive an SUV--so I manage to slip in under the radar. I am not saying that all people in Palo Alto fit into the stereotype, just the ones I know.

Anyway, we have lived here for about 6 years. A few months ago we had to leave our little condo. It was a sweet little two bedroom condo on a beautifully landscaped lot. It had a pool, a hot tub and a garage. The reason we had to move is that we have two kids and two more on the way. Even though 12 year olds are allowed to have babies and live in cars, we weren't going to be able to adopt another child until we had another bedroom (no small feat in our area). When the perfect place dropped in our laps we had to take it. The problem was that I didn't want to leave my little house. That condo is the place that I have lived the longest in my entire life. I brought my babies home here. My daughter learned to walk on the sidewalk just outside. Gulp. That isn't even the worst part. Our old condo was right across the street from Walgreens. Having a Walgreens across the street is like living next door to heaven. When we would run out of milk, we could trot over to Walgreens. Need diapers? Formula? Glue Sticks? Make up? Walgreens had it all. When my kids would get bored at home, we would walk over to Walgreens and play in the toy aisle or get an ice cream cone. We knew all the staff and they knew us. We made cookies for all the Walgreens employees every Christmas.

The new house is NOT next to Walgreens. Even though it has the right amount of bedrooms, the neighborhood is very different. Our new condo complex used to be a retirement community until about 5 years ago. There are three young families living here now, the rest of the neighbors are very elderly. The young families live here because the previous elderly owner died or moved to a nursing home, creating a vacancy. Our neighbors are 88 on the left and 90 on the right. I'm thinking that we are going to get new neighbors REALLY SOON, if you catch my drift.

There are actually many benefits to living in a sea of old people. They can't hear the racket that my kids make. My kids do charming things like crying every morning at 5:30 or going through 4 packages of these firework things that you throw down and they make a loud pop in like 5 minutes. Old people also drive really slow--so I don't worry too much about my daughter riding her bike in the street. They never throw loud parties or try to put their garbage in my can. One of them did drive through the front plate glass window at Longs the other day while my sister was in there. The firemen that responded to the scene seemed so bored I am assuming this isn't first time this has happened. Other than that, pretty good neighbors.

The weird thing is this neighborhood. This is me telling my friends how to get to my house "Take Sharon Park drive to the first stop sign. Turn right onto Sharon Road, go past Sharon Green and turn right onto Sharon Oaks, 5th house on the right". There are really that many roads starting w/ the name Sharon and that isn't even all of them--just the ones to get to my house. I cannot figure out why someone would do this. Granted, Menlo Park is full of old people so maybe they didn't want to confuse the residents. What about the mail man, delivery people and folks that are trying to come and visit ME? Someone always turns on the wrong Sharon and doesn't realize it because there are so many other bloody "Sharon" roads. By the time they call me and I can figure out where the are and get them back to me we are both practically in tears. Were the city planners just lazy? Bored? Why Sharon? Why not Edith or Judy? Did some mysterious Sharon donate all the land around here? Was Sharon someone's mistress? Whatever the reason, as far as I am concerned there are too many damn Sharon's around here.

I miss Walgreens.

P.S. The picture has nothing to do w/ this entry. I just found this picture of my son and was struck by his resemblance to his sisters Cabbage Patch Kid (which my daughter "adopted"). They both have their arm up and look suprised. Funny.

7 comments:

wendysue said...

Hi Rebecca! I don't care if that picture has nothing to do with it, how cute is he!!! And two more on the way? I thought Jacob's (Is my mind thinking right? It's Jacob right?) birthmother was having one that you were adopting, is there another one?? And hey don't be so sure about losing those neighbors really soon, we have a really old "bird" lady that lives next to us. You know the kind, the 'cat' lady, the 'plant' lady, the 'bird' lady. We keep waiting, and waiting and waiting. I'm sure her house is a total health hazard to the neighborhood, I'm about to call the neighborhood association but I feel so bad. Ok, not that bad but still. Wendy

Bek said...

wendy,

I am so glad to hear from you. Actually, I was pregnant at the time--but I lost that baby. So now we really are only expecting one baby--but knowing our luck we will loose this one two and have moved for nothing!! Oh well, there will be more babies at some point.

You are right--it Jacob and that is kind of an old picture. Now he walking, putting everything in his mouth--you know the stage. Why did I want another one?
Rebecca

wendysue said...

Hi Rebecca--just watch as I put my big foot in my big mouth, I'm so sorry! There will be more babies, I'm sure! And hey, I ask myself everyday why I'm doing this again, I think we love the insanity somehow? I guess we do it for the few minutes of smiles and hugs we get and the end of the day, I'm a big sucker for it! Whitney is getting to that really funny laughing stage, where they aren't really sure what they're doing or why they're doing it but it sure is cute!! Wendy

Lisa said...

I think "oh sharon!" is YOUR "oh judy!"

I'm sorry about your loss. You will always have fond memories of Walgreens, and I'm sure you'll be able to visit often.

Your kids are too cute.

Suzie Petunia said...

I found your blog through the comment you left on my sister's (Sister Oscarson). After reading the whole thing, I first have to say that your kids are adorable! The second thing I have to mention is that my inlaws live in Palo Alto. Do you know the Giles? Are you in their ward? We just had a family reunion last weekend...so they are fresh in my mind. :) It sounds like your life has been doing loopty-loops ... must be very exciting, if not terribly tiring. I have to say that I completely understand the 4:00 - 5:00 PM "witching hour" (what my mom calls it) with the kids. Sounds like you've found a good solution. I combat it by going to the YMCA to exercise during that time, because they'll watch my kids and I don't even have to deal with it!

You should write a lot more... if you can spare a moment in your very hectic life (I understand. I have 3 kids myself, ages 6, 4 and almost 2). I'll be back to visit again!

Alice said...

I have a friend who thinks that Walgreens is the greatest store known to man. I don't know if this is because she is German or what, but recently she moved from an apartment that was a block away from Walgreens into this amazing house that was like four blocks away from Walgreens. You would think this big move (from renting to owning - in San Francisco no less) would be the greatest achievement, joy ever, but no!. She complains constantly about the distance to Walgreens, referring to it as a trek. I find it so funny that Walgreens plays such an important role in her life. I had know idea there were TWO of you “Walgreens obsessed” in this world. Just amazing!

Let your friends know Walgreens DOES sell gift cards.

Bek said...

Alice,

I have to say that I would absolutely by a house close to Walgreens over another one--all things being equal. Once you live within a minute of it, living farther is hard to adjust to.

When we lived in New Jersey there was a convenience store called WaWa across the street. In NYC we lived above a Duane Reed. :-) It is clear that I don't plan ahead so I have to live in walking distance from these places.

They just remodeled the Safeway across the street. Bliss!!!