May 19, 2020
Day 21: To think I started out in California
Yep I am originally a “California Girl.” I resided with my parents and only sister at 1017 Presidio Drive in Costa Mesa, California. Where I remember many rainy days like what we have been experiencing here lately but we also had our fare share of sun and foggy days as well. Though I don’t ever remember having delays or cancellations due to fog, and we never had snow days because there was never any snow. Even though I could see snow in the mountains.
I was very fortunate to live directly in front of my school. We had a gate in our fence, so each morning for school I went through the gate, across the parking lot and was at school. Presidio School was my school for 1-3 grades. I had Mrs. Gilbertson as my 1st and 2nd teacher. Mrs. Stepnitz was my 3rd grade teacher. Interesting memories of that school was eating outside for lunch. When the custodian hosed down the tables after lunch the sea gulls came to eat. On rainy days we ate in the classroom, there was no cafeteria. Also I remember learning to do cartwheels with several other kids. That was a normal before school and recess activity. They ended up closing that school and I ended up going several blocks to Sonora Elementary. There I had Mrs. Boat for 4th grade and Miss Gant and Miss Hyman for 5th grade. In 4th grade I had done a project on the missions of California, and remember Mrs. Boat reading the book Castle of Fear to the class at reading time. In 5th grade I was introduced to Greek Mythology and also took up flute playing with Mr. Yates.
Our backyard was not very big, but we had Birds of Paradise plants, a bottlebrush tree with beautiful red blossoms, a Century plant in the corner of the yard, and geraniums that were taller than me along the fence. One year we grew cherry tomatoes in the corner near the patio.
A memory I particularly cherish is the time my dad took me to our nearby park. Tewinkle Park was its name. There was a tall hill there or at least it seemed tall to me. Dad took me up there on the side of that hill. It looked over the racetrack and nearby Fairgrounds. He showed me how to put a blade of grass between my thumbs and blow through it and make a noise. A quiet afternoon, just the two of us forever etched in my childhood memories. Kind of like a Daddy Date!
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