Monday, September 20, 2010

Unexpected Memories

  In case you missed my last post, we were blessed with a wonderful vacation last week.

We walked over to the California Surf Museum, because, as you may know, Russ has been a surfer for years, and we were within walking distance :-) When we arrived, the sweet ladies working there introduced us to a few surfing legends who just happened to be visiting at the same time. We were all thrilled. I even remembered to get a photo!
Chuck Quinn in back, Woody Ekstrom, Eve Fletcher and friend

As we headed back to our condo, we decided to take a different route, and as we were walking down the strand we happened upon these little cottages facing the ocean...and memories of my childhood came rushing back. I thought I'd only been to this beach one time before, 17 years ago, when I was pregnant with Serena. These cottages were part of a memory though, and it went back a lot farther than that.
 

 I told my family I'd stayed here as a child. I remembered these cottages well. I was here with my parents, my brother and my grandma. I couldn't remember the circumstances that brought us here, but I was sure of this place. I remembered getting up early in the morning with my mom and brother and going out hunting for seashells. It was overcast, and I kept looking back at the cottages, keeping my eye on them, not wanting to venture too far off.

When we got back to our condo I called my mom. She filled in the blanks. We had been to the San Diego Zoo, and decided to stop in Oceanside for the night. Yes, these were the cottages and I couldn't have been more than 4 or 5 when we'd stayed here.

 I asked around and found out a little more about them. Built in the 20's, they were originally a motel, but were later sold individually as condos. Called Roberts Cottages, they and are still available for rental, and are part of a condo association. In a place where large condominium complexes and apartment buildings are the norm, these sweet little cottages were such a pleasant surprise and a wonderful unexpected memory. We were also able to make a few new memories of our own :-)
Aren't these little cottages cute?
Have a wonderful week everyone!
Blessings,
Marcia

35 comments:

  1. Isn't it funny how we can remember those snippets of times when we were so small? I have those sometimes too & think I couldn't have been more than a few years old. Those condos are just sweet looking!

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  2. What a wonderful memory! And such a cute place, so nice they are still around. Funny about memories, I can remember my crib...I was most likely 2-3 but I remember it well and my parents bedroom corner it sat in! :D

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  3. You were blessed to find some treasure on your vacation - treasuring memories is a wonderful blessing!
    Love those cottages! I think they're much nicer than high rise blocks.
    Best wishes
    Christine

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  4. How cool is that? :) It is amazing the things that children will hold dear and the random occurrences that will bring the memories rushing back to us. Glad you had this random, happy memory! :)

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  5. Love these cottages and the green one peeking in the back. :o)

    Hope you found your way to Johnny Mananas for an excellent meal. It's a little hole in the wall on a side street. Whenever we visit that particular beach town we *always* have breakfast there. Mmmm.

    jAne

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  6. Marcia- What a wonderful place to have your memory jogged. It is just lovely there and I am glad that it brought back such warm, pleasant memories! Who would ever have thought that all these years later you would stumble across it just by chance? Lovely! Hugs- Diana

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  7. They're so cute! It looks like it would be a fun place to stay!!!

    Janet

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  8. It makes me want to own one. I would love that. I love how they all face the ocean. I don't know how I have never seen a picture of those before.
    But they are lovely.
    So nice you had such a lovely vacation.

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  9. Hey Marcia! What a great post. Love it. I have fond memories of where we went when I was a young girl (Yosemite) and those memories make me so happy. Glad you had a restful and fun time!
    Blessings,
    Debbie

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  10. Love the cottage row! Could definitely spend a week there with husband!!!!

    Maya @ Daily Vitamin Sea & Completely Coastal

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  11. We just came back from our little up north vacation and there are a lot of this type of cottages all setting in a row all through the U.P. Some are still very cute like these you are showing and some are falling down. So sad. I told hubs I would like to stay in one sometime when we go north again. Such wonderful memories for you. Thanks for stopping and your thoughts on the quilts. I have decided to put the lavender up and turn the green side down a little. It does the trick.

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  12. Those are very cute cottages! How wonderful that they stirred your memory while you were visiting. We visited the San Diego Zoo with our Aunt who lived there (and also went to some amusement park there) when we were children. I have a vague recollection of that...riding on a very big roller coaster (it seemed like it rode over the ocean) and being very scared. My mom has confirmed this story too! :)

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  13. They are very cute and you have quite a memory! They would be fun to stay in.

    Nancy

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  14. Those are such sweet little cottages. They've been so well taken care of.
    How neat that you have a memory of being there when you were so young. :)

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  15. Is there a Navy base in Oceanside? I think my dad was stationed there. Those cottages are the cutest. Don't you love it when you can fit memories together like that?

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  16. Oh how fun...now isn't being 50 just great?? I think the Lord does something special for us at this age...He allows us to enjoy those warm comforting times of the past...like He is showing us His own photo album of ourselves.
    I am so glad you had such a special trip...so much like the one God gave us this summer also....priceless

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  17. Looks like a wonderful little trip. The cottages look adorable, I've been tied up with our isp switch over, internet service has been in and out.

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  18. What cute little cottages! So happy that you had such a memorable and fun vacation.

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  19. I've had things like this happen, Marcia, and they are such a delight!
    The cottages are adorable! So glad you got more info and were able to fill in the blanks. Glad you made some new memories, too!!

    Have a wonderful Wednesday!!
    HUGS,
    Becky

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  20. Hi Marcia, what a blessing to be gifted a wonderful getaway. Sounds like you had an awesome time. And those cottages are absolutely darling. I can't believe you remembered them from your childhood. I can't remember yesterday. :/ Have a great rest of the week. :) Tammy

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  21. They are simply marvelous and so well maintained.
    Yes, in this era of high skyscrapers this is so soothing to the eyes.

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  22. wow!...Just what we need to see in this land grabbing world...so sweet serene and tiny!

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  23. What fun, Marcia! I love those sweet cottages too!

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  24. What sweet little cottages! And how nice to have a good memory associated with them. I'm so glad that your family had a wonderful, and blessed vacation. :)

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  25. How wonderful! I could definitely enjoy a week in one of those... or two weeks.

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  26. What blessing you were given. It great that you were able to share a childhood memory with your children.

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  27. Hi Marcia,

    Those cottages are adorable! I bet your family made lots of wonderful memories there! It just looks like such a charming place to be! I didn't know your husband was a surfer...how cool is that? Do you surf too? :)

    Have a great evening!
    Tammy

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  28. Isn't it funny how those buried memories pop up?

    I don't know if I ever told you that my brother's father-in-law is one of the original San Onofre surfers. His name is Dick Meine, and he's 90 now! There are just three of the gang left. The Beach Reporter just did an article about
    them, with photos of those loooong boards. How did they ever surf on them?

    xo Jill

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  29. I loved these cookie cutter type cottages! I bet they are real cute inside too.

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  30. The cottages are just adorable. How very fun that you remembered them so fondly.

    Becky K.

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  31. Oh!!!! The little pink houses! I used to walk down there with Hubby and Harper *s* Thanks for the pics - it feels like going home.

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  32. What a lovely surprise! They are cute and it would be fun to stay there!

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  33. Ohhh I love when things like this happen. What a wonderful day to walk past a childhood memory. They are cute! Though I think they would be way cutie-er if they were turqoise and white trim!

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  34. Wow! What a wonderful memory in there. Looks like a nice place to live with family. :)
    real estate ph

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  35. Its so cute! Actually it similar on my doll house before,now I was thinking to have at least one block there. :)

    aj

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Thanks so much for stopping by :)
Blessings,
Marcia