Over the River and Through the Woods...

The past couple of days I've been flooded with childhood memories, and deep nostalgic feelings. I grew up down in Southern California, in a once small town on the ocean--Oceanside.

In 1946, my Great-Grandparents, Andrew & Lia Imbilli, moved the entire family from Brooklyn, NY to Oceanside, CA. G-G Imbilli had purchased a lot just east of what is now Interstate 5 freeway. Of course, back then, there was nothing but a dirt road all the way down to the coastline (about a mile away). The family moved into a large house on a hill, and started in on building six houses on the lower part of the property, on a dead end street later named after the patriarch, Andy Lane. The houses were built in Mediterranean fashion, much like the houses in Sicily, with large open air patios built right into the middle of the house. About a year after my parents were married in 1960, they moved into one of the six houses.

Our house was situated between my Grandparents (who lived in the main house on the hill), and my great Uncle and Aunt across the street. As kids, we had family all around, all the time. Our kitchen door was always open, and at any given time some relative would stop in for coffee or dinner, or a game of canasta.

It was a great childhood. Running up to Grandma's house for homemade cannolis, or over to Uncle Johnny's house for a fresh sandwich from Claro's Italian deli. I was surround by love and security. Of course, I took all this for granted. It wasn't until later in life that I realized how rare it was to live in an extended family community. A rare lifestyle that, up until a year ago, I thought I could never replicate for my children. But, here we are... literally steps away from grandparents. How wonderful it is that my children will get to experience a part of that love and security! To be able to skip through the woods to Grandmother's house.