Memory Lane

Today I took a walk down memory lane. I trekked from Murrieta Elementary to the Murrieta Machine Shop, like my sisters and I had done growing up countless times before. 

It is interesting to look at the these same sites from a higher elevation (a few feet at least).  

If we were lucky our parents had given us a dollar to get candy or soda from the old country market. 

This place sold glass bottles of coca-cola and had a mounted bottle opener with a small trashcan underneath. Soda is much more refreshing in a glass bottle. 

The walk always felt like FOREVER when I was little but today I realized that it is only about 10 or 15 minutes. 

Instead of spending our money on candy we sometimes saved it for a donut at Vista Donuts and Hot Dogs. 

This is the original Murrieta post office. 

It may appear as though it has been out of service for 50+ years but when I was in elementary school this was our local post office. 

Our final destination was the Murrieta Machine Shop. My parents' friends' mom, Arlene Garrison, owns this shop. She used to watch us after school until my parents could pick us up.  It always brings back a lot of memories seeing it. I can picture the location of everything inside, even though the doors are closed and I haven't seen it in about 20 years.

Arlene has owned the shop, and her house next door for 71 years. This woman used to make us grilled cheese sandwiches in the kitchen behind us (I almost always ate two).  

Today is her 96th birthday!  (And you wouldn't know it by talking with her.)

Arlene is a Murrieta legend. She receives regular visits from the mayor. 

I feel like I have seen Murrieta change drastically since I was a child. 

Arlene was living here when the train still ran through town. 

Don, my dad, and I ended our walk at the Mill. This is a new, much needed addition to Old Town Murrieta.  The food here is fabulous.