Thursday, November 26, 2009

The Next Chapter




We move into the new house this weekend. Taking a break packing earlier, I got to thinking about Jude and wondering how much of this old house he will remember. Sophie won't remember anything I'm sure and Luke obviously won't know anything but what he sees in pictures. But Jude? He'll remember things that happened here. Maybe last Christmas, or singing happy birthday. He might remember his car bed and the sandbox out back.

I was just about a year older than Jude when we moved out to Whitby. I don't have many memories of the old house. I can remember what it looked like from the outside. Vaguely. I remember it had blue carpet and my dad flooded the backyard one winter to make an ice rink. I can picture my mum sitting in the kitchen drinking a cup of tea.
I remember moving day a bit more clearly. I can hear the sound of my footsteps running up the ramp into the moving truck. I can see it parked in the carport at the new place. I don't remember packing up the old house - which must have been stressful, I know I'm feeling the pressure right now.

I was thinking about a memory I had of my parent's basement. From before my dad finished it and only now, when I put myself in Jude's shoes to try and imagine what part of this whole experience is going to resonate with him in his long term memory, do I realize that what I am remembering must be from before my parents bought the place. I've always had a picture in my head when I think back to the early years there of cinder block shelves filled with books I hadn't read.
So what will Jude remember? Will he remember playing in the backyard while Justin walked around with the Home Inspector? Will he remember that there was a piano in the living room and wonder where it went?

It's been a while since I posted anything. I guess a few things have changed around here...