West Byers

This summer I bought a house in the West Byers neighborhood of Fort Worth, TX.  Hobart and I moved in October 15 and are having a wonderful time making it our home.   Originally I fell in love with the house.  Since moving in, I have fallen in love with the neighborhood.  Sadie Lou and I walk the neighborhood twice a day--early morning and early evening--and I am fascinated by the variety of homes and interesting architecture I have seen on our walks.  There are big homes next to small homes next to duplexes and apartments.  There are modern homes next to traditional homes.  There are mansions next to cottages.  All the blocks have old-fashioned alleys, so when Sadie Lou and I want a change, we walk the alleys. 

Right across the street from us is this duplex. 

5531 is the duplex and right next to it, just a few feet away, is 5533 with a strange entrance.  This is just the beginning.  

Now stroll along with us and we'll show you our neighborhood.  All these homes are within two blocks of our house.  

This cute cottage is next to the duplex.

A typical alley.

Interesting architecture

I discovered two houses next to each other which seemed to have no windows.  Upon further investigation I found that this one had two windows on the second floor, one in the back and one on the side.  

The second one had NO windows. My friend Nelda immediately guessed that it was built around a courtyard.  Hobart went to Google Maps and found it.  Nelda was right!  It's built around a courtyard.  (Nelda also suggested that maybe they were nudists and directed me to develop a friendship with them.) I do know that they are very laid-back.  They put their trash cans out Tuesday night for a Wednesday morning pick-up and when I took this picture Sunday morning, the trash cans were still there. 

Although the neighborhood isn't gated, many of the homes are, and since the houses are close together, many have privacy fences or walls.

The yards are well landscaped and beautiful.

Some have dramatic entrances.

I would love to see inside this home.  I know who lives here, but haven't figured out how to get her to invite me over.  

Some of the homes are simple….. 

…and some are unusual.

Sadie Lou loves the smell of this lawn!  

I love the flowers around this tree.

A traditional house….

…next to a modern house...

…next to a traditional house with a wrap-around porch.  

This modest apartment building is on a corner, across the street from...

this huge house on a double lot…

…which is across the street from this gorgeous home. 

This tree is right at the front door, with the sidewalk circling it.  It had to be a builder's nightmare, but it's wonderful.  I hope the tree outlives the house.

An added bonus is a neighborhood grocery store, four blocks away on Collinwood, our street.  Roy Pope grocery store has been in this same spot for 70 years and is unique and well-known in the city.  I can run in for a jar of mustard, or if I don't feel like cooking, I can run in for something wonderful for dinner.  

Sadie Lou likes to walk all the way to Roy Pope's.

Front of the store--but everyone goes in the back, like family.

It's clean and neat with interesting, up-scale items.

Everyone is friendly.  The deli man said, "Hey, don't you want my picture?"  Of course.  

Sadie Lou and I are almost home from our walk. 

Here is our new home.

 5524 Collinwood Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76107

And here it is 24 hours later! 

Welcome back to Texas!  




 

Forever Friendships

Newton, Kansas

In 1943 when Judy and I were three years old, our parents became best friends.  Every time they got together, so did we.  She quickly became my best friend.  She was tiny and cute and everyone loved her as much as I did. (No one was surprised when she was voted 1957 Homecoming Queen at Newton High School.) She's still tiny and cute, and everyone still loves her. 

Judy Nordstrom Johnson

Jannie and Ruthie were my elementary school friends. We were Girl Scouts together and went to all the same birthday parties, spent the night at each other's houses, etc.  It was always fun when Jannie and Ruthie were around.  It still is.

Jannie Decker Eichler and Ruthie Nichol Weatherall

I didn't know Bev until junior high, but Ruthie and Judy did because the three of them went to the Methodist church.  Jannie and I went to the Christian church.  Bev was the musical one--she had perfect pitch, a gorgeous voice and played both the piano and violin.  What talent!  

Bev Okerberg Jackson

In junior high the five of us--plus two others (Nancy Hertzler Powell and Phyllis Blosser Roche) who have since died--became close friends.  For life.  After college and marriage, we started a Round Robin letter that traveled thousands of miles back and forth across the United States for fifty years. Through those letters we shared our joys, sorrows, births, deaths, divorces, successes, and frustrations. We offered each other understanding, concern, support, and love.  Even though we were scattered all over the United States, we always tried to make it back to our high school reunions in Newton, Kansas.  

The year we turned 50, Nancy Hertzler Powell decided it was time to start our own Round Robin reunions.  Every few years someone would plan a reunion.  In the past 24 years we've been to B&B's in Annapolis, MD and Whidbey Island, WA; to a cottage in Galveston; on a yacht in Florida; at my home in Texas; in a condo in Sun Valley, ID; and at Jannie's in Las Vegas.

Jannie, Nancy, Ruthie, Phyl, Judy, Bev, me

This is the last time we were all together--Florida in 1999 on Nancy Hertzler Powell's yacht.  

The most recent union for the five of us was last week. We went to Oregon.  

Nancy, Judy, Ruthie, Bev, Jannie

We spent two days in Cannon Beach and two in Portland, and once again, it was magical.  We walked and talked and shopped and ate and giggled.  We also played with our phones, learning from each other, discovering new things every day.  

 Haystack Rock from our hotel room

 Another view from our hotel room

Enjoying the ocean view

A morning walk on the beach.

 We'd all recommend this place for breakfast!

 Crab eggs Benedict

Pecan pancakes

Cannon Beach is a cute town.....

 Art....

 Cute shops and gorgeous flowers.....

 Yeah, I wanted that coral jacket and lime green boots....

 Definitely a good life when we are all together....

 Gorgeous flowers everywhere...

 Flowers and friends....

Taking a break....

Happy women, precious friends.  

Goodbye, Cannon Beach.  Hello, Portland!

 Portland is a beautiful city.  Fountains and trees.

Art.

 Belgium chocolates.

 Bead store.

 We had a fabulous dinner at Jake's.

 Great food at Jake's!

 Wonderful old building.

 We are all readers, so we loved this incredible bookstore.  It covers a city block, three floors. 

 Each section is color coded.

Who wouldn't want to explore what's up there?

A bite to eat.... 

 ...and then more of Portland....

 ...I had deer like this in Texas...

 Of course, the mall...

 ...for shopping...

...we made Judy buy these earrings to go with her outfit. 

Naturally, we always get the giggles!   

 Ruthie bought some hilarious cards at the book store.

 They got funnier......

 and we got more tickled...

 laughing so hard it hurts...

 what fun!

We rarely take ourselves too seriously!

We took some time to soak up the beauty of Oregon.

And joyfully ended another remarkable reunion. 

Each of these precious friends has enriched my life.  As a child and a teen, I didn't experience the angst so often present in girls' friendships.  We didn't argue or compete or gossip or criticize.  I always felt secure and accepted.  As my friends have grown and aged, they've met life's challenges with courage and wisdom.  I respect and adore my fabulous forever friends.  They are beautiful, pure souls who have continually blessed me with their love.  What a gift!