Where I Come From...

This past weekend was a whirlwind, in the best way possible!

I was off on Friday, so after dinner Thursday I drove up to the foothills for the weekend. Since Andrew would be out of town for a bachelor party, I planned to take advantage of my solo weekend to go home and spend time with friends that I don't see very often.

Originally, both my parents and my sister were going to be out of town. But lucky for me, they both delayed their trips one day and I was able to see them! I arrived at my sisters late Thursday night, and woke up early to play with Phillip on Friday. After some play time with Phillip, we met my parents for breakfast in Colfax, the tiny little town where I grew up.

After breakfast, I spent some time walking around taking pictures. The leaves are starting to turn and it was a beautiful morning. I had never really walked around town that way, just to look around and take it all in. At least three people asked me if I was doing a story for the paper, and wondered why I was taking pictures, there's a small town for you! It was fun to just spend some time by myself and wonder around, thinking about growing up there, and where life has taken me.

Colfax is a tiny little railroad town. People joke, that Colfax is "a small railroad town with a drinking problem" which has of course been edited to say, "a small drinking town with a railroad problem." (Which is probably closer to the truth, I think there are more bars in town than restaurants). But even so, it's a quaint and charming town with a real sense of community. And although at times growing up, I hated how boring it was, it's also wonderful growing up with that sense of community.

Possibly the best part about Colfax is it's proximity to everything else. With a population of barely over 2,000 you would imagine it could feel fairly isolating. Luckily, within an hour one can be relaxing at Lake Tahoe or shopping in Sacramento. It's the best of both worlds.

It was wonderful taking a walk down memory lane. Walking by the movie theater reminded me of all the movies I had seen there growing up (and for only $3)!! I watched Titanic three times in that theater, and when I saw Mission Impossible it was so packed I had to sit on the floor! Walking by the library I smiled and thought of my Mom taking my sister and I to story time, where she met her lifelong friends and created "Playgroup." Or when our family friend had a small bookstore and cafe, The Armchair Coyote, where we'd look through books and eat fresh pastries.  And of course, eating breakfast at Madonna's Cafe before school on special occasions. So many memories came flooding back as I walked down Main Street. That tiny little town, had a huge impact on my life and the person I've become.