Nostalgia

This morning I drove over to Gateway Shopping Center and donated the Artari computer system to Goodwill. I had not been to that shopping center in years. I first moved to Southeast Texas in 1968. That was before Parkdale Mall was built. Gateway was the primary shopping area. The White House was the closest Beaumont had to a department store. The White House is still there, but it no longer resembles its former self. The store used to carry relatively high-quality merchandise. Now it is closer to the bargain barn category. I moved to Southeast Texas from Ohio in November. I had a brand new wool coat and was very disappointed that the weather was not cold enough for me to wear it. Gateway Shopping Center had palm trees planted in the median strips in the parking lot. I was not used to seeing palm trees. Today I looked, and the palm trees are no longer there.

 

Now the primary shopping area of Beaumont is around Parkdale Mall. That is where I go to run my errands. I rarely go east of the freeway. Today I looked around and saw how run down the area around Gateway looks. It is depressing. I am really glad that I have decided to move to Frisco where everything is new. Frisco is attracting the latest and the greatest in the way of shopping. It will be a real treat to get out and explore the area.

 

After I came back home, I went through the drawers in the coffee table and end tables. I also went through another cabinet in the living room, and the TV console. I got rid of all the old VCR tapes that I had used for recording TV shows. The china buffet had one drawer where I had my old kitchen calendars. Instead of throwing out last year's calendar I would put it in that drawer. The calendars had pretty pictures that I thought I might want someday. I really am going to try and do better in my new home and not let things accumulate. I think I had similar thoughts when I last moved in 1987.