While in Houston

I have been to Houston four times since September. On the first trip, my brother J and I had one day with nothing to do in between appointments, so we decided to go see our old family stomping grounds nearby. I may claim to be a west Texas gal, but my roots are actually in the Houston area.
                        

My Grandmother Wilson used to live in this end apartment.

 

Way back in the late 50s or early 60s, my family lived in the light blue house. The brown house belonged to my uncle and his family, and they lived there for their entire lives, or at least the rest of their lives after I was born.

My dad and uncle served as volunteer firemen. I remember during Hurricane Carla we all hunkered down at the fire department to wait out the storm.

Here is the First Baptist Church. My parents got married there in 1955.

On this corner, which is now a vacant lot, my grandmother used to live in a white wooden house with a porch. It's just a block from the church.

This furniture store used to be a corner soda fountain pharmacy, and it is where my parents first met.

This is the gas station across the street from where they met at the soda fountain pharmacy.

Herfort Diamond Factory is where my dad bought my mom's wedding and engagement rings.

This underpass is the city limits between two cities. We used to travel under this a lot.

This is the hospital where I was born. Both my brothers were born here too. It has been remodeled and renamed since we lived there. It's right next to the underpass. I think we moved away from this area when I was 3 or 4 years old, but we always went back to visit relatives, so I am familiar with it because of that.

We dropped by unannounced to visit my cousin Richard who is 70 years old. Richard is funny and awesome.

 It was a pleasant day (and we arrived unannounced), so I suggested we visit on the front porch.

Here is J with a LONE RANGER guitar that my dad, uncle and even Richard played with when they were children.

I got a photo of the three of us ... the angle is distorted, but at least we can prove we were all together on that day! Glad we got a chance to visit, drive around and take some photos on this day.