On July 15, 2000, exactly 44 years after my family moved away, I returned. Old 517 here is entirely improved except for the brown lawn and lack of white picket fence. Modern appliances so no coal bin, chimney, nor oil drums feeding a metal monster in the living room. Internal rooms must be changed since they now have a slider back door opening onto a cute little deck. We had a large, windowless pantry and no back door. Still have big fir trees in back but no madronas were in sight. Streets were re-routed or disappeared. The parent seen in the yellow shirt valued her privacy. She demanded to know why I was taking photos. When I said that I lived there 50 years ago, she was satisfied. The little girl was still scared of me.
This renovated neighborhood was so quiet and clean, I don't know why they tore it all down a few years later. I hope the displaced residents, who I'm sure were of low income, found decent new homes as good as this.
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