According to Steinway Moving and Storage, the average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime, but most of this happens during early adulthood. Between the ages of 18 and 45, Americans typically move five or six times, but after 45, they’re likely to only move two or three more times. Younger people are more likely to move frequently, and young adults between the ages of 20–29 move the most.
Americans move for many reasons, including changing jobs, upsizing or downsizing their homes, or trying out a new neighborhood or city. The peak moving season in the United States is from mid-May through mid-September, but some say the best time to move is during the off-season, from mid-September through April.
I am that average statistic with my move to Arizona last year as part of the 40 Club. I have lived in: Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Bothell, Kirkland, Renton, Issaquah, and Bellingham.
There’s an old adage, adopted from the title of a 1940 Thomas Wolfe novel, that states, “You can never go home again.” The saying is meant to infer how nostalgia causes us to view the past in an overly-positive light, and how humans tend to remember people and places from our upbringing in static terms.
I know that a revisit through different lenses will make it seem like many things have changed. 2024 will be my 30th reunion for Mountlake Terrace High School Class of 1994. The Facebook Group has been mentioning dates in September and October.
Regardless, it reminds me of one of my favorite movies, Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) Martin Blank is a freelance hitman who starts to develop a conscience, which causes him to muff a couple of routine assignments. On the advice of his secretary and his psychiatrist, he attends his 10th year High School reunion in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (a Detroit suburb where he’s also contracted to kill someone). Hot on his tail are a couple of over-enthusiastic federal agents, another assassin who wants to kill him, and Grocer, an assassin who wants him to join an “Assassin’s Union.”
While I’m not a hitman, I am being prodded to attend my 30th. Years ago, while I was still in Washington (State) I drove around my hometown, and even my old address. Talk about opening a time capsule prematurely …
The ‘Hood
A few years ago, actually more than that, I drove to my home city of Mountlake Terrace, Washington. I cruised past my childhood home at 5903 227th St SW. It was still the canary yellow that Dad painted it decades ago. The paint color was faded. The rose gardens that Dad built for Mom.
But it was not the same place that I grew up.
So I drove to familiar places. I realized that from a child’s perspective the city was larger in my memories versus the reality. Again, you simply can’t go home.
Jack Long Park
Jack Long Park is a quiet 3-acre park named after one of the original leaders for park development in Mountlake Terrace. He lived in a house near the present site of St. Pius X Church and the park was dedicated in his memory in 1967. A disc golf course was added sometime later.
St. Pius X Church
Ah, yes. Many a dance night was hosted in the nearby gymnasium, tons of memories there.
Evergreen Playfield Complex
The Evergreen Playfield Complex offers 16 acres of prime parkland located in the heart of the city. It includes some of the highest profile recreation facilities in Mountlake Terrace. Along with the athletic field shared with Terrace Park School, the area functions as one large sports complex providing most of the competitive sports facilities for the community.
Adjacent to the Recreation Pavilion and Off-Leash Dog Park, the complex has four lit tennis courts, a newly constructed all-weather lit multipurpose synthetic turf field (E-1/2), one lit baseball/softball field (E-3), a grass multipurpose field (E-4/5) and one soccer field encompassed by a quarter mile track (E-6). Evergreen Playfield Complex provides many amenities including restrooms, a concession stand, play equipment, picnic area, barbecues, and walking trails.
This place always received funding, and easily the best place to meet up your friends, and family – remember no mobile phones in the 1980’s.
I could go on but I won’t. I simply pointed my vehicle southward to Issaquah, WA.
While I only lived in Issaquah for 5-years, it was quite possibility the best half-decade spent healing from a divorce while I discovered myself in that process! It was a crucial time of my life. I am only projecting here, but I’m certain that returning to Issaquah would be more upsetting than comforting.
Prominent places in my mind: Costco Travel, Lake Sammamish State Park, Malarkey’s, coffee places.
The apartment that my sister and I lived in was nothing short of magical. That place holds such a sentimental part of my heart. I know I couldn’t cruise by there nowadays. The development that we saw 9 years ago in 2015 was gearing up, so I can’t imagine that it slowed down a grip, or even a FULL STOP.
Lake Stevens, Washington State
Actually, the area is West Lake Stevens per Google Maps. I don’t have the kinda of money to buy a house along the lake. Never have. That said, I have easy and quick access to the lake should the need arise. And this is the last city I lived in prior to moving to Arizona.
Even then, I’ve moved twice within the year I lived here!
So that poses the question to each of y’all on Spaceship Earth. How many times have you moved in your life? If you have, what was your favorite town / city / place or multiple places?
Until next time, keep digging,
los, Fil-Am Renaissance Man 