Walking Around

So now, as I'm rounding out the third week of my new apartment life in South Natomas, I've had some time to really walk around a bit and explore the area. Jefferson Park, not three-quarters of a mile from my place, borders this nice little bike trail which meanders through old growth oak trees as it cuts a path through cute little neighborhoods of 1980s era homes. Or, more likely, the houses encroached upon the wooded area, whittling it down and leaving just a strip of woods which pass through like a winding little river. But it's a nice trail, with several little spurs providing access to different neighborhoods. 

The main path passes by what I can only assume must be the original farmhouse of the area, complete with a fully functional windmill at its side. The windmill looks as if someone once tried to convert it to a garage, but never quite finished. The old wood exterior is surrounded in thin wood scaffolding, apparently some homemade fixture by someone who once fancied that they would restore the windmill to its formal glory, but never got around to it. The whole place seems stuck in time, and stuck in the middle of the path and surrounding subdivisions.

Zillow says the house has 5 bedrooms and 2 baths, and just shy of 3000 square feet, and was built in 1920. It's 100 years old this year. Imagine that! Imagine what it would have looked like, the home and the surrounding area, 100 years ago. The Roaring 20's, as it came to be know. A far cry from today's time.

But aside from this trail, I've explored the other park and the Sonora Springs subdivision and the FoodMaxx shopping center. I actually went to the little generic dollar store this evening. Bought an RC cola. Not a typo. RC. Blast from the past! I also, on Sunday, walked all the way to the El Camino shopping center with the Bel Air and stopped at the Taco Bell for lunch. Which I subsequently ate while sitting on a curb next to a bank. Because, no indoor dining. Sigh.

But the area around here is somewhat pleasant, after all, helped to a great extent by all of the large old trees surrounding the area. And the apartments, albeit old, have been renovated and kept up somewhat well, and I am fortunately bordered by neighbors who are not particularly loud. I actually haven't even seen a lot of them, much less met them. I see their garbage strewn out all around the dumpster, so I know they exist. And as if to solidify that point, the building tends to shake whenever anyone anywhere closes a door or walks across a room, and the pipes are incredibly loud whenever someone turns on their bath or shower. So I know the neighbors exist, at least. But hey, it's an old building. Older than me, I think. 

I'll probably only be here till March however, as plans are in the works for something new. Really new. Like, currently just a plot of dirt new. More on that later...

For now, I'll just bide my time by walking around and enjoying the lovely trees and, at least for now, the  fresh air - since the smoke from recent fires has cleared. It's a transition, as I believe I said before, and transitions mean changes must be in the future. And they are.