Alexandria Va.

Papa’s World – Life at Fountain Side Lane.

/ Tom / Leave a comment

In June of 1999 –

Sherry and I transferred within the company –

To Northern Va. – to the Alexandria section –

just outside Washington, D.C.

We had two months of company-paid living –

in a block of condos.

We used this time for our new jobs –

hers in Dulles next to the airport –

and mine in Springfield at our Alexandria SSC.

We came from the country to city life!

In our spare time, we hired a realtor –

and started our search for a home.

We wanted a place that was halfway to work for both of us.

FAIRFAX, VA.!

What we found was a townhome in the Fountain Side Lane –

Three miles to George Mason University –

two miles to the NRA – building!

STICKER SHOCK – this town home was about 1600 SF.

On three levels – three bedrooms –

and two and one-half baths.

But was centrally located to both our jobs.

It would take me one-half hour to get to work –

and she is about twenty minutes!

It was a nice neighborhood –

walkable to a large town square with stores –

shopping and restaurants.

During our time there-

we rode our bikes on trails in a forest behind the house.

This whole area would become a planned TOWN CENTER –

With dozens of stores and bars and grills-

even a Ruth’s Chris Steak House!

We watched it being built –

and eventually the first WEGMENS in the NVA. area.

It was during this time her sister Debbie –

seen here in the middle-

Relocated from Wisconsin –

and stayed with us for a short time-

until she found a place in the Manassas area.

Her other sister Bonnie remains in NWPA in Mount Jewett.

We experienced two traumatic life-changing events-

while living here.

First was 911 – this happened while we worked in the area –

The plane that hit the Pentagon –

flew right over the parking lot where I worked –

And Sherry was right next to the Dulles airport

One plane took off from there,

and all these large tanks were holding fuel right next to her store.

For days the sound of silence ensued.

No planes –

we traveled to see the Pentagon –

and have a picture of the destruction.

This went on for days –

as no planes –

but the high military jets leaving their presence known-

in the trail of white contrails in the sky!

The next event was the DC. SNIPERS!

We were exactly in the middle of all the killings!

It was all around us –

and not knowing from moment to moment who would be next!

We lived in TERROR!

Always be watchful at the beginning-

of a WHITE VAN!

Rumors – going to work at 5am.

Stopping to get gas –

and crouching down behind the car door –

in the light from the overhead lights.

Here is Maddy –

about five years old –

and just a baby when we moved to the area.

I carried her in my arms –

while walking the streets during the quiet period after 911!

Looking at the jet planes so high in the sky.

Our home here –

we lived in it for three and one-half years.

Tammy moved in with us as she came from Rochester to be near us.

Later Debby and Mike moved down from the Syracuse area with Maddy!

It was here that both sets of parents came to visit –

before they passed away.

We have many fond memories of this first home in Fairfax, Va.

Soon – more family members made their way to this area of NVA.

While here –

we watched a new development –

just behind our house going up –

We liked the new townhomes made out of brick.

S o – we decided to sell –

and buy our first new to-be-built home – a block away!

RIDGETOP COMMONS – a 2500 SF. Town Home!

We would be moving up the hill!

Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Coming in another blog – RIDGETOP COMMONS!

Papa’s World – In 1999 – we transferred to NVA!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

It was time to move on – at 50 years old and soon to be 50 –

Sherry and I decided on new adventures

awaited us – not in Olean, N.Y., and at Dal Tile ( American Olean Tile) –

where we both worked –

She is the Logistics manager and I am the supervisor of Body Prep – Service departments!

She had gone as far as she could in a male-dominated world of manufacturing.

Both of us needed a change –

me – I was frustrated –

I needed to get to a better frame of mind –

Her – she was going to be stuck and overlooked!

So – after sifting through multiple in-company openings –

we choose the Northern Va. area!

We moved from a country county filled with farms – two lane roads – deer – cows – turkeys –

to TRAFFIC –

MILLIONS in population –

to right smack in the middle of Alexandria Va.

Washington D.C. and the infamous BELTWAY!

We lived in a condo in Old Town Alexandria for almost two months –

hoping I would not get lost as I traveled back and forth from work.

WOW – four to six lanes of traffic – one wrong turn –

which I did – brought me panic.

But – I made it home to that apartment.

The positive side – although my sense of direction leaves a lot to be desired –

I loved being able to walk the historic streets-

by the Potomac in Old Town!

I guess this two-month period was what we needed to adapt to CITY LIFE!

We both transferred within the company –

and that is now twenty-five years ago.

But it seems like only yesterday!

We started to search for a home –

PRICES WERE SHOCKING!

We bought our first townhouse in Fairfax – halfway for both of us to drive.

She had a store –

called a SALES SERVICE CENTER – in Dulles – right across from the airport!

Me – I was to stay in Alexandria at what was one of the largest SSCs in the country.

Close to the Springfield Metro.

Both of us had traffic – however,

my hours were changed to 5:00 am. to 2:00 pm.

Traffic for me at those hours was not that bad.

Sherry found the backroads to travel to her store –

which in two years she took from less than one million in sales to almost six million in sales!

Our townhouse was on Fountainside Drive –

3 miles to George Mason University and the same distance to the NRA building.

Before the construction build of the new FAIRFAX TOWN CENTER and the brand new WEGMANS –

we rode our bikes on trails in the woods of what would become those new areas!

We lived in this home that we paid nearly $80,000.00 more-

then we sold our four-bedroom colonial on 3/4 of an acre in Portville, N.Y.!

And we had about 1600 SF.

But – it was in an upcoming new development –

and we sold it and built our very first new home –

a 2400 SF. brick – attached townhouse on Ridgetop Commons –

in that forest, we rode our bikes in!

In three and one-half years we upgraded –

and we had become assimilated into city life!

Many times we drove into the Capital to park and walk the city!

But – we bought METRO passes and rode into D.C. on weekends to tour and see the sights.

We became official tour guides to friends and family –

often sitting on the capital lawn for the Memorial Day concerts –

and Fourth of July salutes televised

nationally for concerts on the mall!

We watched the 2000 election results and saw people partying in the streets –

it was an awesome time for two country folks from WNY!

In this case, it took a lot of understanding –

but in time – Debby and Tammy –

came to live in NVA –

bringing family and finding their own destinies –

If we had not transferred here –

there would be no Taylor – Cassidy and Bode-

as she found Marcus here.

There was Maddy but who knows about Ella and Sarah?

Our move had a profound outcome on our families and still does to this day.

Thanks for reading PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

PAPA’S WORLD – IN 1999 WE TRANSFERRED TO NORTHERN VA.