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.