Home, Sweet Homes - West Cross Street, Woodland, CA

November 1991 - Megan's nursery at West Cross Street House

From Woodland Garden Apartments, we found a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house to rent on West Cross Street in Woodland. It may have been 1982 or 1983 that we moved in—I honestly can’t remember exactly when Greg and I settled there.

The house had a traditional living room, but we turned that into an office space for Greg. Most of our time was spent in the open-plan area that included the dining room, kitchen, and family room. As for decorating, the only thing that really stands out in my memory is a poster or two of Tom Selleck on the bedroom wall. That was enough flair for me at the time!

Photo of house taken from Google Maps - the exterior was a deeper green when we lived there.

One of my favorite memories from this house involved the neighbors and their three children. The youngest, Daniel, was just about five when we moved in. He loved playing outside, and several times a day, his mom would call out—loudly and repeatedly—“Daniel! Daniel! Daniel!” Eventually, he’d make his way home, but not before that familiar call echoed through the neighborhood a few times. When Daniel no longer needed to be called in, I realized just how used to the sound I had become. It took me a while to adjust to the quiet. I often wonder now if Daniel has children of his own—and if he finds himself calling for them the same way his mom called for him.

One afternoon while mowing the lawn, Greg stumbled upon a red-eared slider turtle. We quickly adopted it, named it Shelly, and set up an indoor pond with rocks and everything a turtle could want. Shelly became a bit of a household star. We even used her birthday as an excuse to have friends over. She dined on fresh vegetables and turtle food and had free-range time in the house. When Greg and I separated in 1993, he stayed in the house—and Shelly stayed with him.

Then, in February 1992, our daughter Megan was born. We converted the guest room into her nursery—though in truth, she rarely slept in it! It was the first and only room we ever decorated in that house. My dear friend Ginger and I painted it together, and Ginger hand-painted an animal border in bright primary colors all around the room. It brought so much warmth and life to the space.

I liked this house, even if I didn’t spend all that much time in it. Between my full-time job, the part-time work at our family business, and daily walks with Ginger and Megan—usually at the mall for exercise, not shopping—I was often elsewhere.

Still, Megan’s first fifteen months were spent here, and I carry so many sweet memories from that time. By six months old, she was crawling everywhere, often climbing up onto the coffee table. The house had wide, open spaces that made it a perfect playground for a curious baby.

On July 1, 1993, Megan and I packed up and moved to our next chapter—our new home on Southwood Drive. But West Cross Street will always hold a special place in my heart, full of echoes of childhood calls, turtle adventures, and the very first days of motherhood.