my mom grew up here, but i haven’t been back in years.

i remember the summer i was nine years old and my grandmother had me come out and stay with her for two weeks. she did it with all the grandkids in our family when they turned 10, but i was lucky and got to go at 9 3/4!

i remember we’d take daily walks to what i now know was just a convenience store, but seemed to me a wonderland of forbidden candy and soda back then. to get there we had to cross the train tracks. we’d plan our walk near the time the amtrak went through so we could watch & wave. years later i took that train home from college (syracuse to sf via lots of america). we rode through at just after 6 am and i remember passing the place where grandma and i would stand. it was one of those amazing moments in one’s life.

my other favorite thing in painesville? thayer’s old fashioned soda fountain. if it’s still there, it’s worth a trip!