Barnes Family: Day 8- August 9th

This was the day I was waiting for, and mom was waiting for. Finally getting to see where she grew up. She never knew if any of us would make it back home with her, let alone some grandkids as well. With everything we saw and did, this was my favorite day because it was stories coming to life. We ran into a few people who knew people from when mom lived there. While they didn't remember the Nickel's they knew others my mom did. It was fun to hear her reminisce with random strangers.

As we were getting ready to leave we heard music. Went outside and saw this. We don't know why or what it was for, but it was the best way to start the day.

First we went to St. George Market. It is a huge flea market in Belfast. There were so many cool stands selling things. I found a few cool things for Beck while here.

Next was Graymount Parade. We all knew mom lived on this road, I've heard this name my whole life. The house I mainly grew up in on Taylor, we could go to the street behind our house and see where my dad lived for a bit when he was younger. Then Grandma and Grandpa Arrington built a house and lived in that for as long as I could remember. Seeing mom's house was so surreal.

The street was so wide for a street here. It was interesting that everyone just parked on the sidewalk to make room on the street.

Here is it. 44 Graymount Parade. It did not have any of the plants in front of it and the inside is changed a lot from when she lived there. In this house 7 people lived. Compared to American houses that are open floor plans and huge rooms all to yourself, I don't see how this was possible. Mom did knock on the door to see if the owners were home, but they weren't. The neighbors got home just as we were going to walk away and they let us in their backyard so we could see what her's looked like. We started to walk down the street and saw a man named Billy standing outside his house. His mother in law owned the house and had lived there for years. While he didn't remember mom's family, he did remember others who lived on the street. Mom can strike up a conversation with anyone and talked a bit with him. She said, I have a huge favor to ask and just as she said that he asked if we wanted to come in and look around. A big group of 13 walking through your house is crazy, but he was so nice to let us in. He was renovating it, so thankfully we weren't really in anyone's way.

Billy's house was set up how my mom's was, only difference was she had a bath where this one only had a shower. These were the only 2 rooms in the house. At times the three girls, Grandma Nickels included in that, were in one room and the 4 boys, Grandpa included, in the other. At one time, Grandpa put up a divider walls to make one room kind of into two.

Compared to kitchens here, this one is pretty small. It held all the kitchen things and maybe a table too.

This is the view from the back door into the kitchen. The doorway is to the stairs.

Mom's backyard. It was set up pretty much the same. It had an extra shed where mom only had one growing up. She said that a guy would come by and deliver coal which they used to heat the house.

The bathroom. Mom's had a bath where the shower is. When she was very young Grandma started a bath and walked out of the room. The water got really hot, which being there I could understand. If you turned all the way to hot, I could not touch the water. One of her brothers was in the bathroom with her and he somehow dropped her into the tub and it burnt her. She still has a scar on her right arm, but they said she was very luck to not be scared all over.

The stairway, I don't know how you get anything up this.

Another view of the backyard. The shed closest to the house was the one she had too. The clothes line is what every house had. You didn't have a washer and dryer like we have now. You had to hang all the clothes to dry.

She showed us allies she went down to get to school or to the store or friends houses. Since we went on a Saturday her old school was closed. It wasn't a long walk but still a walk. The fence was here too when she went. She went to an all girls school called Greymount secondary school.

There used to also be a back entrance to this graveyard that they used to go to quite often. The back way was closed so we had to go around. In most plots families were buried, one on top of another. Seven was the most names I saw on a headstone.

The empty spot used to hold a small church.

Here we met Anthony. I'm not sure why he was there, but he was a little suspicious why a big group was walking around the graveyard. Another person mom struck up a conversation with. He remember others on the street as well.

We walked around where shops used to be. It used to be busy with people, now a lot are closed and all have changed. She remember a lady who owned a shop here, while called something different the worker in this store again remembered how it used to be set us, knew the old owner and remembered people my mom did.

This is what this corner looks like now. The cream building used to be a very popular/busy bar. The side on the street we are on used to be a field with a bench.

The same corner when my mom was little. This Grandpa Nickels, Mom and Gerry.

We were going to go to church on Sunday but due to time we were unable to go. I know it would have been fun because last time mom and dad went. they met people who also remembered the Nickels and had been in the ward since mom lived there.

Next we went to Belfast Castle. Mom used to walk to this and roll on the hills. At Easter they would bring their eggs and roll them down the hill. The castle was closed for a private event but we could walk the ground, which were beautiful and we also ate lunch here.

I got Barbeque Beef Dirty Fries (loading fries) and they were so good. One of my favorite things I ate.

A sign leaving the restaurant.

Next we went to Carrickfergus Castle. Mom had talked about this casted forever. I got a music box from Grandma Nickels and though it was this castle. I knew it wasn't, I just named it that in my head. Aunt Gerry called her property Carrickfergus too. Finally seeing it was a dream.