I don't think that in our world today, most people moving into a home believe that they will be there "forever".  I wonder if Ruth Phipps thought of that when she moved into 1500 Woodland Avenue in Durham's Trinity Park.  I didn't even know the street was old enough to have a home from 1929.

Mrs. Phipps was the original owner of the home and she lived there until 2000.  Before passing, she lived a short time in a convalescent center.  But this was her home.  Next door to the north was her longtime best friend Virgie Pleasent.  Mrs. Pleasent was my aunt.

In their later years, they both stayed in the back bedrooms of their respective homes that faced one another.  Each morning for decades, they would open their blinds by 9:00 am.  If the blind had not been pulled, then that was the signal for the other to call 911.  I used to be shocked at how pragmatically they would speak of this.  But as I get older, I find myself  becoming that way, too.  Mrs. Phipps lived to be 100 years old.

Though she had no children of her own, she loved the neighbors' kids.  And they loved her, too.  In the kitchen is an alcove for a small dining area.  Every Christmastime she would have an open house with her special desserts.  She would place them on a table in that alcove for everyone to circle finding their favorites.  Whoever lives there now should try doing that.  I don't know how all that fit in that space.  But I must say, at Christmastime, one of the many great desserts was Aunt Virgie's homemade poundcake!  I think Mrs. Phipps would agree.