Eileen Goudge

My brother Jim

My brother is the only boy among five sisters. Imagine what it must have been like for him growing up. Let’s just say being dressed up in frilly smocks when he was a toddler wasn’t the worst of it. But somehow he survived. Even more amazing, he didn’t end up in a psych ward or in a clock tower with a semi-automatic. He’s married to a lovely woman and works in the aeronautics industry. He has two beautiful children, a son, Jimmy Jr., and a daughter, Melody. Interestingly he’s the only one of us who hasn’t been divorced—he got it right the first time. Go figure.

When our mom passed away three years ago, she left each of us a piece of property. My brother inherited the house by the ocean. He and his wife have since turned it into a showcase, which is now a vacation rental. We always called it the “yellow house,” since it was painted a bright yellow when our parents owned it. It’s still the “yellow house,” only now the shade is an inviting gold. My brother and his wife Doretta added a second floor, with a deck that looks out over the ocean. They completely gutted and upgraded the interior, which now sleeps 10. And the patio in back…well, you could live out there on sunny days and be happy as a clam. Best of all, it’s a 2-minute walk to the best beach in Santa Cruz. I ought to know – my mom lived just a block away, so I spent a lot of time there. It’s where she used to walk her dog, every day rain or shine. It’s also where we used to hang out and take our children swimming when they were little. I can’t think of a nicer spot to vacation: a little piece of paradise. If you’re planning a getaway to the Monterey Bay area, you can’t do better than this. Here’s the link to the site: www.beachhouseforyou.com

My brother did good.

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