Reporting on this week’s 2011 U.S. Open has been like a trip down memory lane.

Not because I was here in 1997 when Ernie Els held off Colin Montgomerie to win a second U.S. Open title.

No, it’s a little more sentimental than that.

From 1978 to 1981, my parents Terry and Joan McGuire resided in Rockville, Maryland and no more than about a 15-minute drive from the front gates of the Congressional Club.

After winning an appeal, my father was appointed to a Department of Navy position in the Australian Embassy here in Washington.  If my memory serves me correct he worked with the local supplies in securing components for the FFG guided missile frigates being purchased by the Australian Government.

Accompanying my parents to the States was my brother, Brian and the youngest member of our family.

Brian attended school here in Maryland.  Now he’s happily married to Ann and has two wonderful children in Nikki and Jamie, the only grandson in the family.

So earlier this week I enjoyed the opportunity to seek out the ‘old’ house at 1415 Gerard Street in Rockville.

But while the house has not changed, Gerard Street and surrounds had changed appreciated with the trees having grown so much that is now a very leafy suburb.

During the three years working at the Australian Embassy my parents took the opportunity to visit many areas on the east coast and with dad particularly enjoying visits to a number of Civil War battlefields including Gettysburgh and nearby Manassas.

Mum kept herself busy meeting new friends, attending bible classes and looking after both Brian and my sister, Cath who worked for a time in the Embassy.

Though it wasn’t easy for mum having to spend a lot of time by herself in a foreign country and so far from Australia, and moreso after losing her father, and my grandfather, and her brother-in-law, in the months before leaving Sydney.

But the happiest times for my parents where when myself and other members of the family, including brothers Stephen and Paul, along with friends visited and stayed at the house.

I spent the Christmas of 1980 in Rockville and arriving a few weeks after John Lennon had been shot dead in New York.

We celebrated Christmas with a wonderful dinner and washed down with Crown Lager beer and Wynvale Moselle.

I took the chance to travel north to Canada and also visit all of Washington’s famous memoials, inspected Arlington Cementary and also played the odd game of golf even if the water hazards were frozen over. 

There was also a journey to Jamaica during my stay.

Also I went to see a handful of NFL matches at RFK Stadium and to this day, I still have a soft spot for the Washington Redskins.

So naturally pulling up outside 1415 Gerard Street, Rockville brought back very happy as well as sad memories given my father passed away just over four years ago.

He thoroughly enjoyed his three years living and working in the U.S. capital, and would often preface his many tales with the words:  “When I was in Washington ……..”

Please enjoy having a look at the a selection of snaps I took earlier this week.

Gerard Street, Rockville - a first glimpse of the street in 14 years.

1415 Gerard Street, Rockville - Home to the McGuire's for three years.

Standing outside 1415 Gerard Street, Rockville some 32 years after my first visit.