This is the very first house Joe and I bought about 6 months after we got married..I was pregnant with my daughter Chelsey at the time. The house was out in the middle of now where...but because my husband traveled at the time we just had to be near an airport, and Ontario airport was only about 20 minutes away...so we bought this house 28 years ago...an 1800 sq ft 4 bedrooms, 2 baths...brand spanking new...for $84,995.00..(BUT at the time we bought it interest rates were 12% so it was all we could afford).wow!!!! For me at the time it was a mansion....a dream come true...a new husband...new house..baby on the way...I also had a 10 year old..and we were starting a new life....did I mention it was out in the middle of no where????
When we decided to move....12 years ago...we could not sell it so we decided to keep it and rent it out.....my daughter Chelsey lived in it with her hubby for a couple of years before they bought thier own house, and they painted it these colors...when I loved there it was blue and mauve of course...then peach and sage green.....lol
I loved this huge open area...we had a lot of parties here..tons really....and there was always lots of room even tho it was not a huge house....
A couple years after we bought the house interest rates dropped sharply and we re financed and put in the pool,,and thats when the fun really began!
OH I have to tell you a little story...when we bought the house...back in 83...it was brand new and there werent many people moved in yet...the house next door was empty but it was sold to a young couple like us, I heard they had 4 kids and they would be moving in soon.....I was 9 months pregnant at the time and really lonely, Joe traveled a lot back then. SOOOOO...one day I was out in my front yard watering the dirt (no grass yet) and a couple walked over from next door to introduce themselves...NOW remember, we are out in the middle of nowhere....50 miles from where we lived before)...and I looked at the lady and almost had a heart attack not to mention premature labor!!!! The lady that was moving into the HOUSE NEXT DOOR 50 MILES FROM WHERE WE USED TO LIVE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE...was a friend I had had years before ...we worked in a market together and became BFFs...but then she had met a guy and spent all her time with him, we drifted apart and then I moved and never left a fowarding address.......5 years later met and married my husband and moved into my little dream house. So when they walked up to meet me...can you imagine?????????? OH and her name is Deborah Lynn...just like me and her husband is Joe...just like my Joe. SO for the next 12 or 13 years, until she abandoned me and they moved to MS of all places, we were like Lucy and Ethel.....oh the fun times we had. We still chat all the time and have seen each other over the years.
So this house has been rented out for like 12 years....and when ever a renter moves out we have to spend time getting it ready for the next renter. ....it always makes me melancholy..There is NOTHING like spending time out there to bring back memories...and what happy memories I have of this house...if walls could only talk. When we moved in it was all of us young families raising our kids...a very tight knit neighborhood...pool parties BBQs..street parties...always lots of fun. I sit out by the pool...dangle my feet and all of a sudden I can hear the laughter of the children when they were little...and Im young again...
I can see my little girl running down the hall..blond hair flowing with nothing but a pair of red cowboy boots on....I remember taking her to kindergarten..I remember my oldests first dance...I remember all the good memories...and some sad...losing my dad...my grandparents....BUT always always loving living in that house. I remember not having much money for a few years there...but having the time of our lives....
Now there are a few of the original owners still there...they are older...like me...kids gone...things change. My hubby and I talk of selling this house every time a renter moves out.....but then where would I go to put my feet in the water and be transported back to simpler times? What halls would I wander down and hear that laughter...or what room would I stand in a remember my baby sleeping in her crib on that very spot?
There were no cells phones there...no internet....no computer (until the end when we bought an apple...but certainly did not go online...there was no online..it was for games and studies ....and maybe that was a good thing?
Its a lot worse for wear....but then so am I...certainly it cant hold a candle to what I live in now..but would I go back and live those years over again....well..what do you think?
Im not sure I could ever part with it....its just a house....but oh its so much more..its a trip back in time.....
8 comments:
What a sweet post! Memories. They are locked down tight in that house. I couldn't part with it either. I don't blame you one bit.
Hey Deb! You left me a sweet comment on my blog so I scooted over here to check you out. Now I'm a goner. Love your blog. I am a tad embarrassed to admit this but I'm going to. As soon as I saw your artwork on your walls with the scrapbook paper, I immediatey went to Amazon and bought the whole stack. Oh yes I did! Looking forward to reading through your older posts! have a great weekend!
I just saw that you're in Rancho Cucamunga. Are you going to Blog Sugar in Sept? Hope to see you there.
well Holly..I guess Im going NOW....lololo...what a small world....you will LOVE Kris and we are gonna have a blast!!!!
Awww, how fun was that!!! You had me remembering our first house too. Wish we had it today!!!! Lucky you. And what a story about the other Deb and Joe!! Oh my...and I see you have now met my pal Holly!!! Blog Sugar....here we come!!
OMG talk about laughter and tears....you need to write a book....make a movie! Remember writing to Sally? I do...those were the days...you left out tea parties for two and hot tea in bed when you were sick. Parked in the parking lot at your daughter's dance for my daughter was in there too and the dresses, remember? Oh and Liz Beth when she had eggs and you called for help...All those eggs! What 10? So much more...wanta be a real BBF? Well that was us back then..where ever one Debbie was there was always the other...The Red barn...picking apples..going to the the Lake..all the children?....sweet memories to the soul. It was bitter sweet when I had to go...and it was to MO. not MS...silly...I will never ever forget you...you and your Joe (they said it would not last)...your still madly in love, same here with my Joe over 31 years..those four kids are grown now, you and me have grandchildren, you have Stella! I have eight pick one, love them all. Our hair is gray...but our hearts are true....They say you never forget your first love....We had it all back then...happy families, new homes wonderful husbands and best friends....I love you my Friend
signed the girl next door, the other Debbie
P.S thanks for the trip back in time, it made me cry..I miss that house too.
I love your post.... While men try their best to understand, it's just real estate and location to them. Women can completely relate.. I have that lump in my throat right there with you. Change is hard--- even good changes. You are going to find an entire new set of memories in your new place...just wait. And you are going to find, The old house was a building and you never lost the old memories--- they are tucked away in your heart..... Keep smiling....
Beautiful post Deb, made me think of all the years that have passed by and all the changes along the way.
I think you need to hang on to that house for a while longer.
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