Smith Family Crazies: Farewell...Nearly "60" years...My childhood home...since 1957...

I wrote the following in 2006:

5220 South Land Park Drive – Sacramento, California

1956

My Dad – Herb Peterson (27 yrs. old)

With my brother Steve (5 yrs. old)

Working on clearing the property

to build their (my parents) new home

Home - So Ld Pk Dr - My Dad - Steve - 1956

Don't remember what year I took this picture...

of the front of my parent's home.

Pool built in about 1962

I lived in this home from 1957 through 1968 – Seven years old till I was 18 years old – when I left home to be on my own. My father’s father, Herbert Adolph Peterson, Sr. built my parent’s home. I remember hearing that they paid around $19,000 for this home. (In 2006 – I understand it is now worth around ½ million dollars or more) We had “3” bedrooms: My parents' room; my brothers had a room and I had a room to myself, being the only girl. We moved into this house BEFORE my youngest brother was born – Scott Alan Peterson – Born: April 12, 1957.

What was my backyard and Childhood home like?

I remember the first time I went into the house, the first thing that impressed me was the smell of fresh paint. We had a kitchen; separate dining area; Family room; and a sterile living room; plus 1 ½ bathrooms. The tile in the main bathroom was PINK…We did not have a cement in-the-ground type pool in the backyard, till I was about 12 years old (or younger – can’t remember). We did get wading type pools each year, till my parent’s decided to put in the big cement pool with a diving board. When the pool was built, they had a separate BATH HOUSE built next to the pool…with a bathroom.

I learned to mow the lawn about 7 years of age. I was expected to mow the lawn; weed the flower beds; and clean the house…plus my own ironing. My mom did NOT teach me how to cook or sew. My mom didn’t know how to sew – was NEVER interested in learning…and cooking wasn’t an interest of hers either…hence, I wasn’t taught. However, I believe the reason she didn’t teach me to cook…is she didn’t want to deal with me getting in her way…

There were MANY empty lots surrounding my parents home, including across the street. (Today, there isn’t an empty lot in sight – 2006) As children…we dug deep “pits” in the dirt to play in…or throw prisoners into…(smile). When the grass/weeds would grow tall, we would make mazes through the grass…and hide…or make hidden “rooms” laying a blanket on the ground and play in our hidden “rooms”….There were eucalyptus trees in the back lot behind our home…and we children would climb up the tree trunks and make tree houses out of them. Also, there were lots of bamboo stalks behind our house in the same lot, and we would hide or make forts in between the bamboo.

Our next-door neighbors for several years were the Van Doran’s. They had a son named “Lane” who lived a very spirited life. When the lot next to our home, on the other side of my parent’s home, had caught fire…we knew who had set the fire. Yep, Lane. His older sister, LuAnn, would babysit us kids for several years. LuAnn ended up working for my dad in the front office for many years…After the Van Doran parents had died, Gerry Matthews bought the house…She became a dear friend to my mother…and made sure my dad was alright…after my mother died. She was a GREAT neighbor. Oh…Gerry was a very INACTIVE Mormon…(smile) She was WONDERFUL to me.

A Few Thoughts, now - 6 March 2016

Garvin and I left at 5:00 a.m. - Thursday morning, 3 March 2016 to drive to Sacramento, to clear out my parent's home - We had to sell it, now, that Dad can no longer live on his own. (The home was NOT sold for 1/2 million...due to lack of upkeep - Sold for $464,000 - minus expenses) We ended up moving Dad into an Assistant Living type place - Currently, he is living in Boise, Idaho near my brother Scott's home - about 6 minutes away.

Will write more on these past years...at another time...

My brothers, Steve and Scott, met Garvin and I at Dad's home...where it would be the last time we will grace this property. Packed up much of the furniture in our trailer to bring back to Idaho...Left Friday morning around 2:45 A.M.- Idaho time - (1:45 A.M. California time) Scott remained to finish gutting the rest of the house...Will Close on the house...

this week...

Here are the pictures I took...