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
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...
Most likely the Second to the LAST TIME
I will drive into California...The next time I travel to California...
will be to bury my father next to my mother...
in Sacramento...
My brother Scott...
Garvin and my brother, Steve...
Steve, now, wears this brace around his neck...
almost ALL THE TIME...lots of pain...since he broke it
in two places...when he went over a clift
in a "semi-truck" (we just learned this fact
on this trip) (about the semi-truck)
Scott hauling out the refrigerator...
My brothers had to stop traffic...so that Garvin could
park the trailer up on the lawn to load it up...
Garvin didn't have his "Nephi bands" to wear...so
he improvised with this towel around his head...
smile
Steve did really well...Thank goodness...
he works out nearly EVERY DAY...
even though, his neck...is giving the phrase...
"a pain in the neck" a different meaning...Steve
is now...in his "65th" year...
smile
My brothers...being "sassy" to me...smile
It began to "rain" at the beginning of our packing up...
I went to the bedroom and prayed...that the rain would stop...
After they got the furniture all TARPED UP...
it began to POUR...so my brother Scott and Garvin...at 1:00 in the morning...
finished packing up the back of the truck...
so we could leave...before the BIG STORM over
DONNER PASS! Made it out...without "chains"...
Scott teasing his dog "Sky" with the frog...
She would "sniff" it...and after awhile...simply "ignored" it...
smile
LOVE this DOG! She is so SWEET!!!!!
