One Busy Summer

Here we are.  Mid-August.  What happened to April, May, June, and July?!  It’s been a busy one for the team, everyone working at greenhouses, wineries, and electrical supply shops.  Bill and Michael continued to meet up at the Masser House (now being called the White House), getting her ready for her new foundation.  As you might expect, no small project!  Sit back, and enjoy a super-long post that will catch you up on the whole summer!

APRIL

The sun porch had to be removed.  We were saddened by this, as we cherish the memories the families shared about many happy hours spent out there.  The sun porch was an add-on to the original structure, so it wouldn’t lift with the House when she’s raised for the new foundation.  The boys carefully took it apart, window by window, board by board, until all that was left was the cement pad.

MAY

All living things have an expected lifespan.  The large trees next to the property are unfortunately at the end of theirs; they are diseased and are a threat to the White House and the neighbor’s house with limbs that could come down in a storm.  Special equipment was rented, the chainsaw was gassed up, and up went Bill and the saw in the bucket!  No injuries to any of the “chainsaw party” participants, equipment, vehicles or houses–a successful tree trimming!

JUNE

Chim-chim-cheree!  The boys looked like Mary Poppins’ chimney sweep friends, covered in soot as the crumbling chimneys came down and bricks were cleaned of mortar.  The cleaned bricks are no longer structurally sound, but are being saved for a future life in or around the House.

JULY

The sidewalk is back in the hands of the Little family.  Roger and Leslie showed up with a truck to gather up the sidewalk sections inscribed with family names.  Leslie plans to incorporate them into the landscaping of her house in Idaho.  Roger’s dad poured the sidewalks himself, and poured them THICK!  These are some HEAVY mementos!

Now it’s August and you’re all caught up!  Stay tuned for upcoming events, like a yard sale during Fruita Fall Fest, and the lifting of the House for its new foundation!  Next up on the agenda though, is a reworking of the garage to make room for the lifting company, and to be a more usable storage place than it is currently.  Most of the team will be at the House this Saturday, August 16–stop by and say hello!

 

Sorter Family Memories

When a house is inhabited and loved by a family, it’s a home.  The Sorter family lived in the House and made her a home in the 80s,  shared some of their memories with us via Facebook, and gave us permission to share them with you–you lucky readers!  These memories made us laugh out loud, cry, and sigh.  One of the first we’re sharing here is from Lloyd; little memories strung together that to us, read like poetry.  Wow.

The following two memories were shared as responses to posts on our Facebook page.

Lloyd S.:  There was space in the back yard for a raised garden. The first year, tomato plants 6′ tall with round tomatoes all over them. A tall pole became one side of a swing set. A metal pipe for the cross bar. Lots of laughter and giggles. A large lilac bush that crowded 3/4 ths of the way over the sidewalk. After trimming…a picket fence that needed repair and paint. Two little girls learned to stand in dad’s open hand while I walked through the house. While doing some remodeling in the dining room, a fireplace was discovered behind the plaster on the wall.

Rachel C.:  I lived in that house from 1983 until 1986 (?- I’ll have to ask my mom). I shared the bedroom at the top of the stairs and to the right with my sister. If there is still light wood in the dining room, my dad installed that. There used to be white wallpaper with strawberries in the kitchen and the cupboards were painted yellow. We used to sleep on the porch. THANK YOU for restoring this house! It makes me sad every time I go by to see it still hasn’t been painted since we lived there. The lilac bushes in the back were gorgeous when we were there. Can’t wait to see what you do with it!!!!

The following are a Facebook conversation between sisters, cousins and Mom, shared with us by Rachelle.

Rachelle K.: Rachel, I talked to these people for quite awhile last Sunday, there at the house. SUCH memories. SO many sleepovers. Crystal, Julie, what are your favorite memories of the house?

Rachel C: Yes! How cool! I loved that house. I used to sneak out of my room at night when I was supposed to be sleeping and and sit at the top landing of the stairs and watch the TV in the living room. Then one time it was a really scary episode of Fantasy Island and I had nightmares for weeks…but I couldn’t tell anyone because they would know I was sneaking.

Crystal B: How great is this!! Fav memories…wrapping ourselves in the hammock out back and swinging in complete circles (or trying to anyway), picking Lilacs (still one of my favs!) and stripping all the tiny flowers off to fill a wooden baby bassinet, waiting and watching for the praying Mantis eggs to hatch in a canning jar, putting salt in my dads coffee on April fools just to watch him drink it with company over sneaking out our bedroom window and climbing down the tree & into the kitchen to smuggle a pound of powdered sugar back to our room, sharing a room with my sister , watching Julie eat a whole bowl of mac & cheese just to realize that it was full of worms (HAHAHAHA), the first time I ever saw Dane put ketchup on Ice Cream…gosh..I guess that I could go on and on…

Rachelle K.: These are great!

Crystal B.: But perhaps one of my favorite memories EVER….watching my Mom Betsy, letting parts of her go, burning papers on the east porch and talking to me about what it means to change and grow, to be a strong Woman, to Know my Power. How I should not be afraid and to search for the Divine within my..Self. Sigh, thank you Rachelle

Rachelle K.: Wow. That is so personal to put here and share, Crystal. How blessed you and your siblings are, to have such an amazing example of a mom. She is one of my most favorite people to talk to.

Crystal B.: I had not thought about that in many a year. Is a great memory to remember. thank you for sparking it…

Betsy S.: I am blessed. So glad the house will have more memories and not be torn down. Precious times, difficult times, but full of life.

Julie K. Wow! This is so neat and I’m so happy they are going to restore it! It made me sad to see it in disrepair. Geez – what DON’T I remember from that house? I love lilacs still from springtimes spent standing and smelling the lilac hedges in the back yard. I also love growing peas and chives because Betsy S. would send me out to pick them in the summer for dinner. One time I was jumping down the stairs two at a time and hit my forehead full weight on the ceiling bar on that turn and nearly knocked myself out (seriously). I played about 1000 hours of piano there. Also, my most embarrassing moment of ALL TIME happened when I was about 14 and one of Dane’s friends that had a horrible crush on me accidentally walked in on me going to the bathroom and then just froze…staring at me..and wouldn’t go away until I shrieked at him. Ack! It was mortifying for both of us (although I had no sympathy for him until years later). I think we started the tradition of having fondue on Christmas eve there, and I have so many little memories like Crystal cleaning the kitchen and Rachel sitting at the dining room table tilted back in her chair and laughing. I remember when Dane came home after kissing Paula S. for the first time and he was absolutely on cloud nine.

Paula S.: I remember Madge being there and my parents going to buy Amway! I am glad I can be I that memory Julie K.! ! I will share this with Dane!

We feel so very fortunate to have these memories of the House.  They bring her to LIFE!  It makes us all the more determined to make her pretty again.  Thank you, Sorters!  ❤