Back in 1950, my grandma and grandpa John bought this house:
They moved from South Dakota to California in 1942 with their son (I actually have a letter that my grandma wrote to my grandpa John when he was on his way out here looking for work), and settled into an apartment in Hollywood.
In 1943, my mom was born.
Finally, they were able to have the American Dream and buy their own house in 1950, for $40,000, if I remember right. A 3 bedroom, 1 bath house. (Actually, one of the bedrooms had a door to the other bedroom, which was kind of neat). My mom told me that she was so happy she didn't have to share a room with her brother anymore.
Life was good for a while, but in 1956, my grandpa John died from cancer. As tragic as it was, they had had the good sense enough to have mortgage insurance, and the house was paid off and my grandma, now alone with two kids, did not have to worry about a mortgage payment.
Time went on, and my grandma worked as a secretary part-time to help make ends meet.
A couple of years went by, and she happened to meet her friend's brother. He had two children as well. They fell in love, and one weekend, left a note for their teenage children that they had run off to Mexico to get married. (Did I happen to mention that my grandma eloped with her first husband as well?). This was in 1959.
Now, they went from 2 kids each, to 4 teenagers in one household, two boys and two girls.
In 1960, I guess they realized that they needed to expand the house some, since my grandma was due to give birth to my aunt Lori soon. So they added onto the house:
They had plans drawn up and everything, and added on the addition themselves. (That's my grandpa on the right, and my two uncles on the left, helping him). The bedroom (or den, or sitting room, whatever you want to call it) in the back, was extended out further, and another bathroom was added on. (Which I'm sure was desperately needed with six people, soon to be seven living in the house).
Life went on, the teenagers grew up, moved out, some got married and had kids of their own. Christmas was always a big thing, with the whole family over, celebrating. Parties were even had there frequently. The new add-on (which was officially called "The Den" in the household) was quite big and ready for entertaining. My grandpa built a bar for the den (woohoo, some of the liquor that was back there behind that bar!) as well.
My aunt pretty much grew up as the only child in the house, as my mom (who was the youngest teenager) was 16 when my aunt was born. Of course I was over there a lot (and my sisters too), since we lived in the same town and my mom was over a lot to visit. My aunt was 8 when I was born.
Tragedy struck again, in 1992, when my grandma had a stroke. After some time, she seemed to be getting better, but then took a turn for the worse, and in January of 1993, she passed away. My grandpa was SO lost without her. She was his life for over 33 years. He was never right after that. He passed away in 1996, and was finally with his love again.
When my grandma and grandpa got married, the house still stayed in my grandma's name. I don't know why it did, maybe my grandpa felt that he had no right to it, since she and her first husband had bought it together. But even though it was in my grandma's name, it was THEIR house together. I mean look at the picture above, HE added onto THEIR house. So it being HER house was on paper only.
When my grandma passed away, the ownership of the house was transferred into my mom, my aunt, and my uncle's names. When my grandma had her stroke in 1992, my mom moved back into the house to help take care of my grandpa. After he passed away, she still stayed there. There was talk about selling it and such, but my uncle said that he would never pressure my mom into moving. And I think my mom was in her comfort zone. I don't think she wanted to leave it.
My mom and I had always talked about when she retired, she would move down here and we would buy a house with a guest house for her, or a duplex together. But it always seemed to be "in a couple of years". Well, after about 5 years or so, and my husband getting a big raise, and the housing market starting to start it's extreme ride up the escalator, we told my mom that we couldn't wait any longer, we had to buy a house of our own. But we would buy a house were we could add on an apartment just for her, when she did decide to retire and move down here.
So mom retired. Then she went back to work part-time. It always kept getting put off. Then, in the year 2004, she said that she was finally ready. Next year, the house would be sold, and instead of moving down here with me, she was going to move up to Henderson where my aunt lived and my sister as well. She said that my sister needed her more. (okay a WHOLE other can of worms, I'm not opening just yet).
Tragedy struck again. On December 18th, 2004, my sister called me to tell me that mom had been taken to the hospital in an ambulance. She may have had a stroke. I drove up there as quickly as I could (my aunt tried to get me to not drive up there in the state of mind I was in, but I told her that grandma would watch over me and make sure I got up there just fine, and I did). There was no hope. On December 19th, 2004, my mom passed away.
So yet again, more owners were added to the title of the house. This time, my mom's 1/3 ownership went to me and my two sisters.
My sister lived in the house for almost a year and a half taking care of it, because we couldn't sell it yet, because we had to go through probate. Now, just recently, probate is finished, and the house is on the market.
Back on the real estate market after not being on it for 56 years. Here's a picture of the house that was taken within the last year:
Since it was first owned in our family in 1950, few things have changed. The addition was added on, the dining room on the right was extended a little bit (it used to be a bay window-type wall in the front), the entryway into the dining room was widened so that it could be more open. Hardwood floors in the living room and dining room were covered up with carpet (I'd love to see what they look like now though). The "service porch" (as it was called) off the kitchen was remodeled to include a pantry and have room for a dryer. But other than those things, nothing REALLY major has been done to it. There is a door in the "service porch" for the milkman to take out the milk bottles and put a new one in. (I kid you NOT, it's still there!!)
Soon, a new owner will own this house. A house filled with SO many memories will just be that for us soon, memories.......and so many good ones at that..........
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