In October we decided to go back to San Manuel, AZ where we spent the years 2-12 of our marriage. Curtis worked for Magma Copper back then. That was his first job out of the University. We had four children that were born (in Tucson hospital) and we had lots of memories from that era. The town is nearly a ghost town of the days of long ago!
This was our very first house in San Manuel. We moved in here expecting our first child. It was a quaint two bedroom, 1 bathroom, kitchen and living room. It had a large olive tree in the front yard. A carport for one car to park (but you can see they have closed it up and made it part of the house now.) It doesn't look grand like it did when we took care of the yard!!
This was house number two. When our 2nd child came along, we were able to move into a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, with a huge backyard. We had room in this home to have a very large garden that we canned from every year. We had a fabulous apricot tree out back. When we lived here the house was painted a light green with white trim. A carport for one car - they apparently have extended it to be part of the living room. We even wired this house with ceiling fans and for a dryer in the shed. We had children 3 and 4 here. This is the house where our oldest son found a rattlesnake sunning on the patio. He stepped over it and realized what he did! Curtis came to rescue and killed it with a shovel. We had all kinds of impromtu parties at this house. Kids started piano, ballet, cub scouts, and Sandi even took Belly Dance lessons.
This was our last home in San Manuel. It was all brick and NOT painted like it is here. It was a four bedroom, two bathroom, laundry room (novel idea!), formal dining room, kitchen, and living room. This was a two car carport and wooden fenced back yard. There was one day a wind funnel (not quite a tornado - but close) that ripped the entire fence down! What a shock to have to rebuild it. Here we actually had room for all 4 children to grow. We weren't here very long when the townsite decided to sell these fabulous rentals at Tucson prices! Where did we go, Tucson of course! For a more modern home at reasonable prices. But what terrific memories we have of our dear friends and our activities there. We also grew very close to our saviour in those beginning years of marriage, family and finding out who we were. Fun to remember, but one really can never go back, just isn't the same.
2 comments:
Isn't it funny how when you go back to visit the old neiborhoods things are the same but different. When we drive by our first house its so different looking. But isn't it wonderful to have the memories for those days!!
So fun! I loved reading about your first little homes. I almost cried thinking I've already gone through our first few, how fleeting moments are. What a shock when what you remember looks so different when you go back.
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