#2 THROUGH #8

THE SAGA BEGINS......

Hold on..... because you have to concentrate while reading this. Even Master Carpenter had to sit back and take a break.

Continuing from the apartment in Blacksburg, we started what would become "We're moving"!!!! We should have seen the signs 51 years ago....they were there!!!!

Not long after the Christmas Holidays we became friends with other married students at Virginia Tech. They lived in Mobile Homes............They were NOT considered "trailers". They were MOBILE HOMES!!! You guessed it.....I had to have one. It was twice the size of the apartment, had a washer and dryer..... we could take it with us when we moved to our next assignment, etc. etc.

Against EVERYONE'S advise

.... we bought one.

#2!!!



A 50' by 10' Mobile Home. We thought we had a mansion, and loved living in an apple orchid with our friends. One couple had a two story "mobile home". They were rich!!! The "mobile home" came completely furnished with all appliances (no dishwasher). Still no design talent emerging. I would rearrange the basic sofa and chair now and then, but it was rather limited!

Note the "ART" ...BEFORE ERICA I HAD MY FATHER'S WORKS! Guess we know where Erica's talent comes from!

When Master Carpenter graduated he received orders to James Connolly AFB, Waco, Texas for January. We had a few months of being nomads. We arranged to have the "mobile home" moved to Texas. An interesting note here....the Government didn't pay for most of the cost of moving "trailers"!

We moved back to my old room in my parents house in Garden City! If you are counting we are at #3!

In October, Bobby was born and then in January, off we went to the Wild West! Oh, by the way ...We received news that our second child was coming in September ........How????????, I just had the BABY!!!

We settled into a "mobile home" "park". Not the pretty apple orchid back in Virginia. I count this as #4!! Same home, different location.






Patti was born in September (the doctor was correct!) ! Master Carpenter received orders for Mather AFB in Sacramento, California in November. Now, we are not even considering paying for another move of the "mobile home" and we have outgrown it!! So...we sold it.

We arrived in Sacramento in late November and rented a two story apartment. #5....




We bought our first "sets" of furniture. All furniture came in "sets'! ..... a Danish sofa, chair, (remember the "Danish Period"), slat bench, end table, lamp and the bedroom "set". We had two cribs and the hope chest my parents gave me for Christmas back in 1956.

Note the Danish Sofa!

I must add that was one of the hottest Christmas Trees for it's time!!! and....for those that don't know what the "things" are on the mirror!!! Those are Christmas Cards. People used to send all their family and friends cards. Can you just imagine!!

....The construction of the ceiling/roof of the second floor of the apartment was very poor. We could see the sky......and we were air conditioning the State of California!!! Our electric bill was horrendous.
You guessed it.....we found a new apartment to move to..#6. This was a brand new duplex and a lot of our friends lived close by.

Are you all still with me......

We get news that Baby #3 is coming in January and
Master Carpenter receives orders to McChord AFB in Tacoma, Washington for November.

We are up to #7!!!

We arrive in Tacoma in late November and find a lovely little three bedroom home to rent. It had a huge backyard with a storage shed. You know, I don't think I EVER went out into the that yard. Simply didn't have the time! Steve arrived in January and I get the bug....we need a bigger house!!!!


....#8

We found a larger "ranch" home for rent. I didn't do anything in design in either of these homes. I was too busy taking care of three toddles to worry about such things! The three kids did create a design change though!!!!! One morning, before Master Carpenter and I got up, they got into the refrigerator, took out eggs, milk, Worcestershire Sauce, Ketchup, their "baby vitamins", along with some flour and sugar. They decided to make a cake!!! To this day I don't know why they added the vitamins! And where did they do this .......on our Danish sofa....Needless to say it had to be recovered! That was the extent of any design during those years!

But..............Wait......

We finally got word we made the list for Base Housing!!!!

Oh, boy, Base Housing, that was the best yet!
We had been in Tacoma two years and now we are moving for the third time... to Base Housing!!! #9

You see a pattern here.....AND..........

the design projects begin..................