Moving Time

Seems like there is a lot of talk of moving going on these days.  You kids have a lot more experience with moving than dad and I have had (except maybe for Jeff and Reesa - moving just once and across the street - sound familiar???)  For those of you not acquainted with the story of the NORTH IVY MOVE I will fill in some of the historical details.  Dad bought 331 before we were married.  Yes folks, this is the house I came to after our honeymoon - Front trees and all. When I met Nola Neeley (dad's aunt who lived in Monrovia) on the day of our sealing she announced that she had worked on my house (which I had not seen) and that she used about 10 cans of bug spray in the kitchen while her boys moved the water heater out of the corner of the kitchen.  It was going to be an adventure.

After 8 years, four kids and lots of work it was a little tough to leave it after dad turned it into this beauty.  (Sorry the slide scan is backwards).

He turned the inside into a gem too.  We went from this (above) to this (below). He stripped everything off the walls, ceilings and wood.    Robb doesn't look like he appreciates what a good looking house he lived in below or maybe it is the holly bow tie.

The inside took six months of working every night, every Friday afternoon and all day Saturday.  Then dad started on the outside.  Jason was dad's helper.  The backyard took lots and lots of work. 

It turned out beautiful with the Redwood benches and the rock planters. 

The picture above is looking toward the backyard from the back door.  You couldn't even see the back fence.  It was worth every bit of work though.  There was plenty of fun that happened in that back yard.  I loved that it was fenced in and had grass and lots of room to run and splash.

Oh this little family.  We had certainly outgrown 331.  We bought 336 shortly after this picture was taken.  We spent the next two years owning two homes, managing the family, a business and working toward getting heat, hot water and a toilet at 336 before we moved in.  Thinking that it might take awhile to sell the house we decided to just list it ourselves by putting an ad in the paper one weekend.  I think dad drew up the flyer below.  Next morning we received a call from a realtor who said she had seen the ad and had a buyer and things were wrapped up around 9:00 a.m.  That was a Saturday.    The realtor called Monday morning to say that her buyers had "BUYER'S REGRET"(another story),  but she had another buyer right in the wings and it was done.  We were a little premature on the sell (no heat, no water or a toilet at 336) so we ended up living at 1213 for four months.  The move didn't take long on that August Saturday, just moved things across the street. Glad we had good ward support, all the rest of the Cornwalls were at the cabin.  Most of the work was done in about 35 minutes.  After a bit of struggle trying to clean 331 with four kids, dad took one for the team and took them to 1213 to swim since it was 115 degrees.  I remember being totally soaked from my head to my toes as I stayed behind to clean.  I think it was a combination of sweating and crying as I went from room to room. There had been a lot of wonderful memories in that little house.  The future was a little daunting.  336 wasn't was it is today.  There were still a half a decade of work to go.  It was probably good I didn't know that.  Happy Moving Everyone!!!