Our first home together was way out in the country – some tem plus miles from the school –

for Debby and Tammy.

Our nearest neighbor was at the bottom of the driveway –

1/10th of a mile away, at the bottom of the driveway!

And then the next neighbor was-

across a huge field, and up the side of a hill.

It would take me 3 solid days of mowing with a riding mower – rest for a couple days and start over again.

The driveway had mowed grass on either side eight feet wide!

We lived here for five and one-half years – campfires –

cows in a pasture behind the house hidden by a tree line.

Debby would earn extra money by cleaning the neighbor’s house across the field.

School sports and activities required ten-plus miles each way –

and my son’s another ten miles on top of that!

Our cars seemed to be forever in motion –

and our workplace was six to eight miles away!

This was country – deer – turkeys – and all the other critters including bears.

But it was also a time of peace – church – raising kids –

and going on picnics to state parks,

Inviting friends up for campfires – visiting our parents –

mine some twenty-plus miles away and hers some forty-five miles away.

Our little home had three bedrooms – each girl had their own on the second floor –

and ours was just off the kitchen with a huge deck and glass sliding doors.

There was a living room with a wood-burning fireplace –

it was here I asked for her hand in marriage.

There was a kitchen with a table in it –

and a country door into the laundry room ( it was two parts – upper and lower)

a squirrel once got into the laundry room

and our cat caught it after a raucous round of chasing it all over that room!

At night before we put in a street light – you could star gaze and listen to the owls –

coyotes and other critters of the night!

It was way up on the end of the East Windfall Road in the Portville, N.Y. school district.

The road continued as a dirt road up and over the hill –

eventually turning back again to blacktop!

Going back toward Portville – you could take a right and go over the hill into Olean –

past the golf course and come out at the hospital.

After five and one-half years –

we put in an offer on a home at Pleasant Acres Drive-

on the other side of Portville behind the cider mill!

We would then live here for twelve and one-half years –

until the kids were in and out of college and we were empty nesters!

That will be another blog – but until then –

our first house together resides as great memories in my mind!

Sherry back when we lived way out in the country – 1982 –

REMEMBERING THE PAST – PAPA’S WORLD – my site: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog