OUR HEARTS FROM SEOUL

OUR HEARTS FROM SEOULors we had come to love ove

FORTY YEARS AGO!

A drive from work to our newly acquired home in Murray, took on a new meaning on that December 23rd, 1965. This larger house replaced our ever tightening quarters of our Granger home. All it lacked was the friendly faces of neighbors we had come to love over the past nine years.
The snow began falling in the early afternoon and by commute time, close to six inches had accumulated on the yards and side roads. A Christmas post card appeared every few feet as one traveled home by way of Atwood Boulevard. Christmas trees were displayed in each home and colorful lights accentuated the whiteness of the snow. Was it because it was ours that our home stood out among all the others? Perhaps it was the metamorphic change that had taken place in the past four months since we bought the house. Being vacant for nearly a year didn't help the sad and lonely drab-white, two story house that sat on an equally neglected yard with bushes and trees that overran the landscape. Though a new roof would have been better, finances dictated an alternative which was to put a heavy coat of black asphalt emulsion on the curling shake shingles. This treatment caused them to flatten out and provided a neutral black color base. Our first impression was to paint the siding white but accepted the suggestion of our decorator at Bennett's who introduced us to the new color trends...this being a sage green and then to accent the color with white window shutters and ornamental iron at the entry. The lawn got mowed, bushed and shrubs trimmed and the giant blue spruce pine tree again became the centerpiece. Even the formerly broken yard light was fixed and shiny. This was the picture greeting us on that night forty years ago.
The inside, not to be outdone by the outside, also went thru it's renovation and held the same magical invitation. All the children were happy to see the culmination of our efforts because they had all done their share. Even Nancy who still had a couple of months before birth would come to love this home.
As we rejoiced inside and ate our traditional taco dinner around our first ever fireplace, we heard a commotion in the front yard. Bishop Peter & Luella Crane with all of their family had come caroling and welcoming us into the ward and community. Now the friendly faces that at first were absent presented themselves before us.
Following the caroling we returned to the cosiness of our Christmas house where we especially enjoyed the gift from TC & Lily Blacker; our first color television set. In the coming years, this home continued to be viewed as "Christmas Card perfect" welcoming family, friends and extended families and was the birthplace of many of our families Christmas traditions. Filled with love and the ever present spirit of Christmas, our home will always hold precious memories.