Manheim Pics. one

great rat rod

On air cleaner model of car on a turntable. ( COOL )

Great restored original truck

admirers galore

I like yellow

Small car, BIG power

Cool air Cowl Induction

Woman's Club of Manheim fund raiser

 Fine Mustang

Looks great

 Fine coope

    Nice White Tri-Five  shoebox!

Too bad, rained out first Saturday, next week rain till 8:00AM, roads still wet when cars came in. About 1/2 of the usual cruisers, one bike. Barry made it at Rheems, and I knew he would be here. He is older that I am, but we are die hard cruisers. In the 60's we even went out in the snow. We were crazy then, and even now. Cruizers never stop Cruzing!

I am stupid, not an idiot?

The Loop Route clan know I was nuts about speed, and weird actions. I rode the bike even over winter.

The first year out of school I had no car. It was summer 1967, I was on my fourth lap of the loop route. My friend was the  first car sitting at a stop light. I knew he had a four speed. It was a 1967 roadrunner. No break lights were lit. That meant he was sitting with nothing stopping the car from rolling if I pushed against it.

I put my front tire against his back bumper very, very slowly. I wanted to surprise him. When I made contact with his bumper I revved my throttle to about 8 grand, and slipped the clutch so he would move front about 6 inches. He was about 1 foot from the line. I would never push anyone to a place they would get hurt. He looked back at me, and laughed.

The car behind me, the door popped open when I gave the  bike gas. He ran up and grabbed my arm. Just my LUCK! He was an off duty police officer. I learned they could arrest you any time. He yelled Hoss, we finally got you.

NO, I was an Idiot! It was 2:00PM on a Sunday afternoon.  No darkness to hide me. I paid another fine, just like the time I was arrested at McDonald's for doing wheelies on a motorcycle, both Disorderly Conduct on a motorcycle. They sure had a lot of fines.

About 1970 they started a new law on the loop route. There were signs mounted that said. More than 3 times passing this sign will be given a fine. There was times listed, I don't remember what they were. The first one fined was the son of a looper from the late fifties. Like father like son. Neither of my sons cruised, and Laura our first born hung out at Manheim Square with her friends.

Adrenaline Freaks!

In 2016 we bought Sophie for $150.00 from a young couple with 2 small kids. One year later we rescued Buddy Holly. Sophie a beagle, border collie. Buddy a shutzu. The male Buddy, Sophie female. Luckily they took to each other right away.

Both like to run, and play fight. They circle the couch in the middle of the living room. Sophie circles counter clockwise , Buddy clockwise, and clash when they meet. When new people come over, we tell them right away, it is play fighting. From the growls, and Sophie grabbing Buddy by the facial hair, or ears you would think it is real. Sophie has short hair, so after Buddy gets dragged, and Sophie lets go, Buddy clamps down on Sophie's long snout, and she cannot open her mouth.

Buddy then is on his back, and Sophie grabbing his legs, or neck in her mouth. After a few minutes of fighting, Sophie lays on her back, and Buddy attacks. It is comical to watch the commotion. Sometimes they are fighting under my chair when I am writing on my blog. I have seen them either come in my office, or we are watching TV in the living room and they just stop, Both then hit with legs straight, they are so tired they are panting and just fall over like both were hit by bullets. They are that tired.

Of course they take turns at the water dispenser. Buddy Holly loves to sleep on my legs. I sleep on the la-z boy coach. Three person with both outside seats recline. Since my motorcycle accident it pains my shoulder if I lay flat. Sophie is beside me. Buddy keeps me warm. One dog night! A lot of times he is throwing out so much heat he jumps down on the floor.

Buddy has a hard time jumping up on the couch. He can just look over the seat on his hind legs. His short legs love to run. He is about six inches behind Sophie when they run. A couple times Sophie hit the brakes, and Buddy rear-ended her.

Buddy comes back in the hall to my office to start his run. Sprints out into the hall, past the bathroom on the right. Past the couch in the middle of the front room. He turns left about 23 degrees to line up to the front of the couch that I am reclining on.

I work on my Charity over 12 hours every day. Being 70, one knee replaced, the other bad I take breaks about every 3 hours to get my legs up so the blood can easily pump back to my heart. Mary's RN Training!

I just happened to look back the hall and saw Buddy running as fast as those little legs would go. I started yelling Come on Buddy, and repeated it as he swerved  to the left to line up with the couch seat. Unfortunately he made the leap too soon. His snout was about four inches too low. About 10 minutes later he tried again. This time he jumped at the right moment.

I had my arm ready so he would not hit the back cushion and bounce to the floor again. Of course I rubbed his body, and head, and made a fuss over him. His umbrella tail was going a mile a minute. He still jumps up on the couch, but from in front of the sofa now. I guess twice was enough. Sophie is always up on her side looking like. SO what, I do it 10 times a day.  

Sophie has Buddy's side hair again. Drags him around. Soon Buddy will get his turn.

Buddy the flying squirrel, no that was Rocky, sorry! Rocky you will see later.

Hall to the left, Sophie about where Buddy makes his swing to the left at full speed.

I looked out the porch windows and saw it, do you? My pet Rocky.  Nice we have 10 acres of woods out back. And it cannot be developed. That is why I built here.

 I am reclining on the couch.Lower right, my feet under blanket. Waiting for the stampede again?

Sophie one of the few moments they are not in Mortal Combat! I am sitting on my side! I have one place, Sophie has the other two. Dogs are like our 2 year old granddaughter; MINE,MINE!! 

Buddy's chair to jump up on Buddy's table so he can see what Sophie is barking at in the circle. When Mary is reading in Buddy's chair he pines. When Mary leaves something on Buddy's Table, he pushes it on the floor. That table is MINE!!

Dave and Wildwood OH MY

Dave and his brother Danny bought a 1966 BMW 650  motorcycle. Both were car hops at a drive-in Hickies on Columbia Avenue east of the Golden Arches McDonald's at Columbia Ave. It was torn down years later like a lot of places.

Dave and I had just graduated high school. Danny was a year later. Dave just sold his Honda, it was brought from Japan by private import, it had kilometers on speedometer instead of miles per hour. BMW bikes were a lot more expensive than other bikes. Dave and Danny's new BMW was bought cash, no payments. This was close after the day we got out of school.

I said to Dave the first time he rode the new bike to my house, let's hit Wildwood. Of course he said Lets Go! That Friday after work, a shower and some grub we were headed east on US 30 again. I said earlier I went to Wildwood since I was 8 years old. I knew the way by heart. There was a new shortcut that shaved about 1/2 of an hour off the drive.

Dave's bike had less than 500 miles on it,  it was not broke in.  The BMW was geared high, RPM,s were low, so we could run pretty fast without harming the new engine.

We left about 8:00 PM. It was usually about 4 hours. The short cut and high speed cut it down to a little over 3  hours. We stopped for gas for my smaller tank. Dave's tank was big enough to not stop, but since I had to, he filled up too.

On the short cut, we could run close to 100 MPH. You know in your teens, nothing can hurt you! We ran around on the boardwalk a couple hours. At 17, 18 years old, you can get away on little sleep.

When we first got there we stopped at Marge's trailer, she said, yes, you can sleep on our porch. Lloyd and I pulled his first trailer down from PA. His second trailer too, a lot bigger and newer, has a screened in porch built on to it. Friday and Saturday night we slept there.

Dave and I rode about 60 miles south along the beach highway Saturday. The toll bridges were 50 cents for cars, 25 cents for bikes. Delaware Memorial Bridge was $1.00 for cars, 50 cents for bikes. Yes, the same bridge Vicki and I rubbed our legs against the tractor trailer's tire years later.

Tractor trailers were tempting. If you rode very close to the back of the trailer, you are sucked along in the vacuum the trailer creates. You just give the bike enough gas so the bike engine does not hold back, and you're doing 80 miles per hour on 1/8th throttle. You are drifting from the vehicle in front just like Nascar. You can save a lot of gas.

As long as the rig does not lock up all the wheels. But like I said, at that age nothing can hurt you! That attitude is why I lost a lot of friends.

Sunday morning Marge, Links wife made us breakfast. We thanked them and left. We were in town in Wildwood, and we had our swim trunks under our clothes. Link, his wife and kids we saw at the beach later. Marge took a picture of Dave and me laying on a blanket with one of their girls between us. It's hard to believe the two girls are close to 70 years old now, too!

When we left the beach, looking for souvenirs. We stopped in Scoops Surf and Cycle. I found a chrome front fender that fit my bike. I had not stripped my black bike with gray fenders and painted everything corvette blue yet. I am looking for pictures now.

I got a decal for my new fender that said, Scoops Surf and Cycle, Wildwood, NJ.  At home everyone asked you ride there. I happily said, many times. I bought the bike in middle of February 1966, August 20th I lost my license. I had 10,822 miles on the odometer. Yes, I love to ride.

Rodney Who??

I hit the loop about 7 PM on a Saturday night, in my 62 Pontiac. The police were looking for anyone misbehaving, walking or riding. After 4 loops, I picked up 1 guy and 3 girls. We drove for four hours from McDonald's (MC DUCKS) to the loop, driving under the golden arches every time. Another hour at Dunkin Donuts for coffee, donuts and talk.

I had stopped and got a case of beer before their 11 0' clock closing. We drove around the farms looking for a long lane that had a spot not seen from house. It was about 2 AM when we settled on the perfect driveway. I backed in, around a corner and shut off the ignition. We piled out ready for a well deserved cold beer.

Just as we started to chug the suds, headlights came toward us from the road. Everyone panicked, and ran. The car was registered in my name. I could not run. The car pulled up to mine, an old looking man in bib overalls got out. He said, He was young once, just leave and no trouble.

I yelled for everyone to come back, no trouble. I shook the old fellow's hand, and said thanks. He backed out, I followed and left, the girls hung out the window and waved. They said there was a nice looking older person in the car waving back. So much for long driveways no one comes home at 1 to 2 PM Saturday nights.

My chain wearing phase. I picked up Kathy on a Friday night. I put high bars on my bike (Ape Hangers) They were 10 inches higher than stock. I went to the Triumph shop in Columbia, Pa and he had a front brake cable long enough. No clutch cables long enough. He cut and soldered one to fit. I made a 3/8 chain necklace for myself and one for Kathy. We looked BAD! The chain was heavy, and would irritate whatever skin it touched.

Horsepower College!

 My used Honda 90 I bought at Frank's Honda BMW. I paid cash from paper route, two years worth. I don't remember how much. I had to put it in my dad's name. You could not own a car or bike then till you were 18 years old. My school of riding was: This is the kick starter, this is the rear brake, this is the front brake, this is the throttle. Happy Motoring.

Frank and his son would be killef a few years later on the bridge from Columbia to Wrightsville. A truck coming toward them on a 2 lane bridge did not see the slower car in front of them and swerved across the yellow line and hit them head on. That is what I remember. His older boy ran the shop for a while, then it closed.

I learned learning into turns, wheelies, breaking and everything else by trial and error. Error meant losing some skin. My worst spill happened when Jim at school rode with me. He was really good at cornering, I was not yet. We turned into a leaning curve in East Petersburg, I cut it too wide, the road had another road entering at the curve. It was a couple weeks after winter. I thought the stones they spread over winter were gone. I was wrong.

About 50 MPH the rear end slid sideways and I flew off. My knee was ripped up for the first. My left side foot peg was pushed up. They were not on a hinge like now. I was not bleeding too bad. Lots of Docs told me all my life I heal good. I guess a Caldwell trait. Lloyd always healed good too.

Jim rode my bike home, I rode his. Mom had a field day. I had the bike about 8 weeks. Jim, about 2014 was killed on his dirt bike. He knew how to ride, everyone figured he had a medical problem, he hit a telephone pole head on.

I used the Honda to deliver my newspapers. The biggest shock I got riding then was on the loop route. There was an older gent that kept riding the loop. I raced him one time. My 90 cc motorcycle beat his 50 cc step thru Honda.

We stopped and talked. He said he was going to soup it up. He said he would race me the next year, I would be amazed about the new power. Next year; we lined up at the light on a Sunday afternoon. I was always good at the green light. In all my years of racing, no one beat me off the line. The light turned green, I opened the throttle and blaster off.

Beside me I saw nothing. I heard his bike, a gutted muffler screamed at me. About the fifty foot mark he roared past me. And kept about 2 cars ahead of me. We stopped to talk again. He told me about boring for a bigger piston. Cams that open longer so more gas and oxygen in combustion chamber. Modifying the carburetor, more gas in, open the muffler more, less restriction out; more horsepower.

I started reading, and picking Lloyds head, since he worked on his brothers race car. When he had his trucking business, he modified the flathead trucks that pulled trailers, his were faster than others.
More to come.

Vietnam Rocket Launcher Repair MAN!

Bob Quinn graduated with me June 1966 at Manheim Township High School. Manheim Township was and is now about half rich families, and half regular working class people. Bob and I were not in the rich group. Turning 16, some kids got new expensive cars. We got what we could afford. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the world owed me anything. I am proud of what Mary & I built for our kids.

Glenmoore Circle in Manheim Township is houses that were built for returning Veterans from WW2. That is where I got to know Bob. That was my paper route. Monday to Saturday I delivered evening news. Every Sunday morning the Sunday Paper. Every day rain or shine for 3 1/2 years. The newspaper took $5.00 from our money and put in a bank to get interest. My mom made me save an extra $5.00 so I had more when I gave up delivering. Going thru the Depression and WW2 made people used to doing without, and saving.

I took home about $8.00 a week on the small route I had for 2 years. I had spending money. I got the Glenmoore Circle and Fruitville Park route for 1 1/2 years. The last 6 months I used my Honda 90 to deliver papers. It saved a lot of pedaling. When there were snow and ice storms, I walked. The small route was about 3 miles. I delivered the last paper and pedaled back, took a shortcut about 2 miles. The bigger route, I was 150 feet past our house when I delivered the last paper. It taught me work ethic, never quit, and work rewards with money and satisfaction.

Bob and I were about 15 years old. Plastic pea shooters were the big rage. Winkee's Toy Fair, Mr. Winkelman's store at Lancaster Shopping Center was our solitude store. We walked a dirt road past the quarry that filled up with water  50 years ago, and the mining for lime ceased. It was about 2 miles to Winkies. We spent a lot of time there.

We all had pea shooters. Small bag of peas was $.25, the shooter $.50. Only about 25 peas. We used about 6 bags to have our fights. I complained to Mom how much we spent on peas. She said go in Food Fair, get large bag of dried peas. Maybe moms are not as stupid as we all thought! About 250 peas $.85, more like it.

I bought a bag, gave about 40 to each guy and we started the battle. Peas hitting a parked car, no damage. Store windows, no damage. But a pea in the face stung! Bob was on his bike. I was walking. The third guy I don't remember who, or if he was on foot or bike either.

After about 20 minutes, Bob was getting brave, he could speed past, hit our faces and retreat! We mostly got Bob on the back of his head, which still hurt. The Food Fair grocery store was right beside the 4 lane route 501. About 1 mile north of the elementary school. Peas were getting low, so we made each one count.

Bob was pedaling really fast, in and out of parked cars. The shopping carts were stacked up to the end of the wall of the Food Fair, with 2 lanes of parking between Food Fair and the fence for route 501, near lane heading north. A fourth guy was at the end of the carts hiding, waiting for Bob to go past. The fourth guy was putting 3 or 4 peas in at one time. Super stings.

Bob was headed toward the fourth guy, not seeing him, expecting to turn left and inside the shopping center fence. Before Bob could turn left fourth guy blew his shooter hard, peppering Bob's face. Bob never saw it coming. He turned his head toward the shooter and let loose. The shooter got it right in the face.

Bob was not looking ahead. I saw him looking back as he barreled toward the traffic. I yelled, but I doubt he heard me. He coasted down a small incline picking up speed. There was just a fence, sidewalk, and the lanes of traffic. I watched my good friend bounce off the side of a tractor trailer.
Luckily on the bike he was high enough to hit the side of the trailer and not go under the trailer's double back wheels.

I will never forget the horror I was feeling, as it was the fourth shooter's fault Bob missed the curve. BUT ; I bought the peas, and was involved in the fighting! I ran toward the truck. Fighters number 3 and 4 said, "Let's get out so they do not know we were play fighting maybe they will not be as hard on Bob". Bob was being held up by a grown up. He was alive, so we left.

Bob missed several days of school. He did not get in much trouble, I don't think anyone found out what had happened. We never talked about it either. Just glad our play fight buddy was healing. A broken shoulder was really better than being run over by trailer back wheels.

We graduated in June of 1966. A couple years later, hype going around town was the cops were trying to stop a lot of burglaries by stopping all the kids' cars and checking trunks for burglar tools. Of course all of us carried tools in the trunk. I heard Bob was stopped for a tail light out. They found a pry bar in his tool kit. He was told, enlist or get processed. His fate was sealed.

Now at 70, he has diabetes like almost all those sprayed with Agent Orange have. Marcy and I are going to help Bob publish his 3 novels and hundreds of poems so he can better enjoy his retirement! I am raising money for my non-profit to Stop PTSD Suicides in Veterans and First Responders. Bob almost died once because of how I acted. I am working hard to see that Bob and the others don't die till GOD calls them home! I know GOD is keeping me alive so I can do this. I am not 18 years old now!! I am not the adrenaline freak I was. I believe GOD protects you, if you are not risking your life stupidly.

Visit Bob's blog here and read some of his poems. You will enjoy them!

Jacked UP And Goodbye Car&Bike

In the late 1960's everyone who bought a muscle car was way smarter than the engineers that built the car. Years of study, engineering degrees, years of trial and error were no match for the 18 year old who buys the muscle car. Remember at that age, nothing bad can happen to us. We changed the front and back suspension height to what we thought was "NEAT". The heck with being safe, driveable, and like everyone else, we changed everything.

First were the guys that liked the front end higher than the back end. You just put longer springs in the front end. The cars had springs, with the shocks inside the spring, but not a part of the spring. Not like today's cars. It was great for changing the oil,  but you had trouble seeing anything right in front of you. Every time you changed the height of the front wheels, the front needed lined up. Oh what the heck, we can change it back to the original height so not need lineup needed?? So much for bad tire wear.

Next was the rear end! The higher you raise the back height, the more it will push the back tires into the road surface, right?? With the back bumper so high, when you back up without a camera, like we have today, you are taking a chance.

Motorcycle Dave's brother Danny had an MG midget convertible. Built in England were very low to the ground, a straight four cylinder engine, and the front end not very high. A guy with a Chevelle 396 with a four speed pulled into Dunkin Donuts parking lot. Danny pulled in right behind him. The guy went too far to pull into the parking space. He put his Chevelle into reverse, looked in his mirror, saw nothing there and backed up. When the backup lights came on, Danny panicked, hit the horn just as the Chevelle's gas tank hit the headlights and hood. I wish I had a picture of the Chevelle back end sitting on top of the MG, about 12 inches from the front windshield!

Another brainchild jacked up the back of his 57 Chevy. It had black painted wheels, a lot of primer paint as they were fixing the body up. Another Street Engineer he cut 14 inch 2x4's and put them from the shock absorber mount on the body and on the axle housing. The 14 inches of lift looked a lot like the Chevelle, only the Chevelle was done safely.

They made about four rounds of the loop, punching the gas pedal, they though they were real race car drivers. About 6 of us were in a parking spot near where the railroad tracks cross the road. The same railroad tracks that destroyed the Corvette. that hit the tracks too fast. Like the Corvette the wheels of the 57 Chevy were air borne. Not having the shock absorber there to line up the axle and body, the passenger side 2x4 fell out! He was now driving a car with 14 inches of clearance on the one side, and the other side was about 2 inches of lift. The kid limped home, very slowly! We almost started bawling with laughter.

While not having my license for 6 months was a pain, I still made the loop almost every night. I called Tom, yes the guy who learned how to race against the Rambler Scrambler, he came over and he drove my Pontiac. We stopped in and bought a case of cold beer. I was 19 by now. Still illegally buying beer. We rounded the square and made the green light for two blocks.

We were beside the radio station on Queen Street. Beside us was an 18 wheeler truck. The driver was looking at me drinking my beer. I was riding shotgun. I do not chance driving when license suspended. I am dumb, not an idiot. I said to the truck driver, "Want a gulp of beer?" He says sure, so I opened the door and jumped up on his step, handed him the can.

The light turned green. The driver yelled, "Hang on". When Tom hit the gas my car door closed, I hung on the truck's mirror for 2 blocks. When we stopped he handed me the can, yelled a BIG thank you. I jumped down, got in my Pontiac, and Tom and I had a good laugh. I said the guys will not believe this. Tom said if they know you, they will believe it. Just another night on the loop.

When I traded in the 400 MP Pontiac I was looking at a 1964 Mercury Comet. A hi-performance 289, 270 HP 4 speed muscle car. I was tired of paying over $100.00 a month for gas. I got my license back on a Wednesday, and that night I was racing again, I thought, "I am tired of walking, I got to get rid of this car and buy something that will not tempt me to violate the law".

I stopped to see the 1964 Comet. Beside it was a 1967 Comet Convertible.289-two barrel, air conditioned, luxury car. It was 1968, the car was 11 months old. Automatic, AM/FM radio, and built for a good ride, not speed. I was hooked again. I got a loan at the bank. I could pay 65 dollars a month for 4 years. Or $120 per month for 2 years. I took the 2 years.

The salesman was eyeing up my bike. I would bring the Pontiac tomorrow and do the paperwork. He asked if I wished to sell the bike. I rode it 32,000 hard miles. Lots of wheelies, the front forks would stick, needed rebuilt. Running racing gas in the engine I knew was hard on the insides. I changed the oil every 500 miles, the threads were worn. I was going to replace the plate on the bottom where the oil plug was. I had paid $720.00 for it, two years before. I painted the frame, forks, tank, and side covers. Everything was Corvette Blue. Seat was rolled and pleated blue. Chopped fenders.

I told him $500.00. He jumped on it. I told him it needed the plate on bottom for oil change plug. It did not burn any oil. Hr drove it 4 days, the oil plug came out, he rode it till the motor froze. About 1980 I was at bike shop that I bought it at, hunting a back rack for my 650 Honda and in his parts   bike storage, there it sat. Some parts missing. If I ever have the cash to get it again, I would fix it up again.

Psycho!!

Our first born is Laura. Our second born is Timothy.Our third and last born is Jeffrey. This story is about Tim.

Tim got my "never, ever quit" attitude at a young age. The other two developed it about their 10th birthday. Tim was into everything that is dangerous. When we built our custom home, Tim was about 7 years old. We had a suicide driveway up to the garage.

It is really crazy over winter. Here is my snow plow!!

Yes, I am Sarcastic! Here is my mower!

I showed you our driveway, because Tim first tried skating down the fifth day we were here. It was the fourth day we had moved in that they put the asphalt down. Tim went all the way in the garage to the wall of the washer dryer room. He pushed off, went a car length on the flat concrete, then started down the hill. He was probably close to 20 miles per hour when he went into the circle.

Skate Boards! He enjoyed several more runs before the accident. He was in shorts and t-shirt. It was July: very hot. His last ride was going good, he said, but on entering the circle, he lost his footing. Went down; landed on his left rear  butt cheek, and lost about a 6 in. gash. His hands and other areas were scraped a little. He was not wearing a helmet.

We did not find about it till he came limping in. Yes, even at 7, nothing can hurt you.  And Mom and Dad know Nothing, just like Sergeant Schultz.

After Mary and I were scolding him he was much wiser. Probably not from what we said, but the pain he endured for several weeks.

About that time Tim joined the local soccer team. The coach told Mary, keep Tim in the game every year, he is a natural. Tim stood up to every player on the opposing team. He was adept at stealing the ball from them. They learned of his speed that first year. They played him as back guard, last man before the goalie to help prevent the ball from being lined up to test the goalie.

Tim could be rushing up toward the opposing goal, and when an opposing lineman got the ball, Tim could outrun them and take the ball away. Many times he slammed into another player, and stole the ball. When knocked down, he jumped up right away.

His team was  undefeated in the 11 and under group. And in the 14 and under group. He has 2 winner jackets.

Psycho has for a long time been retired from Soccer. He transferred that "never, ever quit" goal to fatherhood, and his work. He soon will have his Doctorate in Child Psychology fighting Autism.

My station wagon washed away!

We lived on Holly Tree Drive, named for the lady with Holly Trees around her stone house. After 3 years we sold our trailer and bought a double wide trailer set up on a lot. It had aluminum siding, and a plywood shingle roof. We had bought a 1/2 acre lot to build our dream house around the corner from the double wide trailer. The guy building the double-wides on basements was our landlord of the trailer park.

He sold us the single wide trailer we spent 3 years in. He had a heart attack, and his children were left with the mess of settling his affairs. The local bank was hanging for the money, and no one to finish the houses. We went to the bank to buy the lot around the corner. 3 years in a single wide, we wanted a real house, not another trailer. I knew the double-wides sold for $37,900 when finished with a well & drain field with paved driveway.

We went to get a loan to build our dream home. Harry the head guy at the bank was near retirement age. I was 27, had a great work record, so did Mary. We had one daughter. We were interviewed by Harry. He said we must sell the 2 remaining double-wides. It needed to put a sewer pump near the house and a new drain field. The drain field needed to be way up in back yard about 12 feet higher than the back yard. The drain field was 6 feet behind the house. Not 100 feet from the well.

Out front the lane the cars parked in was dirt. No, mud! I told Mary it would be a lot of work. Harry said, what will you bid for the house. I told him,$15,000 not one penny more. Harry said he has a meeting tomorrow and he will ask the others if $15,000 is enough.

About 4:30 I got home and called the bank. The girl said Harry left, but he did not bring up our deal at the meeting. I told Mary they turned us down. We started working on the dream house we wanted, again. Two days later I came home,Mary said Harry called, we got the house for $15,000. Now the work started. Contracted plumber to move drain field. Mary cleaned inside house. Workers were finishing from where 2 halves fit together. The yard was not leveled, and there was no grass.

The basement was filled with lots of trash from setting the house. We made 2 trips to the dump. Got electric in our name when we made the settlement. It was in the bank's name before. Got the telephone hooked up. Put the single wide up for sale. The guy that sold us the single wide never recorded the deal. We had a lot of paperwork to do.  On a trailer it has a title like a car. If a double-wide is put on foundation, the electric meter can be put on the house. We sold the single wide, paid off the title, paid the last month of lot space and paid all the utilities. We finally had a home. Not our dream house. That would be 10 years later.

The reason I built the house we live in now so high is because the Holly Tree house was in a low spot, with several thousands of farm fields and developments higher than us. When it rained hard, we had to let the garage door in the basement about 4 inches high open. The cement floor in the basement was washed every time it rained.

Our now 2 1/2 year old daughter had only place to ride her tricycle. On the stoop at the back door. Mary stayed with her so she would not run off the concrete slab. A neighbor lady came over, saw Mary from her back yard. Two seconds of not watching, Laura ran off the concrete. Th ground was soft, thankfully!

My dad and mom got a newer rambler wagon. They gave their old rambler station wagon to Mary, her old car was shot. It was 15 years old, but in pretty good shape. She drove it about two years. The extra lane we parked in was always mud. there was an open drainage ditch in front of my yard. It went under my driveway.

One day it poured, and poured. My rambler wagon was in the mud parking place. When the heavens let loose I was at the store. I hurried home thinking the worst. My wagon was pushed two car lengths toward the lower part of the ditch and about two feet up in the neighbors bank of flowers. It was summer, the vents were open. The water flowed in and out the back floor. To get the last bit of water out I opened the plastic plugged holes in the front floor. It was like they made the car for floods.

We kept the wagon one more year. The under carriage was rusting, so we junked it. I got the plumber to bring some big stones to stop our mud pit parking space. I talked to other neighbors, all six wanted a piece of the action. We paid about $40.00 a piece. He scooped out the mud. spread the stone around. One more problem solved!?!

About two weeks after our band-aid was done it rained again. No wait, we were looking for NOAH!! It poured worse than when my car washed away. The township came with a tractor and put the stone back. The township manager stopped and asked for a meeting with us. I had a copy of the township blueprints for the housing development. Harry gave it to me at settlement.

The manager showed up, and one of my Mom's good friends, John Henry. He said this guy is used to getting his way. He will demand you pay the township to do the blacktop over the stone. I told John Henry I have the township plans, shows the pin in the middle of the road, and all township roads are 50 foot right of way. I showed John Henry the pin, held the tape measure, the stone line of 25 feet was 2 inches in my grass. John Henry said let him make a fool of himself again.

When the supervisor showed up I had the plans folded, held by my arm. He said the township does not pay for asphalt for a parking spot for homeowners. I showed him the plans, about the 25 foot right of way owned by township. He said that is nowhere near 25 feet, his face getting red. I told John Henry to hold the starting end of the tape on the pin. The supervisor made sure the tape end was on the pin. I took the rolled part of the tape holder slowly to the 25 foot mark, it was two inches on my grass.

He did not say a word, not look at either of us, slammed his truck door and roared off. When he turned the corner, John Henry and I both broke out in laughter. Years later I attended a township meeting, they oiled and stone chipped the road in front of our house. At my driveway the whole way up the road the chips were about 5 inches deep. Must have been not tight when they started, now everyone makes a mistake now and then, but always he is right. I just wanted to needle him again. John Henry smiled then too!

I am looking for pictures of Holly Tree road, when found I send. I put up a big farm mailbox with Tim just sticking his head out! Now he is a Doctor of Children with Autism. Also when we built this house I have a picture of Tim in the first layer of chimney pipe in the garage floor.