The house that Dad built

The day after Father's Day we had time between appointments 

to take a slow drive past the house that my Dad built in 1953-54.

Walter Wilson, Dad's friend, instructed and helped with the construction. Up to that point Dad had no experience with building materials but he knew how to handle tools and follow directions. The house was "a dream come true" for my parents. It featured a "picture" window and piano windows (we never could afford a piano) in the living room. The walls were plaster so nails were not allowed to be hammered into the walls. The living room floor was hardwood and an ironing board was built into the kitchen wall. It was a two bedroom bungalow with a large backyard that eventually housed a carport that is still standing. Potatoes were planted in the front yard to nourish the soil (as someone had advised) before planting grass seed.

The basement was eventually developed to include a bedroom for me when my siblings arrived and briefly provided a home for my Dad's father. Later the basement became home for my mother's parents when my grandmother was ill. When she passed away my grandfather stayed in residence until the house was sold.

My parents sold the house in 1970 and moved out to Richmond. To my knowledge those buyers still occupy the house 49 years later.