by Donna Swagerty Shreve
I had seven days to pull off a miracle. We had outgrown our two bedroom, one bath 1200 square foot house now that we had two sons. We were also not living in a neighborhood I wanted for my sons. I knew where I wanted to move. Could I pull it off?
My mother and sister knew what model and neighborhood I wanted. They found it for me. I called my realtor and told her to make an offer and put our present house on the market. In four days I had sold my home and my offer was accepted on a house where I had never seen the inside.
The new neighborhood was similar to how I grew up. I wanted this for my boys. It was 1978 in North Stockton. There was soon to be built neighborhood school, park, picnic area, tennis courts, and pool. Aaron, my oldest, was 3 1/2 and Brad had just turned 1. John and I were 32. We had just short of 28 years ahead of us in this house.
We now had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, family room, kitchen, dining room, and a more formal living room. We now had room to spread out. Our bare backyard was quickly a magnet for the neighborhood kids because it was dirt without formal flower borders, lawn, garden, and hot tub that came later.
The neighborhood school was built in time for Aaron to attend first through third grade. He was then bussed to a magnet school from third grade on. Brad got to have the advantage of Kindergarten through second grade a few blocks away. I even taught several years at that local school.
One year Brad was attending Snell’s nursery school and it was located next to our neighborhood. Aaron was in second grade at the local school. I attached a two seat trailer behind my bike and would pick up Brad at nursery school and then pedal to the babysitter for Aaron. I must have been quite a sight for a few years but I saved a lot of short trips with our car.
Gradually, as we could afford it, I stared redoing the inside of our home. The previous owners had bought the house brand new and only lived in it sixteen months before being transferred. They ordered all of the up grades possible and we were the beneficiaries.
However, I could hardly wait for the brown shag carpet to wear out so I could replace it. The cats finally forced me to remove the golden grass cloth wallpaper in the family room. It had become a fun scratching wall.
The back yard needed to be done and my father, who was retired, volunteered to help. First I had to remove the back sidewalk. The previous owners had placed the side walk right next to the back of the house. First of all, the sidewalk was in the only shade and second, no one can really walk on a sidewalk that is that close to a wall.
I got a sledge hammer and gleefully broke up the cement. Once it was removed, Dad helped me dig posts holes to fill with gravel for drainage. I wanted to plant Camillas. As we were digging and lugging, Dad thought he pulled a hernia. He went to the doctor for a physical and that was when it was discovered he had prostate cancer. The treatment started immediately.
The next step for the backyard was bringing Manteca loam in for good top soil. We had adobe which was not the best for growing a lush lawn or a garden. John and Dad each had a wheelbarrow that they used to get rid of the adobe and replace with Manteca loam. Dad complained that his strength was gone. Meanwhile John was doing all he could to keep up.
Flower border was installed along with a lawn. Two trees were planted. One was a mulberry tree that I wanted for its leaves. I was raising silk worms in my classroom and they ate mulberry leaves. Our dog Daisy made short work of the young mulberry tree. It was replaced with an apricot tree and at the other end was a peach tree. For several years the family got fruit pies and fruit roll ups.
Out front Dad and Mom gave me four citrus trees for my birthday. They were along the border with our neighbor. Dad planted them for me and I am pleased to say three of them still remain twenty years later. For awhile we had an early variety of an orange tree in the corner of our back yard. The boys would pick oranges Christmas morning and we had mimosas for Christmas breakfast.
The boys got to decorate their bedrooms. Brad was straight forward with his choice with out any objection from me. Aaron wanted big patterned Star Wars wall paper. Dad helped us compromise with one wall of Aaron’s choice and the wall that could be seen from the hallway in a more conservative muted stripes.
For several years that house housed Brain and Mary Lou’s growing family for annual Thanksgiving. The criteria for the bedrooms changed as our needs varied. At first the oldest got the three bedrooms. Then couples with kids got the room with a door. After Thanksgiving at Mom’s we played games and exchanged Christmas presents early.
After Dad died Mom lived in a condo and remarried. When her health started failing it became time to move her to adult living. The boys were gone and we needed to sell our well worn home of 27 years. We were fortunate to sell just before the market crashed. Fortunately we found a buyer who was willing to buy the house as is.
One year later they had to foreclose.
The next owners were an older couple. First the wife died and the man remarried a younger woman. He then died and the woman was left without enough resources to keep up expenses. She resorted to inviting several friends who were willing to sell their services to various gentlemen customers. The neighbors were horrified. Electricity was turned off and someone helped the residents rewire around the meter. Finally there was a sheriff eviction.
Luckily the next few buyers gave the house much needed repairs. I doubt if there is any remnant left from our occupation but the fond memories. The house served us well and I am so glad it finally is now appreciated by responsible owners.
1099 words
10/23/2026
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