Hi all!
As you know, it has been some time since the last update almost a year ago. Lots has happened and considering our age, we are SLOW! We moved out to Chugiak from Anchorage. The “guys” packed a lot of our stuff, then moved our stuff so quickly, we looked like snails sleeping in the sun. It’s only about 20 miles, between the two places, BUT a lot of work for two oldies.
We are now living on the original land my Mom and Dad purchased sometime in 1953, after we moved to Alaska. I lived here until I was approximately eight years old.
In 1958 Mom and Dad purchased more land only a mile away (this land was much better for Dad’s gardening) and built a new home that we moved into the day before Thanksgiving 1958. At that time the house was only a shell with a center stud wall fireplace on one end and plastic covered window openings. Quite exciting times for me as I just turned eight in August. But we best get back to the move.
Sometime around 1962, Harry my older brother and his wife, Madeline moved back to Alaska and took over the old place from Mom and Dad. They built the house Joy and I moved into; the very spot where the old cabin, my first Alaskan home, sat so many years ago.
They lived and raised their sons Harry Jr. and Dean then about 1980.
Standing in front of the house, late 60s.
Then they purchased a farm in Dalhart, TX, to live Harry’s dream of farming again.
In December of 1992 I was down visiting for Christmas and they talked me into moving down and helping with the farm.
This picture is from 2002.
I did live there, and help, for almost ten years. When Harry and Madeline sold the farm and retired, I helped build their new home in Dalhart, about seven miles from the farm site.
I then moved back to my home in Chugiak. I started look for a nice size plot of land (5 / 10 acres) a little further out of town where I could snow-machine from my front door again. I decided Eureka was perfect as it is about 100 miles from Anchorage, easy drive for supplies.
I was only there a few weeks when I met my Joy. After a short time, I moved down to Anchorage to be with Joy.
We had plans of building a bigger cabin in Eureka and moving there. But, when you’re older things don’t always work out as planned. But we still have and enjoy the little cabin with our five pups and Joy’s sons, Norm and Matt (I claim them too!).
This was taken in the morning 12/29/04 the year before we met. I was living in Chugiak waiting for house to sell.
Ok, back to Chugiak. Harry and Madeline had been coming up to Alaska most every summer and living in their little camp trailer on the property.
Taken 11/10/2012
The house had been turned into a rental after they had gone to Dalhart and farming. In the summer of 2014, it became vacant when they arrived. Madeline talked Harry into cleaning it up and moving in and staying the winter to have one last Christmas in the old home she loved so, and being with her granddaughters and extended family.
Sadly, that didn’t come to pass, as we lost Madeline in late October. Harry decided to go ahead and have the Christmas she wanted so badly, in her honor.
They had been planning to sell, but Harry decided it should stay in the family, and ask if Joy and I would take it over. And that’s how we came to move.
To Be Continued.
See you a little further up the creek!
Larry and Joy
This is a great story! I had no idea!
How is Uncle Harry doing? I think of him often, and Aunt Madeline too. I can see her and my mom up in heaven, sharing coffee and laughter and watching all of us.
Do you still have their little camper?
Hi Tina,
Harry’s doing well considering! He pulled the little camper back down to Texas when he left and used it along-the-way. And believe it or not he is planning on driving back up next summer with it, if he’s feeling good enough.