Finally, we visited another long time friend, Rene, and her husband, Steve. We enjoyed a noontime beer and some of Steve’s fresh smoked salmon that he caught in Alaska. Yum! They live out high above the confluence of the Little Spokane and Spokane River in a beautiful home. I have known Rene since I was building my house in 1975 on a primitive road up in the foothills of Mt. Godfrey, down river from Steve and Rene’s.
I wanted Penny to see the house; I have described it many times, but seeing is believing. The road up to the property is not maintained by the county; it is rough, only wide enough for one vehicle at a time. But the 20 acres I bought was magical, still worth the drive. It had two strong springs with a sub irrigated meadow where I planted my garden. The 28’ x 28’ house was a modified A-frame having a 14’ x 28’ loft. The front picture window was literally that, giving splendid sunsets throughout the seasons. The house was still standing! And, it looked quite homey with a new metal roof, entry porch and cedar siding. Unfortunately, no one was home so we did not get to see inside.
That was an emotional moment. I hadn’t thought much of those days lately, but being there unleashed all sorts of memories of the building process, the friends and neighbors, the chutzspa I possessed to build something that complex on a shoe string budget while living in our ’56 Chevy school bus, raising our 1 year old son. We had left Rockford, Illinois when he was 5 months old and travelled to the state of Washington where I picked fruit in the fall of ’74. We then went down the west coast to LA, then east to eastern Oklahoma and all the way back to Spokane via Salt Lake City the following spring when we found this property and started construction. Crazy! But the house is still standing and it is someone’s home!
Penny was impressed! (Finally!)
