Lola's House

"Alford had always said, 'Mom, someday I will build you a home.'  Every year, summers I worked in the corn and the grapes.  I also worked in the dates a long time.  I had been saving every board they brought.  I pulled the nails out, stacked the boards, and straightened out the nails.  Everyone asked me--'What are you going to do?'  I said 'Build a home.'

Mr. young, a neighbor, came down to see Joe. He had to have some money.  He was trying to get it through the bank.  He said, 'If I can't get it, I'll sell you 7 1/2 acres of land."  He couldn't get the money so we bought the land.

Every minute I could I would be cleaning up the land.  There was a lot of bushes on it.  I cut and burned them,.  It was a busy time.  I was so happy to think at last I would get a home.

We got the pipe fixtures to put in the plumbing.  Jim had a trailer.  He and Violet came up and hauled gravel and sand.  We borrowed a water tank.  Violet would shovel sand and gravel into the mixer with the cement.  My how we worked.  Finally we got the slab poured.

I worked in the corn and grapes and in the fall the dates.  Every penny I made went into that house.  We really hurried as Alford would be in the service soon .  We had a well drilled on our place.  We put in a small pump for the house and a big pump for the irrigation.  Our house had a kitchen, living room, bath, two bedrooms, and a screen room in the back, 9 X 20 feet.  It was the most beautiful house I ever saw.  How I loved it.  To think at last I had a home.  I said, 'This is the last move I will ever make.  When I leave here it will be when God gets through with me.' "

Lola and Joe in front of their home