Memory Lane

Not really.

It's actually Temple Court and White Fir Court. I have been driving around Merced, loving the good memories I have. I remember our parents visiting Temple Court while we were waiting for the home to be built. I remember seeing a toilet without finished walls. Temple Court meant Lizzie Torres lived next door and I took my piggy bank outside after my mother had instructed me not to take it outside because there was the potential to drop it. And drop it, I did.

I also remember Uncle Kelly teaching me to ride a bike on Temple Court. He just let go and I had no idea he had let go, but I was riding! Then we would flip our bikes upside down so we could turn the pedals to churn out ice cream. It was any flavor, made to order. I also remember play pretend passing the sacrament as little girls. We pulled bread apart and used a basket to pass it around. Great house. Great floor plan. Great memories.

White Fir Court is shown by the street sign. I was too lazy to drive down the court in the motor home with my camera because I would have had to ten point turn out of the court. I did actually already drive by and saw a light on in the kitchen. Great house. Same position on the court as the Temple Court house. We are 'end of the court' kind of people. You get a pie shaped lot and you get the best use of your lot. Small front yard - great for whoever was in charge of mowing (me) and huge backyard that opened out and only got bigger. Intelligent use of space, in my own opinion. White Fir Court was awesome. I remember paper routes and falling asleep at the computer with Rachel Rowan staying up to finish class projects, cleaning dental offices, playing the baby grand piano and our new neighbors came over and said they could hear me and wanted to know would I teach their boys, backing up over my little neighbor's bike and mangling it because I was an impatient 16 year old who didn't check behind the Ford Econoline to see if anything was there, summer sleepovers where we tried to invite every young woman in the stake over and bring your favorite breakfast cereal, lunch snacks stored in the garage, Sunday desserts, a messy, messy, messy room where I could never fathom picking anything up because I just left it on the floor, Zones for chores in the house and we're really excited for Sunday when they rotate, Mom's ten year plan Poster where she filled in boxes of what could happen in our lives (driver's license, college, mission). What a great house.

I love Merced. It has been balm of Gilead to my soul to be here. People are so kind and generous and complimentary. It makes you feel like a good person. I could TOTALLY live here when I grow up.