Life in Phoenix, 1956-57

We first lived in a little house, that was one of about five in a row, in an orange grove. The grove was on the front of the house and a driveway was in back of the houses with clotheslines on the side. Our little washer was outside on the back of the house by the door. It had two bedrooms with a large closet, reached by both rooms. Sylvia was a little pack rat and whenever the comb or another item was missing, it could be found on the floor of the closet. Some of the odd jobs Leon did to earn money was to play in the Phoenix symphony, wash dishes at a Mexican restaurant in the evenings, and or worked at a dog kennel. Some of these jobs were summer type, others during the school year.
I was expecting again and went to Dr. Ben Allen in Mesa. He had been one of my father’s missionaries in Argentina. A very caring person. If the doctor’s bill was paid before the baby was due, it was only $100.00! The hospital bill was comparable. His hospital was just a little clinic, later a nice hospital was built where others of our children were born. Patricia Ann was born on December 1, 1956. I had gone for my checkup that morning and the doctor told me I would have the baby before the next week. That afternoon my pains started. I had washed my hair and it was put up in curlers so that’s how I looked when she was born. She was 9 lbs. 4 oz and it was at 6:30 p.m. when she made her appearance. This experience was much better than in an army hospital. Leon’s parents came to help out with Sylvia and David. We now had three under the age of three all in diapers; Sylvia didn’t turn three until the end of January.
We next moved into an little old house on a large lot that had a horse pasture next to it. This had one bedroom and a large living/bedroom combined. The little bedroom had a door that opened onto the front porch but had no key. We put the baby’s bed in front of that door. The side door opened onto the living/bedroom. It had a large swamp cooler that blew air into the bedroom and the other large room.
Once, when Gina was having problems with her teeth, she came with her two little ones and stayed with us. She loved being on Sylvia’s bed where the cool air blew right on her. We enjoyed doing things with Keith and Gina and visited frequently with them. Their daughters Debbie and Melanie were exactly nine months older and nine months younger than Sylvia.
The pasture next to our lot was rented out to a boy for his horse. He took care of it. One Sunday morning, when Leon was at Priesthood meeting, the horse got loose. I took off after him with a rope, dressed in my robe and hair in curlers. I must have been a sight but I caught him and brought him back to the pasture.
I have a cherished memory of little David. Once I looked out of the window and saw him in the pasture looking up at the horse and the horse was looking down at him. It was a darling picture and I wish I had captured it on film. He was either 18 months or close to being two.
Some more memories of that house. Once, I caught Sylvia about to touch a scorpion on the rug inside the house. I quickly pulled her away and killed it. Another time, Sylvia and David decided to put "gasoline" in the car and put water in the gas tank. A scary memory happened one night when I had forgotten to lock the side door. Our bed was across the room. I heard someone outside the door and then saw the door handle start to turn. I sat up in bed and the noise must have scared the person away. That was very frightening.
I suffered a miscarriage while living at the little house; the only one I’ve had. It was on Valentine’s day and the person who prepped me painted a heart on me with something red. It was different being in the hospital with no baby.
I was the Primary chorister in our ward in Scotsdale. I was lucky with the accompanist because she could play by ear besides read notes. I made rhythm instruments and the kids played to the theme of the Adams Family, plus others.