There's no place like home

 As we've learned from previous posts, Lou and Leona lived in a variety of dwellings while serving missions in Switzerland and Germany.  The opportunity to serve in Lawrence, Kansas provided another new housing experience.  

1900 W. 31st Street #I-8

28 August 1984 - We are now settled into life in the Gaslight Trailer Park in Lawrence, Kansas.  We rented a spot for a month for $105.  We put a skirt around the trailer and also had to anchor it down with big screws and metal strapping which goes over the top of the trailer, being anchored on each side.  We used only two straps, but they are necessary as there was a tornado here just a few years back which did a lot of damage.

The yard with the carport (behind the tree)

26 November 1984 (Leona)- The Thanksgiving dinner took place in the house next door to the Institute Building which the Church owns and is getting ready to renovate.  There was a nice dining table, but Lou couldn't get the heat to go on, so it was cold.  Once it sounded like somebody waling on a wooden floor, and Bryan said, "Oh, that's the ghost.  There's a ghost in this house."  I had heard someone say there were spirits in the house that had bothered the other missionaries, but I don't always believe what he says.  However -- I heard somebody walking on the wooden floor, and I made a mental note to never go in that house alone.  I'm sure glad we're living in our trailer.

 126 E. Indian Avenue, Lawrence, Kansas

28 January 1985 - The house at the Institute now has a new furnace and central air conditioning.  We are getting a contractor to make some repairs and then it will be repainted inside.  We have been told to order new carpet.  When it is done, we have the choice of moving in if we desire.  It has three bedrooms, two complete baths, living/dining room, kitchen, and fairly large basement with washer and dryer.  We can live in it for $150/month plus utilities, and they will not charge us for the summer when we are gone.

However, we like our trailer very much, and we like the privacy it gives us.  Living next to the Institute, we would be subject to much less privacy, and it would be a little more expensive.  We think that we could be of better service, however, and could make better connections with the ward and stake if we were in the house.  We have a little time yet to make that decision, so time will tell.

The following entry indicates that convenience won out over privacy and fear of ghosts!

Leona at the front door

 15 March 1985 - We are supposed to move in [to the house by the Institute] by the end of the month.  There will be several advantages to living next door, but some disadvantages, too.  I am sure that we can serve better, and maybe we can get a little more rest by being able to cover the Institute with just one of us part of the time.  We can also have more of our meals at home.

And this letter written a year after moving into the house just makes me laugh!

6 March 1986 (Leona)- Lou fixed the lights in our bathroom.  There was only one bulb, and since there was a place for four bulbs, I asked him to put some more bulbs in.  He put the bulbs in, and the lights went out.  Later I flushed the toilet, and the lights went on.  Yesterday I was trying to put on some make-up, and the lights kept flashing on and off, like a neon sign  I don't think I can get Lou a job as an electrician unless it's a place that specializes in novelty lighting.

"And my father dwelt in a tent . . ."

1 Nephi 3:27