08/30/2026
40 Years in Our East side Monarch Spacemaker 🏡
Forty years ago, we moved into our Monarch Spacemaker 2 story home on Berrydale Drive. We were only the second family to live in our home, and many of our neighbors are still the original homeowners.
Looking back, the prices of homes in those days seem so low compared with today. But there was another side to that story — our interest rate was 13½%, and I believe together we were earning about $50,000 a year.
We struggled, we saved, we did a lot of DIY, and we raised a family of five in this home. It wasn't always easy, but this little house became our home, our family's foundation, and the place where so many memories were made.
Over these 40 years, I've experienced many of the different stages of homeownership — from being a first-time homebuyer, to raising a family, to now living on a fixed income. Those experiences have given me a real appreciation for what it takes to maintain a home and how challenging homeownership can be at every stage of life.
And after 40 years, the house is starting to remind me that nothing lasts forever! 😄 But things were built to last!
Recently, a leak was discovered in the gas chamber of our original furnace. After four decades of service, it was time to replace it. I now have a new furnace — a big change from the original one we moved in with 40 years ago.
Next up: a new water heater.
Forty years later, I'm still saving, still maintaining, still learning — and still grateful to call Berrydale Drive home. ❤️🏡
Here's to 40 years of memories, family, neighbors, hard work and homeownership.
