Casa Grande

Well, well. We've finally done it! We sold our beautiful Los Angeles home and bought an equally beautiful home in Lancaster, CA! It has been something that has been on our minds for the past few years. We realized we aren't getting any younger and the house wasn't going to get any smaller. 6,000 sq ft of house is more than most people ever dream of having, and we had it - in spades! Our home has not just been the place where we lived. It has been home to many, many friends and family, the site of family reunions, weddings, receptions and various other large gatherings. Our children and grandchildren have lived here and grown up here. It is not just another building, but a sacred edifice and a very worthy one at that.

The family who built this house has been with us in spirit since before we closed escrow. Today I finally received the last of the temple cards for the ordinances that were performed for them this past two years. I kept my promise to Marcelin Eyraud.

It is with sadness we bid adieu to the walls and timbers that hold it all together. This house was built in 1908 by Marcelin Eyraud, and the architect was Rudolf Krempel, a very famous German architect who came to Los Angeles in the late 1800's to make his fame and fortune - which he did. In the 1990's we petitioned the City of Los Angeles to make it an historical landmark, which they did, and it became Historial Landmark #626. Now all the surrounding streets here in Country Club Park have been designated as an HPOZ. Translated, that means it sits within a "Historical Property Overlay Zone". This makes the owners of the property able to obtain 1/2 off their property taxes and to obtain larger loans from the state of California to preserve and maintain the edifice. We will not realize any of these benefits, but the new owners will. I am happy for them. This also makes this house automatically worth far more money than in surrounding neighborhoods.

We were able to sell our home at a phenomenal price, allowing us to pay cash for our new home in Lancaster. For that we are thankful to God.

As we entered retirement we knew we would have new challenges to face, so now we down-size and prepare to have a well-maintained home without all the very hard work this property has required of us. Our new home has 2500 sq ft of living space and we are able to have an entire wing of it dedicated to Kirk. He will have his own room and bathroom.

Our new home requires some cosmetic rehab, but nothing difficult. It's needs new paint throughout, new flooring and carpeting, and we will be putting a spa in the back yard as well. All these things will be for our comfort and ease. I can't tell you how happy I am about all that

Let our new lives begin!!