moving to Montpelier

We lived in Montpelier, Idaho from December 1981 to December 1985. We moved into the last house on the left of a dead-end street, Crystal Drive (phone number 847-2311). We had a very roomy backyard (big enough to play kick-ball in) and a huge sandbox on the side. We arrived at the new house late at night, and when the neighbors came over to introduce their son (John Vermaas) to me, mom and dad had to get me out of bed. John and Brig Thomas (our next-door neighbor) would end up being the neighborhood kids I would hang out with most often, with Brig being my best friend for the four years we were there. Brig and John were both a grade ahead of me, even though we were roughly the same age.

I was 7 years old and in the middle of the first grade. I can't remember if we attended school before Christmas vacation or not. I know I felt like I had 20 instant friends on my first day there. I liked Idaho. The move to Modesto in 1985 would end up being a much more difficult transition.

That's how I remember it.