The search for Home

 After hanging out together for three years Celia and I decided to get married and the date was set for October 7, 2000.   The big question was where were we going to live?   Her house in Cottage Grove and my house in Eugene were out of the question since both were too small.   We both had our criteria in what we wanted in a house.   Celia visualized a white picket fence, roses growing over the front door and the basic amenities to make life comfortable.  A few things men do not give much thought to.  I was more interested in a garage or outbuilding where I could work on my power equipment, have all my tools and do what men have to do, basically things women do not understand.   We both had common ground in wanting some space for a garden.

Our search went as far south as Douglas County, as far west as Veneta and north to Harrisburg and Junction City in Lane County.  Some houses looked good, but no garage, others were in need of some repairs, some too expensive and a few in bad locations.  We even looked around Eugene and Cottage Grove, but nothing met our criteria.  Then we made a trip to Wallowa County in the northeast corner of Oregon.  This is beautiful country with the Wallowa Mountains, valleys and Hell’s Canyon.  We stayed in the town of Joseph for three days looking at houses in the area, including a trip to Imnaha on the edge of the Hell’s Canyon with a population of 50.   The down side to living here was the long cold winters, a short growing season and the thought that our children would never come visit us.   At this point I was getting discouraged, but Celia kept looking.   One night she called me about a house she saw on the west side of Cottage Grove.   She wanted to make an appointment to look at it and wanted me to come along.  I reluctantly agreed.    The house had an attached garage, had been remodeled, in a quiet part of town, reasonably priced and the best part it had a work shop in the back yard along with with enough space for a garden.  As we departed the house I noticed a mail slot by the front door and thought how convenient.    We started walking toward the car and I turned to Celia and said, “let’s buy it”.  She was stunned!