30 years ago today....April 23, 1987

30 years ago Robert and I bought our first home on April 23, 1987. We had been saving for 5 years. I was 26 and Robert was 28. I felt we were getting quite old. The house was $110,000 and that was the highest we could afford.

 This was the year after Expo '86 and properties were starting to increase in value. When a home came for sale, there were "bidding wars". Many offers were put in at one time. We offered $1,000 more, as our real estate agent suggested, and our offer was accepted, plus appliances, as a young pastor owned the house, and he liked us when he found out Robert was an assistant pastor/preacher at the local church nearby.

 We were THRILLED to be home owners! The house was built in 1949 and we thought it was ancient! It needed a lot of work inside, so after living here for 7 years we moved a few blocks away to our present location, to a house which was only 3 years old.
 

In 2003 the dear old house was torn down, and this is the current value of the property. (taken from the BC Assessment website)

 By Loretta Houben

Happy 28th birthday, dear Matthew!

28 years ago today I became a mother. We only had one child; our son Matthew. We wanted more, but it wasn't to be. Some things you just have to accept. I'm not sure where the years have gone. I tried to enjoy them all. We've had so many fun times together. 

Matthew was such a placid happy baby. At 2 months he learned how to sleep through the night, and he never bawled his eyes out for no reason. We seemed to understand each other perfectly from the first week. 

The hardest thing was I had an emergency C section as Matthew turned out to be in the breech position, and no one knew it to the last moment. But thankfully the doctors and nurses saved us both, and we've enjoyed the past 28 years of life!

 Matthew was so cute. 

He just became more cute over the years!

These are the only photos I have of his first day of life, as we had a film camera. We didn't get our first digital camera until 12 years later, in 2001.

 This is Matthew's hospital photo. I wonder if they still have those? I have so many sweet and precious memories.

I'm thankful God blessed us with at least one son!

By Loretta Houben

Another Renfrew/Collingwood newspaper article published.

I had another newspaper article published in the Renfrew Collingwood Community newspaper.

I've written many articles for them and I really enjoy it. I find that the shortness of articles and limited word count, plus the pressure of a monthly deadline, works very well for me. Maybe I should write my novels like this; maybe each chapter should be looked upon as a newspaper article!

Please click on the link above to read it on page 11.

Sometimes over the years the link will no longer work, which is why I "snipped" the article to the best of my ability and included it here.

By Loretta Williams Houben

Expo '86: World in Motion....30 years ago today!

May 2, 1986

30 years ago today, Expo '86 opened and Vancouver has never been the same. It seems so long ago, and I was only 25 years old, the age of Paul Partington. The photo above was taken on Oct 7 but it's my favourite of myself. In those olden days I had a camera which held 24 or 36 print film. It cost $5.99 or $7.99 to buy the film, (I usually used Kodak) and it cost $20 to develop a roll! That was nearly $30 for 24 photos! It's hard to imagine, so of course I rarely took photos. That's why the few I have of Expo are so precious.

 This is a shot from Main Street Skytrain terminal. What a change in the city since then! There's now a row of ugly looking apartment condos where the entrance once was. 

 This is the Roundhouse where Engine 374 was located. Robert and I purchased a brick with our names on it for $19.86 to help restore the engine. At Expo we were disappointed to discover the bricks weren't ready for viewing, but fortunately the brick with our names survived and is now inside the building beside the engine. I blogged about it HERE.

 The many bright colours of Expo! Each area had a coloured zone, with matching buildings and even matching flowers. It was a delight for the eyes and the senses. I was one of little faith and thought it would all be exceedingly boring, and while Expo was being built, I had no idea or understanding what it was about, having never attended a world's fair. I had a chance to purchase a full 6 month pass for $100 but turned it down and bought two books of 3 day passes. I regretted it deeply. 

 Expo was glorious! My favouite memories were the sights, sounds and vibrant colour of the place itself, the things to do and see, the souveniers, the delicious food, and best of all, the tourists who spoke every language under the sun. I used to listen and watch while riding the Skytrain, which was another wonderful legacy of Expo. How we loved it!

The downside of all this glory was that the world discovered us, especially China, and a lot of money exchanged hands and suddenly Vancouver is a place where ordinary Vancouverites can no longer afford to live. A 400 square foot apartment downtown costs $2,400 to rent, and an ordinary 1,600 square foot home on a small lot is worth $1,250,000!!!!

Our heads are still reeling from the after affects of Expo, but 30 years ago, we were having a blast, while "something was happening here"!

By Loretta Williams Houben

35 years ago...our very first date.

March 7, 1981 (how very ancient that looks) Robert finally took me on a date.

It wasn't his idea though. 

Jake and Effie Fiddick, who attended our church, decided to invite us both over for dinner.

They called me on the phone and gave me the invitation.

I thought it was weird that they spoke to me.

Well, Effie did. I asked if she meant my whole family to come, as she was unclear, and she said, oh no...just you.

So I asked how I was to get to their house on Greta Street, and she said "Robert will pick you up, if that's OK with you."

And that's the beginning, or rather, continuation of the story, as back in December 1980 when my cousin, Judy Brutka, came up for a visit, she prompted me to invite Robert over for tea after evening service at church. She even said if I'd do it, she would come to church.

Oh the memories....those happy golden years!

The above photo was taken in July 1981 at Portland OR campmeeting.

By Loretta Houben

30 years ago...our new IBM PC!

30 years ago!!!!!!

I find it incredibly difficult to believe that we've had a personal computer for 30 years! I remember this one: we were so proud of it. It only had GREEN FONT on a black screen. No colour, no photos, no video and the WWW was unheard of although Robert did try to explain to me that it was coming in the future. At least, he told me about it in the early 1990's and said that by 1994 I would be able to read newspapers and books online, and also to see in COLOUR. I didn't believe him. He also mentioned that sometime within the next decade a person would be able to buy and sell online. I didn't believe him. And I remember seeing blurred and slow moving video clips at a conference in the early 1990's. I never thought I'd live to see the day of YouTube, eBay, Facebook, let alone seeing it all on smart phones. We have certainly evolved!
PS: we also were the proud owners of a Dot Matrix Printer.

By Loretta Houben

Flashback to 1981!

Robert and I, recently engaged, Christmas 1981.

Somehow it just doesn't seem possible that this was 30 years ago.

Of course, we were a lot younger looking and much thinner!

We were so happy and in love.

This picture was taken by my parent's pretty tree, in the home on Monmouth Ave.

I had made the skirt and blouse to wear for the church Christmas contata the previous year, which had been combined with the Seattle branch church.

Underneath the mistletoe, Christmas Eve 1981.

I gave Robert the burgundy velour top; they were very much in style that year.

I also gave him a dark blue one, and a pair of grey pants.

He gave me a beautiful wooden jewellery box, lined with velvet.

I still have it, but Robert's clothes are long gone!

30 years ago today...

Robert and I, November 1981

(notice the grand 1980's fashion style and home decor)

Looking at these photos brings back the feeling of intense happiness I felt when Robert asked me to be his wife. The 1980's were the happiest times of my life.

It was 30 years ago tonight that Robert proposed to me in Queen Elizabeth Park near the rose gardens.

It was a bitterly cold Sunday night after church. He had asked me out, all by myself, without the usual group of young people. I was thrilled as Robert usually loved a crowd about, while I wished to be a little romantic once in a while!

We got into his little blue Volkswagen and drove down Kingsway to Top's Restaurant. We parked in the front but before I could open the door, Robert said, "I'm not very hungry. Would you like to go for a drive instead?" I was surprised because Robert always liked a snack after church! But I didn't mind a drive either, so I said sure. We wound up at the park, and parked in the dark near the rose gardens.

Robert chatted for a while and then he said he wanted to marry me. I was surprised for the second time that night. I couldn't believe it. We had been dating for 8 months and I thought he'd never ask. I said I'd like to marry him too! He then brought up the subject of no job, but that didn't concern me in the least. I told him I already had a date picked out; April 3, 1982.

Looking back I was quite naive, but also full of faith that everything would work out according to God's plan. Robert found full time work at the end of January 1982, and by that time I'd already bought my dress and made most of the wedding plans!
By Loretta Houben

Our 29th anniversary!

The happy couple, 29 years ago.

It doesn't really seem possible. Truthfully it doesn't feel like 29 years!

I guess age is all in your head.

The nervous bride with her equally nervous father.

It felt like a hazy dream.

I really liked my wedding bouquet and my dress, which had to be downsized 3 or 4 sizes in order to fit me!

I wish I had done my hair differently, but this was the 1980's when we really didn't overdo anything.

I had wanted to get married in a field wearing gingham, so I guess this was quite fashionable for me!

The bride's family.

Marie, Marlene, Leona, myself and Robert, my Mom, Susie, and my Dad, Jack.

Parents of the bride and groom:

Tony and Ruth Houben on the left, Jack and Susie Williams on the right.

Saying our wedding vows. I quoted part of the book of Ruth, and I nearly forgot my lines.

I was so nervous. I never was into big crowds, and the church was packed.

However, we're still married 29 years later and that's all that counts.

Memory Monday...30 years ago

30 years ago on March 7, 1981, Robert picked me up in the evening and we went on our first date. This was a Saturday. I think I've posted here that my cousin Judy Brutka had dared me in December 1980 to invite Robert over for tea after a church service; she said she'd come to church if I would do that. She liked Robert! He came, and played his guitar and we had a fun visit, but while I waited for him to invite me out in return, he never did.

Our friends, Jake & Effie Fiddick, had to help us out by inviting us over for a delicious spaghetti and meatball dinner at their home, along with another young couple from church. (John & Rochelle) The dinner was served by the Fiddick's young daughter, Terri. It was enjoyable. Around 8 pm, the other young couple left, and Jake asked Robert if he had any plans for the evening, to which Robert replied "No", and my heart sank. Jake announced he was taking his other kids to a 3D kid's cinema, and asked if we'd like to come along. I didn't think it was in the least romantic, but I sure didn't want to go home at 8:00, so we said yes.

This was the very first time I'd gone to a movie theatre, as my parents never took us there, because the church they attended had labeled it "sinful". That sounds strange put down like that, but it's the truth. Plus my parents never had extra money for movies.

Anyhow, according to my diary, we watched "Creature from the deep" but I think it was actually called "Creature from Black Lagoon". I wasn't impressed. There were people SMOKING right behind us, and Robert began to sneeze and cough. After the movie ended, Jake and kids left, and we tried out the double feature, but couldn't do it as Robert's sneezing got worse. So we left and went for a walk, and then went to Bino's restaurant, right beside the theatre. Never having gone out much at night, I didn't realize that this building was on Commercial Drive, only one block from my dentist's office! It's long gone, but today when I went past in the Skytrain, I took a picture:

The building is still there, but we've never tried out St. Augustine's. Maybe we should go back for a visit? Yesterday we went to Top's Restaurant on Kingsway and had a spaghetti and lasagna lunch for old time's sake. We often went to Top's after church, as it was nearby. We've always believed in supporting our community! And we still love to go out on dates.