In 1982 when Sammy and I moved from Okla. City to Claremore, my heart had not quit being a primary school teacher. I left teaching first/second grade to teaching the reading lab in a junior high school.

I carried a LOT of primary materials with me. Roger moved in with us after only a couple months, so he got the job of removing one of the upstairs walls so I could have my school room. I thought I might tutor little ones or something. A lot of needless work because I was slow coping and didn’t realize the Lord had a purpose for me beyond teaching elementary grades.

I taught five years at the Junior High but I never really became a junior high teacher in my own mind. I think mostly because I was in the reading lab. I had a different class each period of the day. Taught each student an individually planned curriculum. Not much bonding takes place like that – at least, not like a first graders for six hours a day!

We went there because of Sammy’s job. He was a nursing instructor at the College there. That didn’t pan out too great either because he was caught in a downsizing after a couple of years. I don’t really know why we made the “detour through Egypt” but it was rewarding in church and friends. And I learned a lot about the Lord’s care.

Back to the house and the excitement of being on the Old Homes Tour. That was fun. The home of one of the State Senators was also on the Tour, so we got to tour it. I guess we went on a different night or after hours, I don’t remember. Of course we had to be home when our guests came.

The house was built to last! The wood was so hard it would almost bounce the hammer back at you. The inside walls were plastered. In 1907 it was built with a two towers and two turrets. How in the world? Only the two covered entries with columns and four steps were on it when we lived there.

Online info says the house was built in 1950. There was an addition to the back of the house and a patio of sorts then a garage and apartment built out to the side. I guess all that was added in 1950. We bought it in ’82 I think.

As I said it seemed like we took a detour through Egypt (referring to the Hebrews in the Wilderness) but we had great friends and I learned to love the small town. You could run down town and buy groceries, browse an antique store, buy a driver’s license, see a friend, eat at Egberts, go by the library on the way home. That was a joy. A lot like life here in Mustang.