DEB AND I PLANNED TO MOVE FROM BOSTON TO UPSTATE NY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007 TO LIVE

ON HER PARENTS'  PROPERTY - TO BE CLOSE TO THEM AND PROVIDE SUPPORT AND

ASSISTANCE  AS NEEDED AT THIS TIME IN THEIR LIVES. IT WAS A DECISION WE MADE

TOGETHER.   MEANWHILE BACK IN EARLY JULY 2007 DEB ASKED ME IF I WOULD CONSIDER

GOING TO VIRGINIA FOR A COUPLE WEEKS VACATION TO HELP A LIFETIME FRIEND AND HER

FAMILY BUILD AN ADDITION ON THEIR HOUSE. I  WAS IN TRANSITION AT THE TIME.   WE HAD

ALREADY SOLD OUR HOUSE AND WERE LIVING WITH FRIENDS FOR THE SUMMER WHILE

WRAPPING UP OUR WORK LIFE IN BOSTON SO I SAID I WOULD GO.  WE PACKED UP MY TRUCK

AND TENT TRAILER AND HEADED SOUTH.  WHEN I ARRIVED ALL THE LUMBER WAS PILED UP

ON THE GROUND AND I ASKED WHERE THE FRAMING CREW WAS.  DEB TOLD ME TO TURN

AROUND AND LOOK AT HER FRIENDS:  A MOM, DAD  AND THEIR THREE KIDS -  TEENAGE TWINS

(A BOY AND A GIRL IN THEIR LAST SUMMER BEFORE HIGH SCHOOL) AND A YOUNGER BROTHER

IN LATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL..  (THEIR ONLY NEIGHBORS - BOTH SCHOOLTEACHERS - WERE

ALSO ON HAND,  READY TO KICK IN WHENEVER THEY COULD).   I ASKED DEB WHAT SHE

THOUGHT AND SHE SAID IT WAS COMPLETELY UP TO ME.  I FELT THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE

  POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMING MOMENTS WHEN YOU DECIDE  TO EITHER TURN TAIL AND RUN

THE OTHER WAY OR MAKE A SERIOUS COMMITMENT  TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NO SECOND

THOUGHTS.  I KNEW I WOULD NOT BE GOING BACK TO BOSTON IN TWO WEEKS!

THAT FIRST DAY I SAID TO MYSELF,  JUST SUCK IT UP JOHNNY.   THIS IS A TIME IN YOUR LIFE

WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.. THE FAMILY WAS READY AND

WILLING TO JUMP RIGHT IN AND FOLLOW MY LEAD - NO MATTER WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET

THIS PROJECT OFF THE GROUND, BOARD BY BOARD! .  THE NEXT DAY DEB AND I WOKE UP

INSIDE MY CAMPER, GOT DRESSED AND WENT OUTSIDE.   THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS UP AND

READY TO GO - JUST WATCHING AND WAITING FOR ME TO TELL THEM WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO

FIRST. . THEY HAD PURCHASED AN 1836 FARM HOUSE SOUTH OF CHARLOTTESVILLE IN NEED

OF COMPLETE RESTORATION.  TO THE SOUTH IT OVERLOOKED GREEN PASTURES AND

WOODLANDS ROLLING DOWN INTO A VALLEY TOWARD THE JAMES RIVER.  THE BLUE RIDGE

MOUNTAINS SPREAD OUT IN THE DISTANCE ON THE NORTH  - NOT A BAD WORK SITE!   AND, 

DOWN ONE WINDING HILL, AROUND A FEW CORNERS, AND UP THE NEXT MOUNTAIN,  WAS THE

HOME OF THE ORIGINAL WALTON'S - THE FAMILY WHICH INSPIRED THE TV SHOW "THE

WALTONS". UNBELIEVABLY, THE HELPING NEIGHBOR/TEACHER WAS A RELATIVE! 

MAYBE ONE DAY SOON WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE REAL STORY OF THE WALTONS AND HAVE

THE CURRENT GENERATIONS TELL IT ON LEGACY STORIES!

BACK TO THE PROJECT AT HAND!  AN ADDITION TO THE ORIGINAL FARMHOUSE WAS NEEDED

FOR THE FAMILY TO LIVE COMFORTABLY. .I WAS HONORED AND HUMBLED EVERY DAY TO

EXPERIENCE THIS AMAZING FEELING OF A FAMILY WHO TRUSTED ME TO TEACH THEM HOW TO

USE THE TOOLS - WHO WORKED CHEERFULLY AND TIRELESSLY WITH THEIR OWN HANDS AND

HEARTS TO MAKE THEIR DREAM COME TRUE, TO CREATE A PLACE THEY COULD FINALLY AND

JOYFULLY CALL HOME..

THEY ALL WERE EAGER TO PUT UP THAT FIRST WALL THOUGH  NEVER HAVING DONE

ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. THE DAD HAD PURCHASED ALL THE HOMEBUILDERS BOOKS

AND HAD BEEN READING THEM  FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE WE GOT THERE. HE HAD SOAKED

UP THE KNOWLEDGE AND WAS READY TO PUT IT INTO PRACTICE WITH HIS FAMILY,

NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS SURROUNDING, ENCOURAGING, DIRECTING, AND ASSISTING.  IT

TOOK UNBELIEVABLE LOVE, PATIENCE,  COURAGE, HUMOR AND A TREMENDOUS OUTPOURING

OF HUMAN SPIRIT TO TAKE THIS ADVENTURE FROM THE GROUND UP. 

MY VIDEO STORY PROJECT  WILL BE CONTINUED FOR VIEWING IN MY STORIES UNDER "MT

ALTO".  THE PICTURES WERE TAKEN THE FAMILY..  ACCOMPANYING SONGS WERE SELECTED

AND PUT TOGETHER BY THE DAD!   TO CONTINUE NOW, PRESS THE FOLLOWING LINK.  IF NOT

ALREADY A MEMBER, YOU CAN REGISTER FOR FREE... AND BEGIN TO PRESERVE YOUR OWN

LEGACY IN PICTURES, STORIES, AND VIDEOS!  ONCE LOGGED IN, JUST CHOOSE "VIEW

STORIES" TO CONTINUE THE MT ALTO JOURNEY OR  CLICK ON "MY PROFILE", ADD A FAVORITE

PICTURE TO YOUR OWN NEW PROFILE, WRITE A FEW WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT, THEN START

TELLING YOUR OWN FAMILY STORIES, COLLECTING FAVORITE PICTURES, AND PASS THEM ON

TO LOVED ONES.

https://www.legacystories.org/storyboard?view=entry&id=2252&wiz_id=593

(CLICK BOTTOM RIGHT OF VIDEO TO VIEW FULL SCREEN, BOTTOM LEFT TO PAUSE OR STOP)