E-MAIL FROM KAREN KEEFER-JOHNSON
e-mail received on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 from Karen Keefer-Johnson.
Dan,
Your home became my home after your family left. At least I think so.
The timing is approximately right. Anyway it is the home I remember best from my life in Aruba. Barrie Wilkie sent me a great picture of the old home.... I think I still have it. I have a lot of wonderful

Memories of the house and living in Aruba. Personal memories of the house include:

My sister, Billie and I climbing in the sea grape tree  (bush--probably) any way she got stuck, scared and couldn't move...

(Dan's note; The sea grape tree is to the left in the photo to the right.  This photo appeared in the Aruba Esso News December 2, 1966 with a note about the danger of wires in trees.  Other photo of the sisters and Barrie Wilkie climbing on a jungle gym)
Denny Hanlon, who lived next door, rescued her with a ladder.
I also remember a terrific guava tree. My dad hand pollinating the papayas and growing the most expensive 'tomatoes' (according to my mother).
My sister, Susan, had the 'maid's quarters' as her own personal space.
I remember puppies being born in her bed. We also had kittens born in the back seat of my dad's car!

There was also a patio with a large bar (I was a kid), where during the holiday's my dad would buy cases of soda (grape/orange Nehi, plus I am sure some Canadian VO.

When we lived in the house my sister Billie and I shared the largest bedroom. There was a great walk-in closet where I spent many a night reading Nancy Drew novels. Even as a kid I had trouble sleep at night. ((The color photo of Bungalow 252 was taken in 1997. Note the palm tree has been removed.)
There was also a shower off the bedroom which had a deep well that you could fill up as a bathtub (at least for a kid). My sister, Charyl, the youngest had her room on the porch. My parents had a smaller bedroom and bathroom off the dining room (it was air conditioned and had the short wave radio!)
This is the house where I learned to cook. My mother's philosophy was if we wanted dessert. We made it. I remember making a cake with Blue icing! It looked horrible. And I remember making pulled taffy with Tommy Burbage (I think---he lived next door--- I may even have the name wrong). Lunch was the big meal of the day. We all came home from school (including Dad). Klim which I always thought was Klem--- until recently correct was the milk. I have a hard time drinking Milk to this day.
Did you ever crawl underneath the house? I remember the stilts with oil wells. And the smell.
I curious about your memories of the house.... needless to say I have more memories. I am rambling. I have enjoyed your web site.
Have a great spring.
Karen Keefer-Johnson

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