The begining of Gates Penobscot Ranch 1975

The  the story began as we were looking for another house in a location between Placerville CA and Auburn CA as I had been employed in both Counties as a computer programmer, I was programming in a computer language name COBOL which must be extinct by now. We had searched and were in the market for a home in the $45.000.00 neighborhood. It was Easter Sunday the year was 1975. We went to church at Sierra Baptist Church in Auburn and were on our way home. The scenic route seemed attractive as we had no particular thing to do that afternoon, so we took highway 193 at the Cool intersection and drove along enjoying the scenery when a real estate sign appeared in front of this huge three story home and barns. Joyce was excited and I was dismayed I knew the price was way out of my reach. When we arrived at out Placerville home Joyce was appealing to me please may we just go and look? and after much persuading I gave in and we went and looked. The real estate lady picked us up in  limousine and I knew then I was way over my head , I had never ridden in a limo before. We looked but only a cursory look as the owner had all the houses rented and did not want to disturb the renters so we never were able to look at the houses. There were three houses as a matter of fact another clue it was out of the question. after our visit we were comfortable back in the the limo the real estate lady said "any offer of any kind would be carefully considered' or something similar. Which gave Joyce hope and I thought why not? I get in lots of predicaments with that answer. So we started working on a proposal of an offer. I for the first time realized one point of interest on the mortgage was considerable amount on the monthly payment. I worked on my resources. We owned an old house in Placerville, we did own a lot on the Clackmas river n Oregon but it was not build able in a flood zone, so I thought it was worthless. But as we were computing things the Lord sent a buyer for the Clackmas river lot offered $8000.00 beyond any thing I would ever dream of. I decided I could pay only the interest and the price would have to be cut in  half from what the offered price was. The listed price was $360.000.00 and I was thinking $45,000.00 what a dreamer! but I kept on calculating. It had to be interest only payment for five years and then a balloon payment the amont I would offer was half of the listed price $165,000.00. I offered $2000.00 down we did have some money in the bank and I had a good job. Joyce had resigned her position as manager in a figure control salon to be home with our youngest Tom. Well we got it all together the offer I mean and met with the real estate broker Mr. Ellinghouse, who said by law I am required to take this but "can't you offer a bigger down payment this little offer won't even pay my commission". I upped the down payment some and we signed the papers. I said to Mr Ellinghouse "If god wants us to have this ranch we will get it" . He just looked at me like what is wrong with you and he took the offer and went out the door. I went back to work and Joyce headed back home to Placerville, in about two hours he called and said "She accepted your offer" unbelievable I called Joyce and said "are you sitting down she accepted".