Living at the hotel was only a temporary thing. My mom wanted a house with a kitchen and at least two bedrooms. Housing for fulltime residents was limited on Catalina. None was being built and none was going to be built anytime soon. In order to maintane strict consevation rules no buiding was allowed other than upkeep or expansion of existing structures. I will revist this later and explain why these rule were in place.

About three miles south of Avalon was the small community of Pebbly Beach. It consisted of about twelve wooden homes and three quansit hut type structures.  All were owned by the Catalina Island Company. One of the wooden houses became available. My dad applied for and got the house. The Island Company took care of their people so dad being an employee made it a done deal. The house was more of a bungalow but actually worked out to be perfect for us. It had only one bedroom but the livingroom was very big. The last tenants had seperated the livingroom with a "wicker"curtain and used half of the room as a bedroom. We followed suit and did the same. Brother and I shared this livingroom bedroom combination. All the houses set on small lots with about twenty five feet between each house and a small backyard. Each house had large screened in front porch but no front yard. All the houses faced the double wide drive that served the entire neigborhood. Our house was painted light gray with burgundy trim. We were about 400 yard from the ocean. Perfect.

We didn't have anything to furnish the house but we moved in anyway. There was a an electric stove and refrigerator in the house which allowed mom to cook and keep things cold. The neigbors were kind enough to donate several items of furniture to help us out. We were up and going in no time at all.

There were several kids our age in the neighborhood so Lowell and I made friends and settled in. Lots to see and do around Pebbly plus we could go into town. I think we explored ever hill and canyon on that end of Catalina. The hills were covered in flower bushes called Nasturtiums. Red and Yellow. They were pretty. The was also blooming cactus and an assortment of other wild plants. Towering over all this was big, tall Eucalyptus trees with their "scalely" bark and bright green leaves. These trees have a smell that is pleasant and fill's the air with an odor all it own.  

My dad decide it was time to go retrieve the Ford.  Almost a month had elapsed so the parking fee was due and he needed to do something. He had gotten a permit to bring the truck to the island. No vechiles were allowed until Ok'd by the Island Company. We also had some personal property and a set of mattresses in the truck. My mom wanted him to bring all those items back with the truck.

My dad opted to ride the "Water Taxi" to the main land. The Taxi's were small twenty passenger boats that ran daliy between Catalina and the main land. My dad was later to say that it was a terrible trip. Everyone got seasick because the little boat handled the "choppy" sea so poorly.

Dad found the Ford to be okay despite it's idleness and being parked outside for a month.  She fired right up on the second try. He left it running while he did a walk around to check everything out. The lot attendant walk over to where my dad was and told him that a fellow had been looking for the owner of the Ford truck. The attendant said the guy left a telephone number and wanted my dad to call that number. The fellow that left the number had wanted to buy the truck.

New cars and trucks were in short supply in California. The war had stopped all new civilian vechiles except for just a small trickle. Here it was mid 1948 and there was still a shortage. Late models (1947-48) were in high demand bringing a good price. My dad called the man at the phone number left with the lot attendant. The fellow was a local Ford dealer and asked dad to wait at the lot and he would come and meet him. The fellow wasted no time and arrived as promised. He got right to the point. He needed that truck and had cash money to back his interest with. My dad honestly told him that the notion of selling his truck hadn't crossed his mind and showed the man the papers for transporting it to Catalina. The fellow told "Mister I'll give you what ever you paid for the truck". Pappy said "well I bought it new for $1200". The man said "Sold". Pappy responded " If I sell you my truck I'll be walking". Dad noticed that the fellow had arrived driving a "Dandy" little 1937 Ford four door. It was a real "Peach". It had been painted a nice metallic silver blue. Good rubber,glass and chrome trim. Looked real good. If that Ford car runs as good as it looks I'll swap you for it and $750. The man countered with $700. Pop shot back $725. The guy said done. Pappy told him he needed to keep the tarp and the stuff in the truck bed. The fellow agreed. They drove the car to the DMV and completed the deal. On the way back to the parking lot dad had the dealer take him by a Sears Robuck store where dad purchased a set of top carriers for the car. The dealer and the lot attendant help him mount the carriers and load the mattress set and tarp on top of the car. Everything else was stuffed inside the little Blue Ford including a little table with "Glass ball" feet. My mom has hauled that damn ugly little table all over this country. If it could talk "Lordy" what tales it could tell.

Pappy drove the whole "she bang" down to the loading dock, put her on the barge and "bummed" a ride home on the tug boat that was pulling the barge to Catalina.

We were all really surpised when he came home driving the car. We had figured on see the truck again. Time would prove that the "old man" had done good.  I loved that car. It had been reworked in the then early "California Custom" style. Maroone rolled and pleated leather interior, dual exhaust and a tricked out engine complete with dual two barrel carbs and high compression heads not to mention the Lincoln Zephyr transmission. It ran good and it was quick. It could "bark" the tires in all gears. My dad said it ran like a "Stripped Ass Ape. I reckon that must be one fast monkey!!  

That little car "marked" me for life. I would later own Mopars, Corvett's and a Pontiac GTO not to mention numerous motorcycles. None of them could equal my delight toward the little Blue Ford.