Trudy, the original owner of the little yellow house, lived well into her 90s. She used to remark in wonder at how the street had never looked more pretty. She had two husbands, two children and in 2004 watched two hurricanes batter her house.
Property records show that the house was built in 1960, but Trudy would insist hers was the first house on the block.
We used to wave at Trudy across the street. She loved to listen to Marlins games on the radio, and was an avid newspaper reader. We didn't know much more than that.
We watched as Frances approached and Trudy's grandchildren tried to persuade her to leave the house with them. She refused - so the grandchildren boarded up the best they could and let her have her way.
While the power was out for 10 days, Trudy kept watch for the FPL trucks. Her grandchildren stopped workers to tell them of the elderly woman and how fragile she was. But Trudy wouldn't leave the house.
On day 10, we were thrilled when the lights came on for the north side of Churchill. Sadly, across the street was still dark.
The next morning I persuaded Trudy to come across the street for the first and only time to sit in our air-conditioning. She
hadn't realized that the power was on over here. I remember she looked across the room and said: " I could write a poem about that lamp."
But Trudy wouldn't stay. She wanted to get back to her house. Later that day the power returned to her side of the street.
Jeanne hit weeks later, knocking out power for three days. A few days after that, the ambulance came to Trudy's house. There had been a fall. The workers took Trudy to the hospital.
Trudy never came home. She died in October 2004.
The grandchildren put up a for sale sign. They sold the house to two men who said would fix up the house and resell it. They installed a new roof, sanded the floors and brought in new kitchen appliances.
Another year went by.
And the little yellow house - the house that has been loved by just one owner - waits for its next chapter.
