Christmas Surprise
By Sara Braaten
Twenty-four years ago, Bruce Johannessen and I decided to purchase a house in Bedford. My teaching job was in Roanoke, and Bruce was the manager of Virginia Employment in Lynchburg. Driving back and forth had gotten tiresome. We were lucky to find our wonderful 100-year-old farmhouse on Peaks Street and after some negotiation, we were able to purchase the house.
Our moving date of December the 23rd arrived, the movers came, packed everything up and we were on our way to a new home. Once in Bedford there was the work of cleaning, arranging and settling into our new abode.
After hours of steady work, it was time for dinner and we had no food. We had seen a Chinese restaurant on what we realized later was Bridge Street. After a lovely, restful and delicious dinner, we started driving back to our new home thinking we would fall immediately into bed that night.
We got to the corner of Bridge Street by the Middle School and the traffic was backed up for what looked like miles. Bruce said, “Oh my goodness, there must have been a terrible wreck right in front of our house. Inching along for maybe twenty minutes, we got to our driveway five houses from the school.
We realized that every other car was turning left onto College Ave. We were perplexed and thought “What is going on? What is this all about?” We later found out about The Elks Home Christmas lights, a wonderful Christmas tradition.
Now every year we join the parade going to The Elks Home to enjoy the decorations and lights. That is my Bedford story – a Christmas surprise.
Sara Braaten hails from North Carolina, but has happily lived in Virginia for many years. After college at James Madison, she taught in a magnet center for gifted elementary students in Roanoke until retirement. Sara and her husband Bruce Johannessen moved to Bedford in 2000. Sara served as acting director of the Bower Center for nearly 10 years. She is currently serving on the Board of Bedford Get Together.
By Sara Braaten
Twenty-four years ago, Bruce Johannessen and I decided to purchase a house in Bedford. My teaching job was in Roanoke, and Bruce was the manager of Virginia Employment in Lynchburg. Driving back and forth had gotten tiresome. We were lucky to find our wonderful 100-year-old farmhouse on Peaks Street and after some negotiation, we were able to purchase the house.
Our moving date of December the 23rd arrived, the movers came, packed everything up and we were on our way to a new home. Once in Bedford there was the work of cleaning, arranging and settling into our new abode.
After hours of steady work, it was time for dinner and we had no food. We had seen a Chinese restaurant on what we realized later was Bridge Street. After a lovely, restful and delicious dinner, we started driving back to our new home thinking we would fall immediately into bed that night.
We got to the corner of Bridge Street by the Middle School and the traffic was backed up for what looked like miles. Bruce said, “Oh my goodness, there must have been a terrible wreck right in front of our house. Inching along for maybe twenty minutes, we got to our driveway five houses from the school.
We realized that every other car was turning left onto College Ave. We were perplexed and thought “What is going on? What is this all about?” We later found out about The Elks Home Christmas lights, a wonderful Christmas tradition.
Now every year we join the parade going to The Elks Home to enjoy the decorations and lights. That is my Bedford story – a Christmas surprise.
Sara Braaten hails from North Carolina, but has happily lived in Virginia for many years. After college at James Madison, she taught in a magnet center for gifted elementary students in Roanoke until retirement. Sara and her husband Bruce Johannessen moved to Bedford in 2000. Sara served as acting director of the Bower Center for nearly 10 years. She is currently serving on the Board of Bedford Get Together.