1985-86...when we moved to North Dakota

Belinda and I were married on October 26, 1985, in Glendive, Montana. Soon after our wedding, I learned that Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative was going to "down-size" its work force. Not wanting to take any chances, I started looking for a new job and was hired by MDU Resources Group, Inc., which meant that we would be moving from Glendive to Mandan about the first of the year. Here's an account of our move and our first few days in our new home:

Belinda and I moved to Mandan, North Dakota, on December 27, 1985, a Friday. We were going to move on the 26th but the roads were closed. Belinda's dad, Leo Doll, drove a U-Haul truck filled with our furniture. Rosaline, Belinda's mom, drove Belinda’s car, a 1980 Brown Skylark, which was filled with boxes of food and TV sets. Belinda, Molly our cat, and I drove down in my 1981 Honda Accord. 

The roads were atrocious, lots of ice and snow blowing around. When we arrived at our new home in Mandan, the Bob Lutkats, the previous owners, were still here moving things so we went out and ate lunch. When we got back to our new home, they were gone. 

Leo backed the U-Haul up to our door. Belinda’s uncles Philip, Clifford and Herbie helped us unload the boxes. Our new home is at 1302 Second Street Northeast in Mandan. We had boxes piled everywhere and in every room, upstairs and down. 

We were tired when we finished so we took Leo, Rosaline and Belinda's youngest sister Darcy to Skippers along with Grandma Frohlich and Uncle Philip. We spent our first night at Grandma and Philip’s house. 

The next morning (December 28) we ate at Dakota Farms. Leo paid. Then we back to Grandma’s. Leo called his son John to see how the roads near Glendive were. John said the Conoco station where we borrowed the U-Haul from was already asking for it. Leo, Rosaline and Darcy headed back for Glendive. 

Belinda and I went to our new home to begin unpacking. We spent our first night at our home. We slept in the living room on our couch which makes into a bed. We still had lots of boxes to unpack. 

On Monday, December 30, I started working at MDU. I was pretty much in awe and thought everything was happening pretty fast. When I was at work, Belinda was getting our house in order. 

This is how we began our new lives as a married couple for only two months in a new state with a new job.