Our House

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." H.D.Thoreau, Walden

Summer 2001

Winter 2002

In my adult life, I had envisioned a time when I would build a permanent nest for myself lined with memories and artifacts collected during my nomadic years (around 30 addresses in 30 years). While I didn't picture giving up all of my roaming, as I love to travel, I did picture staying put at one address longer than I had previously. I have achieved that. I have lived here over six years.

This house is my mother's last material gift to me. I feel she would be glad of my choice.

The house is a bungalow style, strongly built in 1917. Real wood used throughout its construction. Plaster walls, hardwood floors and high ceilings. While the house was in good structural shape, it needed some cleaning up. Namely the floors needed repair as every room, including kitchen and bathroom, had grungy, old wall-to-wall carpeting. Yikes!

Scraping off old, nasty carpet liner in the summer heat is not fun

Here's a brief tour:

The (then) unfinished 2nd floor: A former boss of mine once said that people buy a house because they fall in love with a single aspect that they can't live without. For me, it was this space.

It also has a view of the old millpond (Morning Light entry). And in the early days, it came with white geese who would wander across Main Street daily.

As was true of my childhood home, it is on the parade route, too.

Plenty of room for gardens, as well.

Since moving in, many changes have happened including getting married, buying sheep, new paths to explore. Also, Drew and I have expanded our living space by finishing off the 2nd floor. A lesson learned: staying put does not mean being stagnant.