I freaked a few people out yesterday — check out Dufmanno’s comment:
“Okay, that looks like the Native American Dorian Grey. Did this trip
involve a visit from the guys from Paranormal State, a cleansing ritual
and a mess of people apologizing for the colonization of the Americas?
I am worried for you and the family.”
The answer is no, she’s just a Native American that someone painted on the wall… you know, that urge to paint women randomly on bedroom walls… right? Although I did ask out loud about how many ghosts we were waking up… I was immediately told to stop acting weird.
A few years ago my husband and I came upon the rare opportunity to purchase a house that has been in his family since 1913. And when I say “been in his family” that’s what I mean because no one outside of the family has ever lived in it. Built by the Great Grandfather himself, and cared for by family and neighbors just STEEPED in tradition and history. So much so that I almost needed a spiritual reckoning before stepping foot over the town lines. These were and are amazing people filled with such goodness that you wonder just what is in the water… then they compliment you and do something else nice and you realize that it must be the soil… Then the snow melts and the flowers pop and smile… Even the rain is happy. It took me a long time to realize that these were really genuinely nice people — they didn’t want anything from me… They weren’t out to get me. In fact, if you can believe this, it was actually ME that was the weirdo with that sarcasm and pocket full of kryptonite… who knew?
So anyway. A few years ago my husband and I came upon this opportunity and we took it. We bought Pop’s house after he passed away. We bought it with the intentions of fixing it up and renting it out and then of course using it over holidays–AND we did this despite the fact that we live 4 hours away from it… And then it sat. We thought about it a few times over the years… paid it a few visits… even rented it out to those that didn’t mind it’s condition. It sat there waiting for us… settling into being the house that SOMETHING was eventually going to happen to. Life took over… until last Monday (one week ago) we decided to do something about it…This is just the beginning… we have tons of work to do.
Even though I’m the one constantly bitching about the fact that our house is never done and I state I will never again live in unfinished chaos, and even though this appears to be the never ending home improvement project from hell: I. am. insanely. jealous.However, I must say I’m mad at you for removing the silly wallpaper with the fireplaces and french horns – I actually liked it with the turquoise wood trim. Call me eclectic.
OH NOOO, you didn’t remove the wall paper did you?Also that native american woman looks scared to death that she is going to get painted over!
All the wallpaper had to be removed because1. there are cracks in the walls underneath2. the Elders were all smokers and it was all suffering from nicotine stain.. it was nasty.we are keeping all the antiquing and wood stains
she SHOULD BE SCARED! we had to remove the paper… but I kept some of it for framing.
I have to tell you, that looks like THE most fun EVER! I’d love to say something snarky and witty but wholly God I just want to live your life while you go work on that magnificent house! Please oh please document every scrape!!!…and don’t judge me for going all Polly Anna on your ass.
Phew! I’ll keep the Paranormal State guys on speed dial just in case though.I love house reno, especially when I’m not living in it!
Wow, cool house! Looks like you have lots to do. What fun though. When you’re done please come over and renovate my bathroom. It’s BYOMC (bring your own marble countertops)Planning on keeping the pink toilet seat? Seems like peeing while sitting on a pint seat would make the world a happier place.
Seriously, I think you should shoot the whole house (with a camera – not a rifle) and send it to location scouts.It’s so quaint and beautiful.Make some money off of it so you can do it up how you want later.What a fun project – good luck!
Congratulations on the new house, the new project, and your new hobby!
All the photos are lovely, and if I get the eerie background music out of my head, I am quite jealous too of your being able to witness and soon live history. I too LOVE the wallpaper: the one with household objects. I can see you now totally “This Old House”-ing this house. What does it take to get Bob Villa to come and help you out? Yes, please do document it. This is going to be an awesome journey. And you will have blogging material for the next, eh, 2 years? (A friend of mine bought an old colonial and after 10 years he still claims that it is not done…)
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