1683 This Old House (just ain’t for me)

(Entry Written 4.4.08)

The Gusser has contracted yet another illness.  I am SO over winter and its assorted communicable diseases!

Yesterday morning he barked out a crazy cough.  One that sounds just like his night-time croupy cough!  I didn’t know what that could mean, since he was coughing during the day.  I feared that he had bronchitis or something.  Seeing how the weekend is closing in on us (and our pediatrician’s hours kinda stink on the weekend), I dragged him in to see the doctor yesterday.  Turns out, that some kids who have had croup in the past actually re-use this cough at the onset of a regular garden variety cold.  The clear fluid drippy nose is indicative of a nice new (highly contagious) cold brewing in my eldest child.

Whoopee.

Anyone want to come over for a playdate?

I want to backtrack about the brick historic home (the one we will not be purchasing).  I found a picture to share.

This home was built in the 1860s.  The same family has owned it since 1900.  I love the crazy brick!  There’s a few things you can see in this picture…

• the left portion of the house is the original farmhouse & everything to the right of the front door was added later 
• looking at the front of the original house, you can see where there was once a large front porch 
• the house was once painted white – maybe to hide the differences between the brick in the original & newer structure? 
• someone then tried to remove the paint later.

I did notice that the front door and the transom above the front door are original.  Actually, the majority of the doors & hardware were original to the home.  Yeah, it needs a new roof, but you have to look beyond that.

When I walked around and through the house, I could see a thousand things that could be done to it to make it FABULOUS.  I can see that it has "good bones" and needs work, but it has so much potential.  I love that this house has a history.  I love that a family cared enough about the home to keep it "in the family" since 1900.

What makes me sad about this place is that while it is within the geographic boundaries of Our Town’s "Historic District," it does not have the actual designation  protecting it as such.  So, someone could buy the place and tear it down just to build a McMansion in its place. 

If we were handy/talented people, we could spend the time making the changes to the property ourselves.  But alas, we don’t have this kind of time or talent at our disposal.  If we were just plain rich, we could pay professionals to do the work for us.  But again…not the case.  Especially since the house is currently $100K overpriced off the bat.

The kitchen & bathrooms were a mess.  They would have to be changed immediately. 

The bedrooms were too small and too few.

The closets were nonexistent (no, literally…no closets), but that’s not a surprise in a house built in the 1860s.

Yeah, I know that.  I also know that it is a super groovy house with so much character.  I will be keeping a close eye on the property from here on out.  I wonder if the next owner will be of the mindset "the value is in the land"…and tear it down.  Or if the next owner has some vision for the place.  I hope the next owner is like me.  I hope the next owner will walk through that funny little alcove (seen in the picture) to get from the front foyer (original structure) to the living room (newer structure) and swoons with glee at the double sets of arched walls.

Sorry, little house.  I wish I could buy you and make you beautiful again. 

I wish I could replace your front porch and sit there sipping iced tea in the heat of the summer.

I wish I could magically add on the required number of bedrooms/bathrooms for my growing family.  I’d love to hear my kids running around up there.

I wish I could make a tasteful, but modern and functional kitchen.  Because that one you’re sporting now is a crying shame.

I wish I could add an attached garage for my hubby, because maybe then he would love you too.