Unexpected Renovation!
Treasures and Trash Underfoot
An Unexpected Renovation!
My Dad came to visit this week, and on the day of his arrival, a death in the house resulted in a brutal stench and subsequent floorboard lifting. We uncovered animal mummies, nests, petrified poo, and some treasures, too! We also discovered that the oldest part of our house, built 1775-1810ish, is held up on precariously stacked field stones, brick, and rotting oak logs, as well as some lovely old beams that we hope to transform into something!
These old rooms were a favourite when we bought the house — pocket doors, built-in cabinets, deep-silled windows all around. But we never used it, for it was damp and caused some vague allergic reactions. After Walter tore up the floor, we had to make the tough decision to destroy the ambiguous time travely details, this likely already frankensteined past where most of the character dwelled. We decided to turn the two small rooms into one bigger small room and finally inhabit the space!
I’ve been working all winter to uncover the same old side of the house, originally the front, but from the outside. I removed heavy blankets of woven pachysandra and other dense overgrowth. Under it, I found a rough stone wall and some determined daffodils. Also, a few trees including arched Ironwood and American Hornbeam trees, ragged under twisted bully and tug-o-war champion, Wisteria.
The timing was great as we must dig down deeper and find the bottom of the exterior wall of the old stone house for the weather and critter-proofing that is next. We’ve also been dreaming of redoing our inherited 1990s kitchen and decaying porch, so we ordered a massive dumpster and have nearly filled it to the brim!
Next week we begin our road trip to New Orleans. There is nothing like a rotting corpse and a travel deadline to get a project started.
That plate looks perfect for kintsugi!
Oh my, Margaux! Treasures indeed! I'm so glad you're the recipient!