Home

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.  
~Jane Austen


Home is truly my favorite place to be.  I love to travel, and see new places, although I haven't done a whole lot of that so far in my life, but home is where I feel the most comfortable.  





My home has been a work in progress for the past 14 years.  When my ex-husband and I first bought it, it was a complete fixer-upper.  None of the plumbing worked properly, the electrical had not been updated in many years, and could not accommodate a family's modern-day needs.  It was virtually in a state of disrepair when bought it.  It was months before we could actually move in, and even then we were only living in a few of the rooms.


It was smelly, dirty, crusty, and dark.  What in the world was I thinking when I dragged my husband, kids, and mom back for a second look??  The bathrooms were old and dark and needed to be completely redone.  The final room I viewed on my very first tour was the kitchen.  As I walked down the four steps to the kitchen, my heart sank.  We had been looking at enough old homes to know that the kitchens and bathrooms cost the most to repair and remodel.  This kitchen was literally crumbling in places.  The tiny little tiles around the sink, were rotted and you could pick them off w/ your fingers.  There were dirty stains and drips all over the walls.  When we turned on the sink faucet, the water was brown, and it poured right out from the pipes underneath.


Although the windows were dirty and foggy, over the kitchen sink there was the most amazing view of our City Park directly across the street.  It was dusk the first time I went through, and the light was beautiful.  Something in that view and the light at that moment had me hooked.  I wanted this house.


What in the world possessed us to buy a house that needed so much work, when we had so little experience with remodeling and construction?   I will never completely know.  I had watched one too many episodes of "This Old House".  I had a very romanticized view of old houses, I was hooked on the character that these homes possess.  "It has so much potential" became our catch phrase.


After an inspection of the foundation and structure of the house, we were assured it was a good, solid home, built with quality craftsmanship.  


We had very little money.  I can't even explain our logic.  We were dreamers and completely clueless, really.  Our blind faith and ignorance propelled us into a home-buying venture,  that I have both regretted at times, but also been grateful for.


Now I am a single mom, and this home is my girls' and my castle. I have put my heart and soul in this house, and it has seen both good and bad times in our lives.  It has been many painstaking years of renovation and improvements, and by no means is it "finished".



It will probably always be a work in progress, but it has come a long way.  I have given up on the idea of perfection.  All the chips, imperfections, and quirks of my house are what give it the character that I cherish.


Home is definitely where my heart is, and I think my daughters feel the same.  In future posts, I will show  you some more pictures of the inside of my home, before and after.


Wishing you a place of comfort and Happy Thoughts,
Lisa


I am participating in My Romantic Home's "Show and Tell Friday", check it out here: