Uncovering the chimneys

· Exploring is fun! *says TV shows where everything works out perfectly* ·

We’re *almost* finished with the upstairs bathroom – we still need to paint the trim and door and get a doorknob, and we’re waiting for the backordered (the most-used word for renovators during Covid) curtain rod to hang the more decorative shower curtain – so I’ll be posting that soon. I hope you liked the…

Saying Goodbye to Landscaping

· You can have too much of a good thing. ·

When we first purchased the house, Teresa Ramsey, Joe’s wife, wrote historical notes about the farmstead for us, using family records and conversations with family members. In it, she wrote about the landscaping: “Driveway coming into the house – you will notice there are some steps out front leading right off the drive.  It was…

Progress in the tween room

· Can a parent ever make a 12 year old happy? ·

When we first began talking about the real possibility of getting this farmhouse, my 12 year old son, Eli, was not impressed. Driving home after looking around the property one day, Randy asked him what he thought. “I gotta say,” he replied, “I’m going to make sure my wife doesn’t like old homes before I…

Demo day 1

· Pulling up carpet is a nasty job but it's sometimes worth it. ·

There’s something super cathartic about ripping out carpet – instant gratification really. I mean, we went from this: To this: (ignore the dogs. they are THE MOST unhelpful in this process.) But yes, that is old growth heart pine you see there. Old growth heart pine is at least 200-500 years old and doesn’t exist…

House Plans

· Getting mechanical is important sometimes. ·

If I’ve learned anything, it’s that contractors and subs love you so much more when you have actual house plans drawn up. When we knew we might be acquiring the property, I immediately began obsessing thinking about the renovation/restoration of the house. I use those terms interchangeably because, while the house needs some updating, I…