Curiosity killed the cat.

July 1, 201326 Comments

And satisfaction brought it back.

In the old homestead on the Mountain Farmlet, there was a wall that had a funny bulge. The bulge was very firm and would not budge. However, just to the left side there was an odd caving spot that was very movable.

One day while there alone my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to investigate…

It was like peeling an onion.

Off came the chair rail, then the paneling. Underneath of the paneling there was scrap wood, foam board, cardboard, chip board, seven layers of ancient wall paper, and some cotton fabric that had been soaked in mastic and applied to a rather large void. On one side of the void were large 12 and 14 inch planks, and on the other side was tongue and groove wood siding. The top of the fabric nearest to the ceiling had been opened at some point in the past, and so…

I removed it to reveal this!

If you do not recognize it, then I will tell you. It is the northwest corner of the log cabin that was built in 1840. The odd cut length of the log’s ends are why the wall bulged in this spot.

I was so surprised to find that there was no mold or mildew under all that old paper. But now what to do about this uneven wall?

It was suggested to me by the Octogenarian’s daughter-in-law that I might put a viewing window here. I think she may be right. It will require us to do a bit more revealing, some brushing and vacuuming, and the hole will have to be framed out and some plexiglass installed as well, but I think it will be fun to leave a portion of the original home open to view. Don’t you agree?

In other news we must report that we are at a standstill as to what we can do to the house to repair it. We have to wait for the foundation man and the plumber to work their magic first. Then we can call in the electrician to fix the wiring. It is going to take some time.

So yesterday, with intentions to work in the yard, we arrived with shovels and rakes, work gloves and boots, only to succumb to a mild summer day and a blue sky with big white clouds.

We walked in our woods, then sat on the bench on the front porch to eat our lunch. We observed a Carolina Wren building a nest in the newspaper slot under our mailbox and watched the butterflies and bumble bees sipping nectar.

Later we walked by the pond

Buddy found a *rat snake near the ravine, and Bob finally got to go exploring! He makes me smile every time he says:

“It still hasn’t sunk in that this is really ours.” Or, “This is such a beautiful place, I wonder if it is for sale?”

Oh yes, and something is missing in this picture. Do you remember what it was?

NOTES on Rat Snakes:

Rat snakes (aka: chicken snakes) are really maligned! I went looking for a picture of one for you to see and everywhere I turned there were rants about them. You know, they will eat your chickens eggs if they can get into your coop, but hey! Secure your coop!!! There is a reason they are also called RAT snakes, and they can be very helpful in rodent control if you keep animals and feed.

I am not above touching one of these farmyard visitors… when, and if, the need arises! LOOK HERE

Besides, the last time I saw a “chicken snake” on the farmlet, well, the rooster and my 15 hens were chasing it off the premises! 😉

Visitor–Black Rat Snake (Photo credit: cotinis)

Because you asked…

June 17, 2013June 17, 201342 Comments

Many of you have asked for pictures and I wanted to oblige you. However, it was a long journey from finding the Mountain Farmlet, to finally signing on the dotted line, and then being able to set to work.

You will recall that we had said the Octogenarian could take as long as she needed to sort out her belongings, and then have her Estate Sale. It took a good while, but we feel better for having let her take her time.

This is the nutshell version of what we know about the Octogenarian and her husband’s history. Some of it may be a bit off, I was, after all, catching it in bits and snaps at the estate sale, but I am trying to be as accurate as memory serves.

~*~

Her husband was born there in 1920. His family owned, if I recall correctly, 300 acres back then. (Some of which, I believe, is still owned by descendents.) They bought the place from the *(1) original builder of the one room cabin.

Living in “Rock Creek” was a hard life. Plowing with a mule, walking or riding by horseback on a *(2) “pig trail” through the mountain. When he was a teenager, he would leave the mountain to make a new life in Ohio.

In the 1940s when WWII began, he signed up and was shipped off to Arizona, and the Octogenarian followed him via a train that was carrying more troops to AZ. She was accompanied by her mother for propriety, and they were married when she arrived. Then, it was off to war for him, and back to Ohio for her.

After his return from the war, they raised a family there in Ohio and when the children were grown, and off beginning their own adventures, her husband wanted to return to the family home. That was about 20 years ago.

I have no idea when this photo was taken, but she did say it looked pretty much like this when they got here 20 years ago.

In their time here they patched, painted, cleared the property of weeds, and forged a trail on the southern end of this twenty-five acres. They dug a pond, stocked it with fish, planted a wonderful garden below the home, and beautiful flowers around the front entrance. They wanted it to be a garden spot up here in woods.

It is so different now, and of course quite a bit older too, but I would say that they had accomplished their goal.

I’m sorry I don’t have the same view as above, but at any rate, you get the idea.

~*~

So now it is our turn, and there are a lot of repairs to do to an almost 175 year old home. We know many of them: plumbing, foundation, electrical, and roof repair/replacement… and others, of course, that will only reveal themselves as we set to work. 😉

When I talked to the plumber, the first words out of his mouth were: “You’re gonna get rid of that shower too, aren’t ya?”

Me: “Yes, it was in the plans…”

So our journey begins in the bathroom.

: The bathroom/laundary. No window as it was closed up when the new bedroom was added. No fan, that fan cover is to close up the old wood burning cook stove’s pipe. This room used to be the kitchen!

: Behind door number one… the water heater.

: Behind the water heater, this old shower.

: Floor tiles applied to protect the ceiling from moisture. Surprisingly, this did work!

: Cracked shower pan!

: Domolition!

: This is a sapling pine tree, cut to fit as a support for the wall. It worked too!

: Rotten subfloor under the cracked showerpan. Sadly, we may need to replace the old beam underneath as well.

We intend to remove and replace the rotten sub-floor, put in a plank floor, straighten/lift the ceiling (there is room up there for that now) put the bathtub where the shower once was, and if possible, move the water heater over near the washer and dryer. Also in the plans are a new window in the far wall, and an exhaust fan in the ceiling. (I neglected to mention that, so thank you, Deb!) I have been gathering up some really fun and unique ideas for the walls and the sink…

But, you will have to wait till we are done with the reconstruction for those pictures!

I am certain that there are some of you who will not understand what we see in a place with uneven floors, and that leans just a bit. A place where nothing matches and all was hand hewn…

Well, I understand it is not for everyone.

However, when we first saw it we knew it was for us. We may very well be tinkering on it till we are too old to do so, but I think that the work will keep us fit and healthy along the way. And no, we do not intend to try to make everything look like city living, or to change things out to make them all “matchy-matchy.” That would simply be too boring.

Besides, would new matching doorknobs on both of the plank doors to the bathroom make them look any better?

Not to our eyes.

~*~

NOTES:

I am uncertain at this point as to the original owner/builder, or about when it was changed to a “dog trot” and then later enclosed. But I understand that there are public records that can help me to find out!
Her husband’s words for the little horse trail up to the cabin.

Ever have one’a those days?

June 15, 2013June 15, 201340 Comments

Having prepared the night before I had my stuff ready, and my day mapped. I love it when I am that together and ready to achieve wonderful things. The plan? Going to the Mountain Farmlet to demo the rotten shower while I wait for the roofer to meet me there. Also on the plan is a leisurely stroll through the woods and along the stream with the dogs. I couldn’t wait!

Showered, dressed, breakfast eaten, lunch packed, tools, dogs and dog water loaded into the car, and I am finally down the road.

First stop, gas the car, empty the trash bag so Tucker won’t eat the wrappers, water the dogs, and take them for their first pee break. DONE! Now it’s my turn…

Returning to the car I see Tucker up to his shoulders in my big carryall and he has eaten most of my sandwich!

Bad dog, Tucker, very BAD DOG!

Still seething, I realize that he couldn’t get my Fritos, and I still had my water and an apple. Well, better than nothing I thought. (I can hear you saying: Well couldn’t you eat out? The short answer would be, No, not with my Celiac/Gluten intolerance issues. I don’t have time for being sick.)

Second road break, same as the first. Seems that Tucker was intent to find any leftovers he may have missed.

Third road break, I took the lunch bag and tossed it into the truck bed so he couldn’t get it. 😉

BTW, I must mention it was already in the 80s in the morning, I have discovered that if I take my door lock remote with me that I can leave the dogs in the car with the air on and they don’t overheat. YES, I know, but I figured with Buddy the big dog barking and frothing at the window it would be an excellent deterrent! Yes?

I am within 8 miles of the Mountain Farmlet and stop for my favorite Sugar Free beverage. Not seeing any in the case I ask for some from the back. The cashier yells at the other girl working there, “…any more are available in the back?” and she mumbles something and walks out the back door with some bait. I left without purchasing any more water for the dogs and just went up the mountain. I wasn’t going to patronize the store if they were going to ignore me, now was I?

Upon arriving I am stoked about setting to work. I am on time and the roofer is not there yet. A FIRST for me! I become aware of how really hot it is, and the lack of a breeze. Never mind, I think, as I unlock the door and turn on the air. Nothing. I flip a couple of switches. NOTHING! They never turned on the electricity! Oh well, I will water the dogs and just wait for the roofer.

PROBLEM! The Octogenarian told the water company to turn off the water on the 10th. I had called the water company and told them she made a mistake and, please don’t turn it off on the 10th, because the account had already been transferred to our name! “No problem.” the nice lady said.

It is the 11th and there is no water.

I’ve got hot dogs, and no water. (Where is that roofer?) A light bulb moment and I think, OK I will let them drink some of the cat water out back on the deck.

Buddy: “No way man, that’s not my water, and you can’t make me drink it! OK, I’m really thirsty so I will taste it. NOPE, NOT MY WATER!”

Tucker: “Nope, Buddy didn’t like it so I’m not drinking it either!”

Me: (panicking!) “Come on guys, it’s almost 90 degrees and we’re having air you can wear up here! You have to drink water, now DRINK WATER.”

Another light bulb moment. I go into the house thinking, “I’ll just fill their water bowl from the toilet tank. It’s fresh.” The bathrooms are totally dark. No windows, no light, no dice. But wait! I have a little flashlight in my purse, so grabbing it I go in to find that the Octogenarian, being the neat and clean person she is, has installed some sort of device that pumps cleaner into the water tank to keep your toilet bowl sparkly and nice. (You don’t care what I was saying or thinking at this point. Trust me.) I gave the dogs my water.

MAN, WHERE IS THAT ROOFER!

I try to call him and realize I left his number at home. I call the realtor, who knows him well BTW, and he gives me his number. Whew!

The Roofer: “Oh sorry, I had something come up and I told the office this morning to cancel all my appointments for today.”

Me: “Well, I was on the road early this morning and didn’t get the message.”

The Roofer: “OH.” I’m really sorry, but…”

ME: “I have been waiting for you since 11:00. It is very hot and humid, and the utility companies have not turned on my electric and water. I drove all the way here from Hazel Green to meet you. It is an 80 mile drive one way, and a lot of gas to return here tomorrow.” (I was polite, I promise, but I was not happy on the inside)

The Roofer: “I’ll have someone there in 45 minutes! I’m really sorry, mam!”

Me: “Thank you.”

The other roofer fellows call to tell me they were on their way, but that it would take an hour. I repeated my tale of woe, and suddenly an hour turned into 30 minutes, they arrived on time, too!

Estimate is done, the dogs and I took our leisurely and shady, woodsy walk. I am thinking, Hey, they can get into the stream to cool off and get a drink!

Along the way we stop to throw some fish food to the catfish in the pond. I open the lid and there inside on the edge of the chest is a shiny, black, Scorpion! We have Scorpions? I closed the lid, and with apologies to the fish, we left.

Down by the creek I am telling the dogs, “Drink water, drink water, HELLO? You are thirsty, DRINK WATER!” Both of them looked at me like I was out of my mind and flat-out REFUSED to even TOUCH that stream! Grrrr…

So back to the house, to lock up, and pack up, so we can all go to the nearest place to get water! I walk in and begin gathering my things, I am in a hurry to get going because, as you will recall, what little water I had, I have given to the dogs. I turn the corner in the dog trot (the center part of the house) to get to the living room and suddenly I am seeing stars and trying not to pass out. (Another moment that you do not want to know what I was thinking and saying. Suffice it to say that the dogs are cowering and being exceptionally good.)

Why was I seeing stars? Because having been outside I came inside and it was too dark, and in the dark I didn’t see the dang shelves the Octogenarian had placed in the doorway that she kept closed all the time. The lower of the two was exactly nose bridge height.

The sad part is, that I knew they were there, but in my hurry to get going I temporarily forgot. I tried to see what the damage was but again, too dark in the bathrooms and the littlest flashlight in the world wasn’t helping. All I could see was lots of blood! Hoping my nose is not badly cut or broken, I grab a dry paper towel and do my best to clean up so we can just get going.

By now I’m thinking I must look like something you’d find in the ditchbank at the side of the road. My hair is in wet strings around my neck, my light blue overalls are filthy and then I see them… TICKS! Hyperventilating, I begin picking them off and throwing them into the bushes. Yeah, I know but what else was I going to do with them? Then it hits me, If there are some on the outside of my clothes there must be more where I can’t see.

At our next rest stop, I go into the Ladies Room, and drop my overalls to find that my suspicions are confirmed. MORE TICKS! Thankfully, there were only three.

For the uninitiated, pulling ticks is downright horrifying. You never feel them biting (how do they do that?) and when you try to pull them out they are latched so tightly, that you skin pulls up with your efforts. This is very horrifying for yours truly.

The rest of our trip back home was uneventful, and I was relieved to find that on inspection at least the dogs flea and tick meds worked! Later, after a long shower, and drinking a half-gallon of water I was feeling much better too. My nose is not broken, and I did not require stitches, just a wee little band-aid and some antibacterial salve. My eyes were only very slightly blackened in the corners… but not enough to keep me from going in public. 😉

We, the dogs and I, went back yesterday, the utilities are on and the rotten shower is halfway removed! Bob and I will finish that tomorrow.

**~*~**

OH yes, and yesterday I packed my lunch in a Tupperware box!

So, take that, Tucker!

😉

UPDATE: the mountain farmlet edition

April 20, 2013April 20, 201336 Comments

I have received word from the realtor that the owner and son are proceeding with estimates and repairs to the 174-5 year old house. They have called in the plumber, and termite inspector, and are waiting for the estimate from the electrician to proceed.

When I last reported to you about the Mountain Farmlet, you will recall that we were asking for them to repair, or discount the price by 15K for repairs on the following:

foundation
electrical
plumbing
and roof

Things seem to be moving in a very positive direction! This makes me very hopeful, that we will be able to close the deal and take ownership of this antique home.

I know you think we have lost our minds, but this is a once in a lifetime event. Yes, it is an old house, but after the repairs we feel that she still has a few good years left in her. The house will never be perfect, it wasn’t when it was first built! But, it is precisely those ~~imperfections~~ quirks that make it such a charming old estate.

We really are looking forward to living there on the mountain.

~*~*~*~

Again, thank you to everyone for your goodwill and prayers for us. They encourage us.

~*~