Reality Check

Note to self: No need to wake up sad in the middle of the night about Lady Grantham's tragic miscarriage. She is a fictional character.

Yes, I have been watching too much Downton Abbey for my own good.

Lessons learned

...from infertility.

Never post your 8 week ultrasound shots on facebook. At least, don't do it publicly. While I pray my friend will be fine, she's in her mid-30s or so. And has talked about trying for a long time (which may be why she's jumped the gun, imho).

I just cringed when I saw them. Not for the old reasons of envy, anger, etc., but for new, protective reasons. Like when you see your attractive friend wearing something really off at an important event. But worse.

An homage

...to the Misfit. I'm stealing a page from her decorating playbook.

So, our kitchen in the Crazy House is a room. With some outlets and a gas line snaking out. Blank slate.

It does have pretty nice wood floors, in need of some simple sanding and sealing. It has a two old exterior doors with transoms and two large windows, one facing south. So it's a high, potentially very bright and pleasant room. As we're planning to have a small farm operation, we're going to need a very utilitarian space, which goes with the simple yet graceful old spirit of the house.

This is a bit precious, but I'm thinking along these lines:
A bit rustic, with free-standing antique cabinets (many of which we already own, plus Mom has an antique store). A huge hardworking old table in the middle for processing fruits and veggies and making baked goods, etc.

We're also planning on a large triple steel sink, commercial grade. It has the same vibe (right down to the open legs) as old enamel sinks, and believe me, the farmers who built our place would have been all about stainless, had it been around. Though I just want plain old white appliances.

However, the sink will need some contextualizing, with some nice cabinetry/open shelves, that have few little touches. A simpler version of this, perhaps:I love the peaked open cabinet doors. This would be simple to do ourselves (and my man is a fine woodworker/instrument builder). I'd like to design something that echoes some of the gingerbread and/or dimensions of the house itself.

This kitchen will be a challenge to clutter. I'm sick of owning all sorts of quasi-useless items that get buried in too-deep cabinets or piled in drawers. I want only things I actually use, just a few of them, all out in the open where they can be found in an instant. With a kitchen as big as ours, it will be essential.

Accepted

Well. Looks like we're going to get it, at a very low price. Closing Oct. 7. Here comes the craziness.

I'm off to research roofers and electricians. Wish me luck!

Updates

Again, thrilling stuff, my friends. We've had some back and forth with the asset manager. The place is a foreclosure. We've put in our final, last, best offer, so we're waiting to see if they'll take it. They already knocked 30% or so off the price, in part because our realtor keeps emphasizing looooong list of repairs needed to even make it habitable (or mortgageable).

We've also been able to get the scuttlebutt locally on the place. It was owned by a couple who did the mural and some of the rehabbing, thanks to a historical preservation loan or grant (which is why it has all its original outside Victorian craziness and wooden siding). They had 6 very stinky dogs and a couple horses. They were a strange mix of artsy and hillbilly you sometimes find in our area. The woman just up and walked out on the dude one fine day, taking all the money. He couldn't pay the bills. The house sat empty for three years.

Recently, a local meth head went into the unsecured cellar and stole all the copper out of the furnace, and perhaps more of the wiring. Fortunately, the box is upstairs, or he might have really had a heyday. He died about a month ago, apparently. Overdose.

So, we've sobered up a bit about the place. If we get it for the right price, it will work well. If not, we'll have to say no. Or wait a few months, during which no one will likely have any decent offers, and then come back to them with the same offer.

I'm pretty much excited either way. If we get the place, we'll basically be buying our dream house, minus 50K in repairs. If we don't, we'll likely have more time for other things--including fixing up our current house more, for when things work out. Either way, it's cool.