Friday, March 19, 2010

Friday Is My Favorite Day!

Do you know those movies where people dance around alone at home? Well, that's not just something they thought up for the movies. I'm the girl who, a few short hours ago, was dancing around dressed in my drinkin' pants (men's blue plaid pajama bottoms) and a tee-shirt to the cranked up (very loud) music of Jackson Browne. My tune of choice was a slightly obscure song called "I'm the Cat". It's good that I was home alone because I probably played the song twenty times - over and over and over:) Jim may like Jackson, but I think he would have have run screaming from the house. It just felt so good - dancing, singing along, and doing a little housework, too. Rosie and Briscoe are my best audience.

Jim has installed Windows 7 on our computer. I do not know how to do anything with photos now. Our old photo software is gone. I have a half-finished painting to post and I want to show you our patio, but I can't do anything until Jim has time to teach me how to use the new stuff he has installed or is installing.

Diana Strinati Baur (see my blog list - creative structures) has a very nice post on things that previous owners have done to her home. She shares my feelings on the subject and writes so eloquently about it. Our house is old by Las Vegas standards. We bought it in an estate sale. The original owners lived here almost 40 years. My big old love of a dog Teddy and I stumbled upon the house when we were walking one day. I peered in the windows and could see the possibilities. We made an appointment with a real estate agent, didn't even walk all the way through the house and made an offer on the spot.

The couple that had lived here left the house to a nephew. He took everything he thought was of value out of the house and put it up for sale. The house was full of good vibrations even though it was dirty and in a bit of disrepair. We got some of the house's story from the real estate agent and put together other pieces of the story as we cleaned and began moving in. Connie and George (the original owners) hadn't been able to keep up with things in their later years, but they stayed in the home that they loved up until the end. We have preserved some of the imprint they left on the house. For example, the door to the linen closet is at the end of the hall. It has a wallpaper scene of a Middle Eastern alley which has definite funk value. Also, the light fixture at the front door has the colors of the rainbow. I almost got rid of it, but Jim said no. Now I'm glad he did because I love it - more funk value.

In our shed, we found old maps on which Connie and George had marked the routes they took on vacations. There were some huge pots and pans. It turned out that Connie and George had owned an Italian restaurant here for many years. We found cards and a cake decoration for their 50th wedding anniversary. Connie and George had a good life here. Candy and Jim love it here.

9 comments:

Diana Strinati Baur said...

Oh, thanks so much for the shout out. And your home IS historic, especially by Vegas standards! I love that you are preserving and integrating pieces of the past. That just ADDS to the house and gives the value forward. Value that is intrinsic, I think.

Autumn Leaves said...

Goodness Candy! I can feel a tectonic shift in mood! Yay! (I am such a worrier, my friend.) Would have loved to see you flitting about in jammies, belting out a tune and dancing all while wielding a dust cloth! LOL Your house sounds so cool and I really want to see that piece on the hall door. It sounds so intriguing. Hi to Jim and your parents and step-mom. And thank you for your encouragement and kind words at my place. I can drag myself quite down as may have noticed.

Deb Harvey said...

I loved reading your post. I, too, have turned up the music and danced while dusting...it's a lot of fun.

I can really feel the warmth of your home through your words. Very inspiring.

JRonson said...

Eheh i loved the all descrpition in this post and i must confessed, fridays r my favourite days too. there r million of reasons, it's the best defintly :)

Anonymous said...

No doubt Teddy and Desi were watching you dance, too...

(It's nice that Autumn Leaves pretends to say "hi" to others when we know she really only wants to say "hi" to Dad...)

Candy said...

Diana, thank you for your nice comment. I love what you're doing to your B & B. I always enjoy your posts.

Sherry, if I ever learn how to do photos again, I'll post a hall door photo. I'll say hi to everyone. By the way, Jim has a pet name for you. He calls you Al. The first time he said it, I asked how in the heck he came up with that. Now, I get it. So slow, sometimes...

Deb, it really is fun. It's nice to know you enjoy it, too.

JRonson, thanks for taking the time to stop by. I'm headed your way to see what's new with you.

Gammies, I hope Teddy and Desi were watching. I sure loved them, I still do.

Autumn Leaves (Sherry)is a woman with good taste.

Tracey said...

What a happy post :)
Love hearing about the previous owners of your house!
Thank you so much for praying for my son's friend Garrison!
Tracey

Cobalt Violet said...

Thanks Candy, I just put on Jackson Brown and my day just got even better! (Doctor My Eyes is on currently!)

And yes, Fridays ... the best!

Randi@SowderingAbout said...

PS I dance around the house all the time :)