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Monday, November 7, 2011

Step Away From the Keyhole Saw!!! Now!!!

Tessie made some adjustments this morning. I thought nothing of it when I heard a rasping noise coming from the bedroom. It kept going....After about five minutes, I though better of it and went to investigate.

I was too late. You see, Tessie takes after my Aunt Altha. When I was a little girl, my aunt lived in an old Victorian farm house with husband and kids.

One of my earliest memories of her house was when she got the harebrained idea to open a beauty salon in one of the front parlor rooms.

I don't think that there were many rules and regulations about beauty parlors. Yes. That's what they called them back then. I don't believe that she went to a beauty school or had a license. She just opened it and went to "fixing hair" as she called it. I was fascinated by the electric perm machine. It was on a pole and had long cords with rollers attached....It looked something like a machine that Doctor Frankenstein would have used to curl hair. Scary. I do believe that she got it second hand from someone that had updated and gone to chemical perms by then.

Anyway, we had moved to Arizona by then and lived in a small trailer for the first few years. When we went back to Michigan to visit in the summer, we were always greeted by a newer and better version of the old house.

I was always impressed.One year, she had glassed in the front porch and was calling it a sun room....It was surrounded by giant maple trees and I don't ever remember any sunlight in the room. At the same time, she closed off the front entrance so that everybody had to go in the side door, through a kind of storage area to get to the kitchen.

She didn't want anybody messing things up with muddy boots... My uncle was a dairy farmer and there was a lot of muck and mud. It probably was a good move on her part. It saved a lot of wear and tear on the new wall to wall carpeting that she had installed in the living room. It now consisted of the two front parlors together. The wall between had disappeared...
Another year, we pulled into the driveway and up to the side of the house and I noticed that the windows didn't look the same. There was now a picture window in the living room wall and also the dining room. At least they were on the side of the house that had a view...

I made the mistake of telling Tessie about this. I think that is where she got the idea for this morning's modifications...When I got to the bedroom, she had the keyhole saw in hand. I tackled her and took it away just a little too late...

The Fairfield now has three picture windows. The first one is in the living room. Oh and notice that she was at least kind enough to finish the last of the clapboard siding. I can't scold her too much. Now all I have to do is paint it.

The second one is in the dining room. It will be pleasant to look out on the view whilst eating dinner.

Maybe she is right... Wait... Did I just say that???The third is in the kitchen. Now all I have to do is decide if the tenants will want to wash dishes while looking at the view or will they be happier with a built in dinette, so that they can eat breakfast with the view?

Decisions, decisions, decisions......

Aunt Altha would be proud.

See you tomorrow.

4 comments:

Kathi said...

Aunt Altha would be VERY proud indeed! LOVE your story and how you are remodeling the house to match your memories. :D
Sometimes Tessie does have some great ideas!

Caseymini said...

Kathi, I am not remodeling to match...I just stole the idea of putting in picture windows to replace several small ones. I like the idea of letting in more light.

jose said...

esta quedando relmente precioso

Norma Bennett said...

Looks like Tessie and Aunt Altha share the same passion for remodelling. I can imagine how her husband must have shaken in his muddy boots every time she said "Dear, I've had a wonderful idea.... " - just like mine does ;)I think Aunt Altha and I might be related - heck that would make you and I kin Casey - what a fun idea!