Household Hints & Help

This might surprise you, but I haven't actually seen the cabin yet. In 1913 a typical-looking New England Queen Anne 2-story house was built around it. The inside cabin walls were covered at some point between then and the time I bought the place in 2005. Also during that period, probably after the original owners died, the place started to fall apart, and it was about 1 day before too late that I bought it at auction. To give you some idea, Lennox said the furnace was probably the first model they ever made! I guess some people tried to fix things up, but when they did, it was crappy beyond belief, butt-ugly from the start. I'm pretty sure the upstairs carpet dates from the 50's or 60's; at least, praise God, it's not GLUED down.

Of course there were tons of emergency measures I had to take immediately and some that had to wait until I turned 62 and could get a comparatively small USDA loan. So now there's a new, permanent heavy duty slate blue metal roof, max insulation everywhere, 21 new E-windows, and at least a start on electrical upgrades. The existing electrical system probably dated from the 30's when rural electrification happened. So it was about 75 years old, very minimal and highly dangerous. Essentially the place was a firetrap about to fall over. But then that's also why I got it at auction for $14,500 too. If it takea the rest of my life to put things to rights; so what? Now it will be done well, with respect and integrity to the original. And I'll have something worth leaving to a good charity like the SPLC. That would really tick off the locals!

Guarantee you one thing: sooner than later, the added walls covering the interior of the cabin will be ripped out to reveal the original massive oak logs. It was a slave cabin, built like a fortress against the Native Americans who understandably wanted their land back, and I want to honor the original occupants however I can. Part of the reason I know so much about the history here is because somebody somewhere preserved every bit of legal paper pertaining to the property, which now rests safe and secure in my bank box. I bless their name. Also the people who built the big house around the cabin, because they made the stairs so steep and narrow that it drove away other potential buyers when I was bidding. Most people around here aren't going to install a stair chair; plus few people have the patience to spend the years and $ it will take to make the house shine again. Since a building's age counts in favor of property taxes, mine are only $183 a year, although 8 years ago it was almost $20 more. The far more modest newer house will run a minimum few thousand a year. I get to make all the improvements I want w/o extra tax, so long as I don't build the house itself bigger. What do I need bigger? Instead of a single huge backyard shed which would've been taxed, I built 2 at either corner, each 11x11, well under the limit. The eventual back patio cover will be about 1" short of taxable.

A lot of people also believe the place is haunted. That sort of thing actually pleases me. So obviously they consider me a bit 'teched' to begin with.

Sorry. You must know how dangerous it is to express the least bit of common interest to lovers of old houses. We're all crazy.