C-2

First the background of this big old baby...Travis(our realtor) emailed me this listing at the beginning of February. My first response was that it was too far away from Columbia....but that picture. If you love old houses, this one is hard to resist! Here she is! Built (we thought) in 1875 by Dr. Lockridge. Rumor says he serviced union soldiers by day and confederates after nightfall.

Our first visit to the house was overwhelming at best...there was so much dirt and soooooo much stuff that it was hard to see what was there. Our second visit was more realistic...the shock had worn off. So we went through room by room to determine what needed to be done. The three existing bedrooms all just needed cosmetic fixes, wallpaper stripping, plaster repair, wood stripping, floors redone...not bad. The one bathroom had possibilities and the extra room could be changed....were we nuts??? Probably, but man what house! So...I told Charles that I wanted to make an offer on the house for Valentine's Day. We didn't quite make that deadline, but we did make an offer on the same day that another one went in.

Eventually, we were under contract and we started gathering bids to see if we could get the job done...Of course, they came in over our budget, but onward we proceed! Then there was the title issue that got resolved at the last possible second. Then the appraisal that was hard to come up with, and finally here we are.

Closing Day -2, the day we take possession. The first load of waste lime-16 tons- is delivered at 7:30 a.m. for $135. We realize immediately that it will not be enough and ask if they can come with a second load. The banker comes at 8:00 to the house. We sign on an old (sorry primitive) table in the kitchen and we start to show her around. (It is amazing the number of people who want to take a look!!)

The second load of waste lime-18 tone- is delivered for $142. And our day begins! Seth, Ben and Charles get started with two shovels and a wheelbarrow ($59 from Sam's and gloves $17.32/two pair) to fill in the cistern. Ann (the banker) left around 9:30. We left the house at 6:00 that night and the cistern was not filled yet...After the first couple of hours, we started throwing a 10 foot tall branch in to the hole. It just bobbed back up without hitting the bottom. About 4 hours into the job,it felt like it was maybe hitting muck before it bobbed back up. By the end of the day, there was about 4-5 feet left to fill. I could not believe the amount of work both Seth and Ben did. I figured that by noon, it would be Charles and I filling the wheelbarrow, but they didn't stop all day long! They were awesome! Christopher stopped by today too. He was loving the details and all that is still there from the original home. It just makes you stop and think when you run your hands over a piece of the staircase and wonder at how many hands have touched that spot in 135 years.

I don't have any pics from this day because I forgot my camera....can you believe it??? And by the way, I spent my day trying to determine-keep? sell? toss??? or burn??? and trying to clean....yuck! I had purchased $35 worth of cleaning supplies at Deals Friday night to make the initial pass...It will need several more cleanings in the next three months.

The van will never be the same! Waste lime has a concrete like texture and is EVERYWHERE in the van. We all go home, throw the clothes in the laundry, take showers and sit until bed...PHEW!!!