I'm the kind of girl that finds charm and affinity for all things old. I will see a house and imagine the lives of the families who lived there, the games kids would play, the meals Mom would cook, the holidays, the rough times, and instantly I want to be a part of it, and something about being at the beginning of a story doesn't seem cool. I don't know. Maybe I'm strange that way.
So, we are basically doubling our living space. But going from a 1964 house with original hardwood floors, cast iron tub and sink, (okay, acoustic ceilings) and the feeling of being a part of a time when things mattered to people, and people cared about each other, and men built amazing things with their strong hands, and women carefully cut and sewed together the fabric of their families.
I got on Craigslist looking for pieces that will bring old into the new and boy, did I ever score.
This beatiful built-in china cabinet is from the 1920s from a Victorian in Downtown Sacramento. The former owners of the home took it with them to El Dorado Hills. It was listed at $150. I couldn't get there fast enough. (Those knobs are crystal.) When I first saw it in person, I could have just dry humped it. I like it just the way it is. My husband took one look at it, looked at me, raised his eyebrows, looked back at it, made a sound like snoring, only exhaling, looked back at me, "Really?" I almost punched his lights out. "Yes, REALLY! What do you know?" He'd much prefer something contemporary, sleek, something that needs to be dusted five times a day. (He'd never dust.) He was clear that the reason he doesn't like it is that someone took a paint brush to it. Heck, that's one of the reasons I like it. I can imagine some of my blue and white dishes in there. But I also see the potential for sanding it down and refinishing it and staining it dark and putting my American Sweetheart Monax Depression Glass in there. Oh, yeah. Giddity.
While loading the hutch into my truck, I see this little desk and chair in his garage. "Uh, are you trying to get rid of that desk, too?" "As a matter of fact, I am." "Sold."
Aya Rose didn't like this "avanity" because it doesn't have enough storage for her "girly" things. And by girly things, maybe she means tampons and Midol because this thing is beautiful!!! Eden didn't waste a second, "I want it! I want it!" She wants it painted black. Mkay.
Then there was another piece in his garage. A hope chest painted white. "And how about that chest," I asked him. (Now that I think about it, not the best choice of words, but I was on a roll!) "Yes, I have that listed on CL, too. Do you want it?" "Uh, yeah." "Wow! You're making this easy on me."
All told, I got all four pieces for $200. What a rush!!!
And today, while packing and organizing stuff from the patio and the shop, I hear this incessant meowing. I think to myself, "I miss Isabella-bee," our kitty who went missing while we were on our summer road trip. She hadn't been seen since September. I felt so guilty, like she felt we abandoned her and she went and found another family, even though we left all our things behind. Well, just then, Eden shouts, "Oh, my gosh! It's Isabella!" I look up thinking, "No way, man!" Sure enough, there she was, running down our neighbor's roof onto our fence and into my arms. She is so skinny. I got her some food and she went to town on it. Sweet Aya Rose starts to cry, she is so happy. Bella ate so much food, she vomited, poor thing. I worry that, when we move, she will leave the new house and come back here. I hope not, but I know it's a possibility.
Well, Andris just left to pick up an antique iron window grate. It's the only thing we could compromise on as a decorative pot rack over the kitchen island. Right now he has a plain wooden dowel with hooks he installed. I hate it. It's so...just not okay, but I must say, it's practical. So I am very happy with the way the pieces are falling into place in the new chapter of our lives. Now...back to packin'.
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