The House

So, I'm wondering-- how do I post about a dream? And not the sleeping kind of dream, but the waking kind that holds hopes, ideas, and longings for the future...

The dream started in childhood when I would wander through the downtown area of my hometown, seeing architectural artifacts of a time long-gone, some well-preserved, some saddened with age, some solid, some alarmingly...flexible. The femininity, height, and detail of these structures resonated with some aesthetic fiber of my being, and without fully being aware of it, a dream had taken seed in my little old soul.

Years later, I finally have the chance to take the first step in realizing that dream.

This delightful dream is my first home. The Mr. and I became official first-time homeowners in February, making a beautiful and dilapidated super-centennial home our very own new (big) problem! It had been left by its previous owners in pretty sad shape and definitely has a lifetime (at least) of work to be done on it.

Call me crazy, but I LOVE it.

We've been able to get some work done on it since February, but I thought I'd introduce you to the old girl as she was before the Mr. and I stepped into her life.

Here (for your viewing pleasure-- and pain) are the worst of the before's. These pictures reflect the house's state as she was before we touched her-- with the exception of a few of the cleaner-looking photos of the front, dining, and living rooms, the dirt and grime were what we bought and paid for!

Exterior

(Don't you love the haunted house vibe?!)

General Filthiness

Living Room

Dining Room

Front Room

Upstairs Bedrooms

(Please note in all upstairs bedrooms we had a nice, tight-weave carpet that had been soaked and cured with all cat secretions imaginable. Ahhh, can't you just smell it?)

Master Bedroom
Why, yes, as a matter of fact, those would be washer hookups protruding from our master bedroom wall!

Kitchen

The countertops-- another place the cat had made its mark.

Sunroom

And lastly (and most disgustingly), the

Master Bathroom

So what do you think? Can you see the potential?!