My grandparents, Hoyt and Jimmie, built this house in 1959.
My dad was six years old when he moved in. This is where he learned to ride a bike, drive a car, and where (I have no doubt) he got in lots of trouble alongside of my uncles and aunt.
 |
| Hoyt and Jimmie (circa 1955) |
Soon after the house was built, my grandfather passed away; and while I never knew him, I know that his creativity runs deep in my family ... that and his dashing good looks, of course.
A few years after my grandfather passed away, my grandmother married a man named Joe -- my Paw Paw.
Maw Maw and Paw Paw lived in this house for 45 years.
I learned to swim in this pool, I learned to hate fruit in my food in this very kitchen [my grandmother had a propensity to put fruit in her jello... there was always jello] and it's one of the only places I can remember seeing my grandmother laugh so hard she cried.
Earlier this year, Maw Maw passed away. Her memory, however, lives in every corner of this home. She was a force of nature with a wicked sense of humor - and I have only recently come to realize that she may have been the most interesting person I will ever have the opportunity to know and love.
Occasionally, I catch myself expecting to see her sitting in the living room when I walk in the carport door, and it reminds me how much I miss her - and then I immediately tremble with fear when I think about how mad she would be that I ripped down her wallpaper.
When Jeff and I had the opportunity to make an offer on the house this summer, it just felt right to both of us. We knew it was going to be a lot of work, but oddly -- it was just what we had been looking for, and it already felt like home.
We created this blog to keep our family posted on the transformation of the house that we all know and love.
Family, we hope you enjoy it.
Friends, we will trade beer for free labor.
All our love,
Ryan and Jeff
No comments:
Post a Comment