Past meets the Present

If you seen the previous post you know I am working on putting together a little history on the house. I have contacted family members that have live in my wonderful OLD farmhouse and the thing I am just blown away by is how helpful everyone has been. I made plans for the family who's father (Rene') and mother (Elizabeth)  owned the house from 1944  to 1988 to come for a visit this past Sunday. I woke up that morning like a five year old on Christmas day expecting a new bike. I was so excited to meet the family that lived and raised their five kids and grand kids here. I tried not to have too many expectations because that will get you in trouble every time. I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to make the place as presentable as it can be in the middle of a major renovation. My son insisted that they probably wouldn't care how clean the place was and as it turned out, he was right.

The first car pulled up around 11am.  It was Mary Ellen, her husband Jack, daughters Vickie and Teri. Mary Ellen was one of the children that grew up in the house in the 40's. I welcomed them and they were all smiles looking around the farm. We headed out to the barn where they "visited" with the goats, chickens and peacocks. Lot's of pictures were taken. Then Virginia and her daughter Linda showed up. Virginia, age 81, also was one of the five children that grew up here. It was her daughter, Linda's 60th birthday and she was the oldest grandchild of Rene' and Elizabeth. As we toured the farm, I got to hear stories of family. Mostly funny and light hearted. One of Linda, when she was 2 or 3 years old, who was thought to have fallen down the well, causing panic, only to be found later coming out of the barn with her uncle. I got to hear about a barn that was here and has since burned down and about a windmill that is no longer here. Stories about Rene' being  a carpenter and I personally can see touch everywhere in this house. I didn't know Rene' personally but I do feel like I know him after pulling the 10,000 nails the he put in.

I showed them the house and everyone liked the work I was doing and agreed that the  "open floor plan" looked great. There was a fireplace that is now gone and been replaced by a wood stove. (I am putting a fireplace back in) The kitchen cabinets that Rene' built are still there.........solid as a rock. There is an upstairs bedroom everyone thought was creepy and the lady I bought the house from, called the "death room"  I am not sure what to think about that. There must be some sort of negative energy in that room because I tend to avoid that room also.


But over all the visit was AWESOME and they are a wonderful, happy family.  They brought pictures and as soon as I am able to figure out how to digitally remaster I will be posting them. They were so grateful that I have invited them to visit because all their childhood memories are here with this house including Rene's passing in the house in 1977. A big thank you to the family for the love and energy they brought to the house and our visit Sunday.

Rene' left me a message to find on the inside of the living room wall!
Rene' Jan 2 1953