Author: Katie

Old House Seeks Soulmate

/ Katie / 18 Comments

Single blue farmhouse seeking patient, loving life partner.

Sturdy bones. Cozy disposition.

Loves summer sunsets, fall bonfires, winter snow, and holiday decorations.

Great at parties.

Good provider.

Solid community and kindly neighbors.

Serious replies only.  

Inquire at: https://www.thomasandtalbot.com/Property-39243_Little_River_Turnpike

*************

Sigh. But seriously, won’t someone please buy my house?

Graham and I knew, when we made the difficult decision to move away from our beloved heritage home to be closer to family, that it would be tough to find the right buyer. Not everyone is interested – or equipped with the right combination of crazy and persistent – in buying an old home, especially a 200-year-old one. But we figured that, just like we did, someone would walk in and fall in love with the unique house and the beautiful but manageable property.

Alas, thus far, nine months on the market, and no luck.

So, here I am, writing a blog post, wondering if someone reading, somewhere in the world, might want to own their own small piece of Virginia Piedmont paradise.

I thought that we were forever, this wonderful old home and me, but sometimes things don’t work out, and it has nothing to do with how much you love each other. And so now it’s time for someone else to step in and mend the broken heart I’ve left behind.

I mean, there’s someone out there for everyone, right? And every house??

I believe in love. Somebody show up, please, and prove me right.

Becoming a Beach Person

/ Katie / 14 Comments

I’m a mountain person.

Always have been.

Graham grew up by the water, and spent pretty much every summer day of his entire childhood on the sand. He’s the first person I’ve ever met who actually lived at the beach.

Before we got together, I think I’d visited the beach, like, five times, maybe?

All of that to say, the beach was never a huge part of my life, and it’s taken some getting used to.

It’s silly, I know, to say something like that. Lots of people love the beach – they visit every year, they make plans to retire there, they dream of owning a house and staying in it as often as they can. And I totally get it! It’s just never been my thing.

But y’all, sometimes, you gotta get over yourself.

And in this case, you is me. I am you. Because, as it turns out, Lucy loves the beach.

She’s a little intimidated by the all that sand and water, sure, but she’s a fan. Graham is elated. 😊 And me?

Well, I guess I’m finally, slowly, and for the best reason ever, becoming a beach person.  

Who Could? (A Poem)

/ Katie / 20 Comments

Picture this:
You spend your whole life
learning to say no.
And then:
A small human
who looks like you
comes along,
and all that practice?
Yeah, it’s gone.
Out the window.
With the wind.
And you find:
You don’t even care.
Because, truly, who could
say no to that face?

With You (A Poem)

/ Katie / 11 Comments

If I could tell you one thing
it would be this:
Don’t wish away your precious time
thinking of easier days and free minutes,
dreaming of fewer obligations
and less stress.
Because the truth is,
there is no less.
There’s only be and do.
There’s only now,
and here,
and being on the swing
with you.

Annie

/ Katie / 42 Comments

We had to say goodbye to Annie on Monday.

It’s been a hard week. Monday was a hard day. I don’t know when we’ll feel better. I do know that from the day we brought her home way back in 2010, Annie gave us all her love, and she brought us so much joy.

I do know that she made our lives better every day that she was here. I hope we gave her a happy life, too.

And I know that we’ll love and miss her always.

My sweet little weirdo. She was tired and slow, at the end, but she never lost her spark. She was a good dog.

Wait, what? New house problems?

/ Katie / 20 Comments

I’m used to old house problems. Remember the mystery pipe? Or the ceiling with no actual support joists? Yeah, I was pretty unfazed.

And silly me, I thought when we moved to our new home – a relatively young and spritely 25-years-old – that I just wouldn’t have to worry about any kind of house problems for a while. Which is good, frankly, because it’s crazy around here with a toddler, a dog, a cat, and a husband who is amazing but often forgets where he left his everything. But y’all, here we are.

New house problems.

Sigh.

It’s not that big a deal. Our washing machine is leaking, and we didn’t notice until it started actively dripping. Through the ceiling.

Because you know, we don’t have enough going on, and they do say that when it rains it pours. Apparently, through the ceiling.

The good news is, this should all be fixed relatively quickly. There’s not any real water damage, and no signs of mold, and the washing machine will either be an easy repair or an exciting replacement. (Because when you’re almost 40 with a toddler, a new washing machine that works better and faster is, in fact, very exciting.)

So, as always, onward. Dryly, hopefully.