My Grandma’s House – Ten years going by in a Blink

I started working on my Grandma’s house in May of 2014 and moved in August of 2015. So, in celebration of the last decade I set out writing my ten years blog posts every second Sunday of the last several months. Its been quite the slide down memory lane for me. How things have improved and how things have changed. (Sometimes whether we like it or not.) It is impossible to talk about any part of this place in the face of ten years and not think about how I have changed too.

My best friend once house-sat for me years ago and she said how strange it was to be here without me. Like its a nice place but not the same without me in it. Back in 2014 me and the house set out on this journey alone together and we’ve both changed a lot in the years since.

This post coming out in June is damned near the ten year anniversary of when I moved in. Its hard to believe its been so long but we all know that that is just how it works because it also feels like no time at all.

I look at pictures of me crawling around under this house ten years ago and, “Oh yeah its been awhile!”

Maybe its my age (going on 40) but damn how grief has marked my years here since before I even began the renovation. Back then it was literally the loss of my last Grandparent that began my journey in this home.

In the couple of years before I began the renovation here I lost both of my Grandmas (in just a few months) and buried all three of my childhood dogs – including my heart dog.

It is a very common thing with the passing of the grandparents to see the old farm houses selling or being torn down. It is not uncommon for an old barn to finally disappear around here.

I was told how wonderful it was that I was saving this house and I guess that I did in a way but the feeling was mutual.

This house saved me.

She gave me something to do when there was nothing I could do.

And she’s continued to save me in my worst of times now.

The old saying goes, “When they got the call of his passing all the women went to the kitchen.” I am most definitely someone who works through their grief and when they say a house is never done well, thank goodness for that.

In the last couple years alone I lost my little nephew, my uncle Gary, my soul horse Garcia and my barn.

This house has given me my safe place to heal or scream or work or do whatever it is when there is nothing I can do to change anything. And I’m going to keep on working on her where she needs it and improving it where I can.

(Calling the house a “her” comes pretty naturally as my Grandma lived here for many years alone after we lost my Grandpa. This place will always be my “Grandma’s house” to me but after ten years and so much we’ve been through together, she’s all mine at this point. I think my Grandma would be proud of how far we’ve come together.)

Some of the things I’ve done here were really hard (pushing me to my breaking point) but I don’t regret any of it… even the failures lol. Me and this house keep on proving that, “Everything is fixable!”

I’m sure glad that hanging sheetrock is behind me though (at least as far as I can see) this 39 year old does NOT bounce like she did ten years ago!

I’m looking forward to smaller projects or, at least, help with coming projects. I’m proud of myself for the renovation I accomplished alone here but that certainly doesn’t mean I’d ever want to do it again! (Those 16 months over 2014-15 are a bit of a blur…)

Looking ahead to gardening, planting some trees, fixing up our deck and just crossing my fingers for everyone I love to get some more good times.

The uncle I lost said two things that I’ll never forget. One was that its not that life is short its just that everything takes so damned long. By the time we get our shit together, are no longer broke and dumb, we’re too old to enjoy it.

He also told me just before we lost him that he’d really hoped for just another five years.

In 2018 I wrote a blog post called Operation blissfully happy where I highlighted my plans over the next 2, 5 and 10 years. So much has changed since I made those plans but the idea behind the operation was a solid one that I am returning to. Blissfully happy in the time I have left is what I’m going to focus on from now on.

This blog will keep on going, you guys are such a gift to me.

This post marks the last second Sunday post about the last ten years. Next month begins my new recipe series!

I’m both excited and nervous about it. I’ve always loved to cook but using a “measuring” cup hasn’t really ever been a thing for me lol. In keeping with my Grandma’s house the first recipe I’ll be sharing is my Grandma Charlotte’s macaroni hotdish – my goulash recipe.

I hope all of you many more happy days with those that you love.

Ten Year Posts:
• Our Garage
• Our Main Floor Bath
• My Office
• Our Master Suite
• Our Basement Living Space
• Lodi’s Den
• Our Living Room
• Our Kitchen
• Our Entry
• Since it all Started