Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

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Lily left the valley
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by Lily left the valley »

Going to the lumber shop today reminded me a few times over of how lucky I am in some regards to have such a shop nearby. At the same time, given some of the conversations I have had with the staff there based on purchases I've made or have wanted to make, I worry that even a hold out like that one may go the way of the dodo as to what services it can provide for old house lovers to whatever degree.

The reason why I am thinking about that started with the window stop bead adjustors I asked for a few visits ago. They didn't have any left in stock, so I put in an order which I asked about today. Turns out the company they used to get them from doesn't have them anymore. The fellow I was talking to said he has one other supplier he'll be seeing soon he thinks might have them. I know where I can find them online, I just like to buy local when I can, especially a family business. He also didn't have any sash cord in stock, although he said it used to be a staple before folks started putting in the vinyl. What used to be standard stock, no longer is.

Still, there are lots of things they do have that make them exactly the kind of place I love to shop. For instance, the spade handle I bought. Gratis, it was the last one, and he did say "don't get much call for these now", but they had it. I hope to get that attached later this week, but I'm a bit uncertain how difficult it will be to get the old metal bolts out. I also know I'll have to shape the handle a bit and draw up the slot because the girth I need to fit the cup part of the metal is bigger than the lower end of the shaft as made. That will mean needing to refinish it too, in order to keep the wood seal, but that's not a big deal, just another step.

The other bit I picked up was exactly the sort of wire I needed for the rain chain! :dance: And a length closer to what I needed now, and thus more in line with my budget.

This is why I'm glad they are still there, and within easy walking distance to boot.

In other news, it seems our elderly neighbor in the next door bungalow is heading to assisted living. We had a feeling they were getting the home ready for sale, given the activity that's been going on of late. We chatted with the daughter today while she was on the porch, and she confirmed our suspicions. She also invited us to a "closed" interior item sale they'll be having next week to sell off furniture and the like, as apparently none of the kids will taking the majority of it.

Although I was thrilled we got the invite, I also feel a bit of trepidation. I couldn't quite muster the courage to ask if they've already found a buyer via a pocket sale, or if it will go on the market. It's a 1928 bungalow, and still has more original exterior details than ours. The size is a bit different, and I don't know if it was originally built that way or not, but it has two front doors because it's split two apartments, 1 over 1. The lady who is leaving used to live there with her spouse on the second floor while her in-laws lived on the first, then when they passed, they moved downstairs. The second floor hasn't been rented since 1993, according to the tax card.

One thing I feel guilty admitting is one nice thing about being invited to the sale is I will get to see the interior of the home for the first time. I know there have been changes and one addition since the original build, but I don't know how much is extant inside. Our neighbor had been sick more than not since we moved, so we really have only had a few over the fence chats with her.

The property overall is really nice, honestly. It's a larger parcel and has a great garage/workshop/shed layout for the rear out building. Sean and I actually acknowledged today as we did a walk about the neighborhood that although we have no idea what they might sell it for, those two reasons alone make it...well, not nicer than Beebe, but still makes both of us a bit wistful if timing had been different and somehow the price might have been similar. Of course, not knowing what it looks like inside or how easy it could be to convert it to a single could very much negate that too. I also suspect the price will be significantly higher than Beebe too. Technically, this area is supposed to be zoned single family, but there are a few multis here and there that were older than the zoning. So we're pretty sure it would be grandfathered. That has us a bit worried too, because Gardner does have some slum lord types who might snatch it up and run it into the ground as a dual rental or worse, chop it up further.

I think I'm going to make a point of being a bit forward and asking if they already have a buyer or not. I'm really hoping so, and that it will be a good neighbor.
--Proud member of the Industrious Cheapskate Club
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.

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awomanwithahammer
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by awomanwithahammer »

Ask away! They'll either answer or hedge, but you'll never know unless you ask. Well, you will eventually, but it doesn't hurt anyway.
Bonnie

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Lily left the valley
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by Lily left the valley »

So time this week just up and ran away. :D

Lots of little bits here and there, some things starting to come together, and good grief are the comics in more need of alphabetizing than I realized. We were trying to recall some long ago history in regards to the comics. We have come to the conclusion that the last lot I bought way back when, we never even started alphabetizing, and we're just lucky some of the titles are lumped together.

We are getting along with unpacking boxes and finding things. Every box emptied makes me deliriously happy.

We did finally make a decision about the chifforobe. We are going to sell it. When we bought it, we did so thinking that since we were looking to buy an old house that we would likely need it due to lack of closets. Truth be told, we were very lucky with Beebe because we have oodles of original closet and built-in storage space. The lady at PYCA may have a buyer, and if he doesn't buy it, we are toying with the idea of trying to sell both the vanity and the chifforobe as a set (from what she said, he likely won't want both, but we'll still ask). I love the vanity as well, but we feel bad breaking the set if we don't have to, and again...although it feels rather luxurious to have one again, I don't really need it. Deciding this was not easy, I admit, but we both feel it's for the best. We're planning to put the funds towards the insulation, as we would like to get the first between the floor/ceiling? joists layer done ASAP. We want it in place for when we have our assessment, and if our appointment gets bumped up, it'll be best to have that done sooner.

Speaking of PYCA, we picked up a few small odds and ends there yesterday. I'll try to take some pictures of those eventually. One thing I picked up, I am thrilled to pieces about--an antique blow torch. From what research I've done about them, all the parts seem to be there and in working order. I don't know when I'll find time to fuel it up and test it, time will tell on that.

This weekend is when the neighbors are having folks come look at the furnishings, and it rained yesterday, and is pouring today. We noticed when we came back from PYCA yesterday that they had set up one of those white tents like you see at parties, but we didn't look to see if there were things outside underneath or not. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny though. If the rain lets up a bit, I'll try to stop by next door and see what I can see.

Yesterday was also the first day of the local annual sidewalk sale. Today is the last day for that. I feel bad for the vendors, as the weather is abysmal for that.

We did pick up some older comics this week from a local fellow selling them on Craig's List. We did a partial trade for some of Sean's Star Wars figures. He wrote me last night, actually, letting me know he had found some more. I told him we'd have to wait until next pay cycle, just in case. If the lot is large enough, Sean will likely trade a larger Star Wars piece he has. It was worth more than the comics we got last time, so maybe this time it will come into play.

Budget wise, we're doing better. Sean got great news in that the route he is the dedicated sub for was finally re-evaluated, and they added time to it since it's grown so large. So now he is guaranteed every Saturday working it, as that time also is added to the primary FT carrier as well, so she can't OT her hours if she has a sub. This will help take some of the stress off of him trying to fill his schedule each week, as there are only 3 RC carriers in Gardner, so he rarely does a full week there unless someone takes vacation or sick time off.

I've been haunting the free section of Craig's List daily. I may be able to pick up some useful bits if they aren't already snagged. I'll not mention what until I know we get them or not. I also spotted a 1920s radiator someone is selling in town that I need to call about. We are still missing one in the kitchen (which has the connection) and the one bedroom (which does not). There's been a vintage wood machinist chest for sale, but I just can't justify the buy right now budget wise. The price seems fair ($120), given the condition.
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The stove should be fully operational as of the end of this weekend, except the clock which I'm trying to figure out how to get that fixed since it is powered by plugging it into a special connection on the stove itself, not a standard plug. I have to talk to the local watch & clock guy to see what he recommends. I have no idea if he does house calls. Whether I finally get this done or not depends on Sean since so much has to be moved out of the way to get to the side access panel, and we made the mistake of starting to move too many kitchen boxes into the kitchen before we really had time to empty them. That may have happened because I am really tired of eating at our desks. :whistle:

Progress with the lawn/garden is coming along, as weather allows. I'm fairly satisfied with what I've managed to do this week.

I'm probably forgetting something or other. I'll post it later if I recall.
--Proud member of the Industrious Cheapskate Club
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.

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Lily left the valley
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by Lily left the valley »

Today was a wonderful day! It was the last day of their invite based home item sale, and holy moly did we get a ton of stuff.

Now, before anyone scolds us since we're on a budget--the bulk of it was "please take this because none of us have time to do this again and/or deal with donations" priced.

We scored several cabinets, both metal and wood. Only one is particle board, and that went straight to the garage since it already had some water damage. So now my garden stuff is in there, minus the long handled items, instead of all over the floor. We also got a slew of tools--some of which are lovely old "can't find 'em made that way anymore" types. We also picked up some great kitchen/dining items, some of which replaced things we'd lost or broke over the years with all our moves. I got some great hats, new earmuffs, and a scarf. We also have a few area rugs, garden stuff, bird food and a feeder, and gosh, lots of things, really. The garden swing we both love, we put on the porch since it had no awning. It's one of the metal framed ones.

I did get to see inside the house. Unlike Beebe, it's been remodeled over the years, and you can see various time periods showing as a result. So Sean was correct in that Beebe really was meant to be for us even if I have garage/shed envy of next door, plus both of us with their extra land (the lot is about double width ours). I have no idea what was once there in the home other than a few things our neighbor noted as she walked through the home with us. It was really interesting to hear what they did to the home in the time she lived there. They are selling it as a single family, which is why they had to remove the appliances upstairs. Oh, and some good news. The elder care place where she is staying allows pets. So Shadow (her Maine Coon) went with her, which I was very glad to hear.

I also found out that I was incorrect in my understanding of the home's history. The inlaws of the lady who is moving out were not the original owners. They bought it from the original owners who initially did not want to sell it, but had gone by it as they showed other homes available. (I guess they either owned them, or were early realtors.) Still, the Missus (grandmother to the sisters and brother we've met) convinced them, and that was around the late 1920s. Also, I thought that when they were married, our neighbor and her spouse lived in the apartment upstairs at first, then later moved downstairs when her spouse's parents passed. They actually lived in another home not far from here until he inherited the home, and they moved.

There is still a chance that the home may be sold to an extended family member, but it seems it will be going on the market. So...I guess we'll just keep our fingers crossed and hope for nice neighbors when the time comes! One unfortunate thing is with the last set of storms, a leak made itself known one of the upper bedrooms which they now need to fix. The ceiling was still the lathe and plaster, I noted when we were up there.

We did feel happy that they asked us to keep an eye on the home while no one is living in it, which we are more than happy to do. I gave my info to the one sister I spoke with the most, and told her to contact me to help with whatever she needed later because it was the least I could do. I actually did have to close the back shed door after they left today. It's easy to forget about it, since the door is on the side, and they had a lot of work breaking down the tents (I didn't realize they had two set up) and packing up what was left on top of what they've been up to the last few weeks.

I was really glad I waited until the last day, mostly because of the downpour yesterday and also because today it was much slower visitor wise for them, so we had lots of time to chat with the family in between shuffling things next door. They seemed really delighted that we took what we did, and we are so very, very grateful for what we got.

I was shocked to find that the daughter I spoke the most with had never been in our home. Apparently she was already out of the house by the time her parents had moved next door. I told her anytime she came back to take care of things, she was welcome--even though I warned her it's still a mess. Apparently the rental history of our home is legendary--they also inquired as to what condition the home was in specifically because of the renters. :D

So great day and now we're both tuckered from all the lugging. The dining room is again cluttered, as is the garage. Still, I wouldn't take back today for love or money.
--Proud member of the Industrious Cheapskate Club
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.

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awomanwithahammer
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by awomanwithahammer »

Good picking! That's really great, and I'm glad you were able to score some things you needed, in addition to some maybe not needed but wanted.
Bonnie

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Lily left the valley
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by Lily left the valley »

awomanwithahammer wrote:Good picking! That's really great, and I'm glad you were able to score some things you needed, in addition to some maybe not needed but wanted.
Thanks, Bonnie. I honestly feel like a bandit even though I know how house clean outs can be--all that leftover stuff after the family takes what they want/need. Everything will be put to good use. I also helped them out grabbing some of the things we didn't need, but I knew who likely would want it, so I'm going to do my best to get most of the contents of those two boxes to other homes this upcoming week. There were a few baskets in them I'll use for certain, and I think some glassware if I'm remembering right too.

In all honesty, except for the two boxes they were curb siding anyway, we were very careful about what we said "yes" to. I know how easy it is to get caught up in that whirlwind of "we just want it gone", and that's why I'll be making sure to re-home the items that need it quickly. One of the neatest items we got was a "pie" dish that has a top that looks like a woven pie. We had looked at a similar themed one at PYCA, but since we don't make pies often, had waited on it, and when went back it had sold. Also, this one is handmade at the local pottery place by our now former neighbor! How neat is that?

The only downside to all the time we spent on that today meant the stove still isn't finished. I'm doing that tomorrow come hell or high water.
--Proud member of the Industrious Cheapskate Club
--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.

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awomanwithahammer
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by awomanwithahammer »

Lily left the valley wrote: We did finally make a decision about the chifforobe. We are going to sell it. When we bought it, we did so thinking that since we were looking to buy an old house that we would likely need it due to lack of closets. Truth be told, we were very lucky with Beebe because we have oodles of original closet and built-in storage space. The lady at PYCA may have a buyer, and if he doesn't buy it, we are toying with the idea of trying to sell both the vanity and the chifforobe as a set (from what she said, he likely won't want both, but we'll still ask). I love the vanity as well, but we feel bad breaking the set if we don't have to, and again...although it feels rather luxurious to have one again, I don't really need it. Deciding this was not easy, I admit, but we both feel it's for the best. We're planning to put the funds towards the insulation, as we would like to get the first between the floor/ceiling? joists layer done ASAP. We want it in place for when we have our assessment, and if our appointment gets bumped up, it'll be best to have that done sooner.

Lily, I know it was tough making the decision to let it go, but honestly, I think it will free up the part of your brain that has been worrying about the logistics of getting it upstairs. Then you can worry about something else, like the sump pump, the stove, the siding, etc....
Bonnie

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Lily left the valley
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by Lily left the valley »

awomanwithahammer wrote:Lily, I know it was tough making the decision to let it go, but honestly, I think it will free up the part of your brain that has been worrying about the logistics of getting it upstairs. Then you can worry about something else, like the sump pump, the stove, the siding, etc....
Bonnie, those are wise words that I think I needed to hear. I hadn't even thought of that aspect, but you are right!
~~~
Meanwhile, I got a call this morning from the neighbor's daughter, and a few (yes, a few) more items made their way over today, including the cutest little bean pot ever and a Session art deco mantel clock that had been converted to a modern mechanism inside with battery power replacing the electric as well. Still looks great on the outside! We have no mantel, so right now it's safely resting on top of our media rack. (Image of pot has a juice glass for scale.)
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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by Lily left the valley »

While I was trying to put in a daily dose of weeding in the garage bed and near the compost, I heard someone start "Hello?"ing, and it took me a minute to realize it was the neighbor looking for me! We get so little company here.

Turns out the clock was promised to a grandchild in Colorado. She was a bit stressed and very apologetic about the mixup. I told her not to worry, I've dealt with the insanity of culling down house goods and fetched it straight away and put into her grateful hands. She was so glad that I was the one that had it, as she would have no idea how to track down where else it might have gone since she hadn't spoken to her daughter that I had gotten it from yesterday. I also told her what else we got just in case any of it was also promised and not noted, and it seems that was the only thing. I told her if there was anything she didn't recall right at that moment to let me know. I thought that was best since she seemed a bit tired and I'm sure has a lot on her mind.

I'm a bit sad to see it go, but I checked ebay, and all sorts of these clocks are available for a lot less than I thought they would be. Also, since we don't have a mantel, there's that reason to not be bummed. ;)
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--Currently pondering ways to encourage thoughtful restovation and discourage mindless renovation.

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Re: Beebe -- our 1935 Bungalow on Baker Street.

Post by Manalto »

A nice wall clock will turn up. (I know you have walls without even asking.)

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