Emerson Hadley House

[mjt]

More nearly-finished projects are getting completed: Study Bath Update. Painted the wood work and stripped and re-painted the radiator.

[Gothichome]

MJ, the pewter colour works well on that radiator.

[mjt]

Last weekend I finished varnishing the front door. Today we planted annuals in all the normal beds. And the mason has been making good progress on the tuck pointing and other brick work on the south wall. Assuming he gets done next week, we'll be on the market next weekend. It's been fun and it's time for someone else to act as steward for this house.

Short version of the story is that we realized it's just the two of us bumping around in this big house. We were on a 3-5 year plan for downsizing and a number of other things fell into place that sped up the timeline, resulting in us buying 13 acres just outside of a historic town that's now a third ring suburb of our metro area and about 20 miles from where we are now.

[Lily left the valley]

Last weekend I finished varnishing the front door. Today we planted annuals in all the normal beds. And the mason has been making good progress on the tuck pointing and other brick work on the south wall. Assuming he gets done next week, we'll be on the market next weekend. It's been fun and it's time for someone else to act as steward for this house.

Short version of the story is that we realized it's just the two of us bumping around in this big house. We were on a 3-5 year plan for downsizing and a number of other things fell into place that sped up the timeline, resulting in us buying 13 acres just outside of a historic town that's now a third ring suburb of our metro area and about 20 miles from where we are now.

Well, 13 acres certainly sounds like a new adventure!

It's been fun following along on your progress since I joined this site, and I hope the change brings you both a new sort of happiness.

[Gothichome]

MJ, the time has come, it will come for us at some time as well.
All your work and stewardship should be an inspiration for all old home owners. The next caretakers will have little to do but enjoy.
So you are becoming a gentleman farmer now? Does the property have an old home? If not, what will you do with all the spare time?

[mjt]

It'll certainly be an adventure different from my (and our) previous ones.

My first house was built in 1949. I didn't always know what I was doing, but learned a lot. Ten years later and all in the same summer, we planned our wedding, sold both of our houses, and built a new McMansion in the suburbs. Then we gave all that up move back into the city and tackle Farrington. It's been a fun adventure and I'll miss it. There are still things for the next steward to do and I feel good about what we've done to make progress toward getting it to where it should be,

The new place was built in 1986 and we purchased it from the original owners. We have a little remodeling to do (really an addition to get the bedrooms the way we want them). I know my skillset and this is beyond it, so we're hiring it out. Even with the addition it will be less than half the size of Farrington. This place is all about the land rather than the home. It's considerably more relaxing, which is a good thing for both of us I think. And the dogs like it too. They go to bed tired whenever we've been out there.

I wouldn't say I'm becoming a gentleman farmer, but the new place did come with a barn and a tractor - both the lawn type and the real type... We have a small fruit orchard and berry patches, along with some woods and meadows. I may re-work one of the meadows into native prairie. She Who Must be Obeyed wanted a water view, which was hard to find at a reasonable price. This place came with a pool, so I guess I'm the pool boy now...

And wildlife. Over the past few weeks: more deer than I can count, Bald Eagles, Pileated Woodpeckers, Turkeys, Sandhill Cranes, and a red fox.

[Lily left the valley]

Your new landscape sounds lovely, and I promise not to hold your new home's age against it.

I hope the addition goes well, and the transition from old to newer is a smooth one. I'm sure you'll share pictures when time allows. Moves are always a bit hectic!

[mjt]

Started a new thread for the new house. See "Retriever Ridge"...

[mjt]

It's been a busy week. One of the local newspapers is running a story about the house. (Story contains a typo - the front door doesn't weigh 400 pounds.) And we've accepted an offer.

Construction on the other house has started (see Retriever Ridge thread).

[Gothichome]

Well, with such a glowing write up in the paper it just had to sell quickly. You will miss the place for a while Matt! With all the effort you’ve put into it. Especially when you on hour two on the lawn mower