I am the last person on earth to be sentimental over a house! I have lived in so many over my last 36 years that I find it odd that I am so attached to this one. When I see this house every emotion across the spectrum comes up in me! I have had many splendid times in this house, but I have also been at the deepest depth of despair. And the interesting thing is it involved all the same characters from my highest to my lowest moments. I have always had someone to share my wide arrange of emotions with, so I know this doesn't just effect me.
I lived in this house for almost 3 years. A lot happened here. Eventually we had to rent it out to move on to bigger and better things. Another military couple rented it and emailed me to tell me how much they absolutely love living there! Of course they did- the house was just about perfect! But, after a year, they decided that the utilities bills were just too much for their family. The summer months are really over the top for sure! I can't blame them. So they are moving on-post to save themselves the extra costs of utilities which can top $400 in summer.
So this lovely house sits and waits.....for a week! Until a potential renter comes in and say I would love this house if only the owner would spend $4000 on a couple of upgrades ..........................................................................................................................
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....................................................... we say, OK! We just love this house and what it represents to us and the time we lived there. There are many other who agree that they have received a lot of counseling/fun/support on that back porch alone. But this house is filled with awesomeness just at it is.
Oh, how I miss it!!!
We live in hill country so all the yards are terraced. We dug out our front terrace and planted all kinds of wild things. I am sure they are beautiful now.
This is my most beloved back porch! Oh, I miss it so bad!!! We installed a ceiling fan so we could try to be could during the summer but it didn't work that well. We also extended the porch in the half circle that Keith and I worked on together for a whole weekend, along with staining the concrete on the porch. I look at this picture and almost want to cry. I feel like my whole life happened on this back porch. Extreme happiness to the bottom deep sadness. And in the end, we are all OK.
To the right of the back porch and under our Master Bedroom windows, we created a splendid garden bed. For a couple of weekends we went out and collected this flat rock from sites that were being cultivated for new homes. It was plentiful even though scorpions and ants lived under every single one. We collected enough to build these beds plus more for food growing. The kids loved creating something to call their own.
We got crazy and built all sorts of raised beds in our backyard and had dump trunks deliver dirt so we could start our own garden. This was just the beginning!
My beautiful Master with everything that matters to me most! I wish I could recreate this in my German house. This is the bed I will die in--- plain and simple! I love it and guaranteed Keith the last bed he will ever buy. I love the bench at the end and found this nifty deal right outside of Austin. I have my two original paintings from our Buenos Aires, Argentina trip and most importantly, I have a great place for my daughter, Brittlyn, art to be displayed on the left. It is a picture of her father holding her as a baby!! Priceless!!!
The 12 foot ceilings might make me a little misty eyed also...
It's a shame I hardly ever used this tub! But I did use the 2 walk-in closets on either side of it!
This was my dining room with a bay window. I had great plans for this room, but time and the Army plan made it so I could finish it out. I still love it!
I wish I had more great pictures of my kitchen because it was pretty much AWESOME! A million cabinets, top of the line stainless steel appliances, 2 refrigerators, granite countertops, walk-in pantry, and I upgraded the garbage disposal so it could grind femurs! But this happens to be a picture of my living room with the upgraded fireplace and chocolate brown paint! Lovely!
And all that nonsense I talked about before with my kitchen, well here it is! Straight ahead is the door to the garage (which I miss here in Germany!). The door to the left is the MONSTER walk in food panty and to the right is the best refrigerator on the market! The extra fridge is straight ahead in the laundry room.
Is this fireplace to die for or what?
One of the youth bedrooms is painted the lightest pink possible and decorated for a smart upcoming young woman. There are 3 Youth bedrooms total and the Master on the opposite side of the house for the utmost privacy.
This is the view of the front door when you are in the living room. The wall colors are chocolate brown and cream.
I love this house though every month we lose a good chuck of cash renting it out verses selling it. We just aren't ready to do so and hope that everyone that crosses its threshold will find the company and friends just as intriguing and healing as we do!
YOu know who you are!!
Our lives will never be the same!
I've often felt this way about houses before too and I really miss my house in Ohio that we had built. I don't miss Ohio... but I do miss that house... ;)
Posted by: Holli | 12/28/2010 at 07:49 PM