Monday, January 13, 2014

This Old House

I like homes with character. The Greek Revival/Antebellum style makes me feel like I've stepped back in time, just looking at a farmhouse with a wraparound porch makes me feel relaxed, and Victorian homes are just extremely elegant. So when I moved into the top half of an old Victorian home, I was a happy camper. Now, exactly six months later, I'm still enjoying most of what I encounter here, and just write down the rest so that I have fodder for any future writing pursuits. Here are some of my favorite anomalies:

1.) There are eight doors in this house and only one closes properly. The other seven do not shut because they have bad hinges, no longer fit in the frame because of house settling, or have original yet non-working latches. Oh, and that one door that closes properly is not the bathroom door.

2.) I'm pretty sure there's a mouse living in the walls behind my refrigerator. 

3.) There are sparrows living in my air conditioner units.

4.) Late last week I encountered the following plumbing situation: I got cold and lukewarm water from the kitchen sink, hot and warm water from the bathtub, and no water from the bathroom sink. They're all on the same line. 

5.) My landlord brought over a washer and dryer for my apartment. The first time we tested the water, the pressure caused a pipe to break at the elbow, causing the pipe to shoot across the room as water flooded the room. There's an electric outlet right next to the pipe. It's a miracle we weren't electrocuted.

Anyways, in spite of the fact that I have used colorful language to describe this house on more than one occasion, I'm blessed with very kind landlords and am perfectly situated when it comes to the locations of work, big cities, and recreation. So for the time being, I'm doing my best to enjoy my quirky Victorian house, which is now complete with a fluffy cat that sits on chairs in sunbeams.