Our little craftsman cottage, built in 1924, is 100 years old this year. I was looking at some maps from that era and trying to imagine what it must have been like in Seattle, in this neighborhood in 1924. Who built the house, did they do it on speculation or for themselves? There are some really cool historical photos online of the neighborhood in general, and we have this beauty from the WPA Land Use Survey in 1936.
This weekend I was weeding along the fence line and a truck pulled up with these gentlemen in it. They said, “We used to live here. Did you raise it up?” We used to get mail for them, so I knew their names when they told me: Steve and Jim. Steve used to use the garage as his artists studio, and was glad to hear that it is still used as such. They said they had a little wood stove in the living room and they kept the house warm with that, and that they had enclosed the porch for extra warmth. It was so fun to get a little bit of backstory, and they remarked on the big changes, especially to the yard.
Speaking of big changes, this is also the month of our ten year anniversary of lifting the house! I remember writing somewhere long ago on this blog that we hoped we would be done in a year or two, but I also acknowledged that there was a lot of mystery to the process. Reviewing the posts about waiting for our permit or our excavation contractor, or Morgan realizing that he had to hand-dig what our excavation contractor missed, I am aware of how much we have learned about process and patience. Truthfully, once I got a new kitchen and we were able to move downstairs, it was all worth it. Getting a toilet back inside the house felt amazing, and getting one that actually had a door we could close was even better. A big upstairs bathroom will be luxurious when we finally get to it, but we have all we need. Nothing like living in privation to bring home how sweet heat and indoor plumbing are!
We were hoping to tackle the big remaining piece of indoor work this year (that upstairs bathroom and laundry room), but circumstances did not line up for that to happen. It would have been so neat and tidy to finish our permits at the ten year mark, but life is so rarely neat and tidy. Perhaps we will be able to wrap it up by year 12, and move on to just fiddling and fixing and “stretch goals” and enjoying it. Heck, we are already enjoying it, so that’s a big win.
Happy Birthday 8824! Deepest gratitude for your shelter, your teachings, your protection, and for letting us alter you so significantly. You have been an excellent container for our family, and we love you. We have occupied you for nearly a quarter of your life, and somewhere around half of ours- or in Huck’s case, his whole life! We hope our attentions mean you will last another 100 years, and that we get to enjoy many of those with you.
Hammershack Report 