This Old House

PBS has a wonderful show that has been on the air now for many years showcasing homes that are in the process of being remodeled or updated.  It has been a favorite of mine for many reasons, the least of which is that these old homes just have so much character that one doesn't feel in the newer homes of today.

Just before I was born some years ago now, my parents moved into the "stately" mansion they have lived in ever since.  My mother's brothers thought my parents were crazy for buying such an overpriced home when they bought it, but my parents would soon be expecting a sixth child, and the previous residence just wasn't big enough or on a safe enough street for their young kids.

Well, this grand old home has and continues to serve the family well.  My parents saw their family expand to a total of eight kids, nineteen grandchildren, and soon a second great grand child from this home.  The old homestead has seen its share of activity over the years too, what with birthday parties, Christmas and Easter celebrations, weddings and wedding showers, baby showers and a whole host of other social gatherings.  The memories are endless.

However, in all that time, there have been only a few sad occasions that have "graced" the hallowed halls we call home.  My grandfather died here in his later years and recently my parents passed away in the very rooms where we all used to gather and listen to bedtime stories.

A house may be an inanimate object but it's remarkable, even a house has a personality.  However, what makes a house a home is the family that lives within, and that's how it gets its life blood.  If only the walls could talk, what a story they would tell.

Even with the stress of the circumstances, this old house stood up to the challenge.  We had 25-30 people in residence, eating, sleeping, and bathing for that week, and it survived.  Granted, it had been tested on a number occasions beforehand, but she endured the test yet again.

When one of my friends said to me after entering for the first time, "now this is a house that has been lived in", I knew exactly what he meant.  There is no place like home, but you have to breathe life into it first!