A few weeks ago I wrote
about a historic home that is on the market. Yesterday my fella and I
attended the open house because it is a house on the tracks in Ashland which is
my main criteria. We’re looking and gaining information. Last
week when we attended an open house at another house on the tracks, we
discovered that we really want off-street parking especially for situations
like street cleaning when you absolutely have to move your car.
Yesterday’s
open house was for the Greek Revival *MacMurdo house* built in 1858 by the
Secretary-Treasurer of the RF&P Railroad. One of its historic notes is that
Stonewall Jackson stayed overnight at this house in 1862 while planning some
strategic attacks. Not exactly a spoiler alert but it didn't go so well.
Anyhow, I *think* I want a house with history but it
doesn’t necessarily have to be *historic* or infamous and certainly not
connected to war. The house was lovely and fun to see but didn't come with that
GWEEE-I-have-to-live-here feeling. My fella liked it and pointed out all the
gardening space and the giant magnolia and cedar trees... and hydrangeas…and,and,and….
There was even a gorgeously painted purple room. But, I just didn’t care for it
that much and it wasn't just the bathrooms! I mean, they were pretty bad. Three full baths but with only one tub... and that was a 1970s add-in that is a weird blue. The others were renovations of only showers and nothing to write home about. Bathrooms aside, I shrugged it off to *we love what we love and this didn't do it for
me* but my fella asked me to reflect so that we could count this as another
learning opportunity.
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| side yard |
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| backyard |
So I thought about it and thought about it and this
morning I woke with vertigo. That isn’t so weird for me because I have Ménière's
disease which is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect balance among
other things. But then I noticed that I was a bit congested… we’ve had rain and
I am terribly allergic to nature at times *sigh* but then my fella pointed out
how he kept sneezing when he was inside the MacMurdo house. AND, I have a weird
maybe-I’m-getting-a-fever-blister feeling… so we determined that the category
that we must add to our list (which seems like a no brainer but one that is extremely
important) is house energy. Yeah, yeah, yeah... that borderlines on Woo Woo but
throughout my life I have been somewhat of an empath having other people’s
negative energy bring me down. We’ve all experienced places that give us the heebie
jeebies for one reason or another. I’m not going to go as far and say that the
MacMurdo house did that… but for sure, its energy and my energy did not mesh
well.
And because I try to be somewhat respectful, I never take pictures inside of these homes. Fortunately because it is on the market, others have documented photos.
Oh, exciting! Are you looking for a new house? I think it looked great but as you say, the house have to speak in a welcoming way. The sneezing of your man while inside the house seems alarming, it was maybe mold somewhere? My house and I doesn't work together at all. It wasn't appealing when I bought it etiher but it was in the right neighbourhood and the kids where having their own rooms. In fact we had troubles with ghosts. Not as much now as it was the first years. Wibes are very important.
ReplyDeleteWe're in the process of selling his townhome. Then we'll really start saving for one. This is all part of our future plan. I've always had to have 5 year plans :p
DeleteOh goodness we hadn't even thought of mold... We assumed dust but I didn't want to be impolite and post that considering someone still lives there... But you're right, my sinuses are completely messed up today so that makes sense.
Yeah, I understand about the right area and rooms for all. I'm almost afraid to ask what kind of troubles you've had with ghosts :-/
That's a pretty house. But seems pricey for iffy bathrooms and bad mojo. Onward and the Best of Searching for you and yours.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a bit overpriced for the area but I think they're expecting folks to pay for Civil War history. There is a nice Victorian Queen Anne not too far from this one that because of renovations has priced itself out of the market. I joke (since we don't plan to move for a few years) that this could be our future home since it's already sat on the market for over a year. And that one has renovations too!
DeleteFirst impressions and reactions are VERY important! With houses, and with humans, things aren't right unless they FEEL right. We can try to convince ourselves that we SHOULD like something (or someone), but that little voice in our gut will always have the last word.
ReplyDeleteI think I already told you about the experience that I had here in our house with a psychic friend of ours. There are spirits here (none that I have ever seen or felt), they are all kind, and they want to be here with us. Maybe that's why I felt at home here since the first moment I walked in the door. Still feel that way.
I hope someone smudges that house!
ReplyDelete