Back on Grandpa's ol' Homestead

[primsong]

I had a more unusual Memorial Day event than usual this year... went out early this time and got my flowers on one set of grandparents graves then drove to the little farm town where my other grandparents now reside beneath the grasses. Beautiful day, couldn't ask for better. In a fine mood, I decided to pop over the hill to the little town of Roy itself to see if the old general store they used to run was still standing. It was, though it turns out it's been rented out as a residence which was a little weird (you look in the old store front and see someone's piano and fern, etc. behind the old 7-up sign) but it was kind of funky too... and across the street from it a lady worked in the front yard of the house that once was my grandparents' home.

Fun thing was we ended up talking about the history of the store and the house, then I asked if I might peek around the back yard (grandma's garden used to be there) then she invited us in! I'd never thought I would ever set foot in that house again...hadn't been there for 20 years, since it was sold after grandma died. So many memories! My grandparents were the center of their community for many, many years and these folks said every time people in the area found out where they lived, the reply was always "Oh yes! You live in Spud & Irene's old house!" Even after all these years. (Grandpa's name was Julius, but he went by Spud all his life).

It was the most wonderful afternoon, just lovely people - my daughter started playing their piano and the husband ran to the other room and returned with a mandolin to jam with her. They played and laughed, I gave the dog a good scrubbing behind the ears and the lady grilled me on memories of the house and what it was like - seems they want to gradually restore it to its original form, as over the intervening years someone added various cheap built-in cabinets and 'updates' that really don't fit in. I can't even express how wonderful it is to find my grandparent's home being in such loving hands. They invited us back, asked for pictures of what it was like in the past - we've just made new friends and all because of a burst of nostalgia on a sunny day.

Comments

[primsong.livejournal.com]

I love old stories families have - enjoy that book! I think it's wonderful he wrote them down for you.

And yes, it's *very* cool to find them wanting to restore it. They shook their heads over the 'weird things' the previous people had done to the interior (her bright little sewing room, for instance, was painted a bright blood red on the walls - a bit of a shocker - they're working on changing stuff like that) I asked if the old doorbell was still there and they said "no, there's just a wire sticking out of the wall." - so I described the wood case with its long brass tubes that sounded like Westminster bells and she brightened up "Oh! There's something like that down in the basement...!" :-D

Meanwhile her husband is saying "Were there swinging doors to the kitchen? I found what looks like it should have been a hinge under this new flooring. How tall were they? Do you remember the color?" (My brother and I played with those doors endlessly - wild west saloon moments - oh yeah!)

We definitely going back once I find the old pics of what the exterior looked like. They're working on pulling off the cheap vinyl siding and restoring the wood right now.