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Randall, thanks lots of interesting things in your post.
I was impressed by your college. You went to university before me and yet your school got terminals and you could store programs in the mainframe, that is cool. At least you got your dropped punch cards in your history as well!!
While in college when on Summer Break or Holidays and some weekends, I worked on restoring an old Victorian House in Los Angeles on a famous street Carroll Avenue.
It takes a lot of love to restore these old homes, my hat off to you for doing most of the work yourself. I know there is plenty that has to be done. I just did a search to find the house I worked so much on, it seems the original owners I worked for sold it. http://www.you-are-here.com/victorian/russell.html The paint scheme is the same as when I originally stripped the very many old layers and painted. Luckily, they used to use the house for many tv shows and movies, and while I had stripped the house and painted the Front and Left side, a paint crew from the movie studios came with a zillion guys and finished the rest of the house for a movie. I was so relieved. Working on homebuilt wood scaffolding at those heights was very nerve racking to say the least.
I grew up in Canton and have been of course through Middlefield. You have a pretty good commute then from PA to there. I used to drive from Canton to Ravenna, but that was only 45 minutes.
Anyways glad you are here with us on this fine forum and community, it is the best I have ever been on that is for sure!
Petr Schreiber
13-10-2007, 09:40
Hi guys,
thanks for information - Victorian houses are classic horror setting, aren't you afraid working on them :) ?
Petr
Petr, you are right they can be scary. The first summer I worked on the house, it was really old and creepy. The owners only had 2 rooms in the whole house that were useable, and they went on vacation they asked if I would stay at the house as they were worried about vandalism as the house was very easy to get in too. I tell you it was scary trying to sleep there... the shadows from the trees at night from the city lights and or moon, were just creepy and all the noises an old house makes like that, let alone worrying if some crazy California cult was going to come in and use the house for a ritual. I will never forget the stay there that is for sure. Luckily no ghosts or anything other than my imagination scaring me that week!
Victorian houses are classic horror setting, aren't you afraid working on them :) ?
When I first read this, I didn't quite know what you meant. I took it that you were referring to old houses being a nightmare to work on. Its true an old house can have many problems, including many hidden problems that reveal themselves as you get into what you thought was going to be a simple project. For example, the house we bought had been vacant for several years, when we had the water turned on, we discovered the house had several broken water pipes. I had to completely tear out the upstairs bathroom to get to the pipes. This wasn't too much of a problem as I had to tear out the bathroom anyway to convert it into an upstairs laundry room. I converted an unused upstairs bedroom into a bathroom, which gives us a much larger bathroom, and I built in a nice tiled shower.
Every time prior when the wife and I went looking for a house, I was adamant about not buying an old house because I knew how much trouble they can be. But the wife loves old Victorian houses, so I gave in on this one. The house already had the old electrical wiring replaced and much of the plumbing, and it seemed to be in decent shape, so I took a chance to please the wife. So far, it has worked out ok.
As far as ghosts or such things.... nope, none so far.
Michael Hartlef
14-10-2007, 18:06
Oh man, nice thing to look out for. :) We plan on settlement in a few years in the states and I know that Katherine would love such a house. :-\
Petr Schreiber
14-10-2007, 19:14
I meant it in "ghost danger" way,
I'm sorry for unclear expression :)
Petr