Maintenance: Preventative and Repairs

In September and October at the Molette House, we focused on completing systems and repair work, continuing work on custom furniture, and beginning in earnest the process of decorating the house for the March 15th open house! We finally found a washer and dryer that we liked, that fit in the available space, and that was available locally. We have learned that when it comes to appliances, it is always best to buy locally so that they can be repaired as needed. When our range broke awhile back the only repair person who could fix it was located north of Birmingham and traveled the state in sections, so we had to wait a couple of months for him to make his way to central Alabama. With the new washer and dryer, we ordered it from the Sears in Selma, and they delivered and installed it, and assured us they would repair it as needed! The space we have in the laundry room is narrow, so we had to get a slightly smaller size than we wanted, and it only came in white, but we still love it. Eleanor does at least one load of laundry per day, so it is quickly becoming our favorite appliance! Our outstanding furniture maker Marty Weck completed work on the farm table for the kitchen, and it looks phenomenal. He took boards left from the original house, including some floorboards from the attic, and made the table from scratch. Working from only a photograph we provided, he and his assistant Steve did an outstanding job making us a new-old farm table for the kitchen! The cotton continued to grow well in the fields and makes the house look very picturesque. We love having cotton in the field, but honestly, the bare fields of winter don’t bother us. Most evenings we take a ride around the Bend and stop by to see our favorite neighboring horse, Buck, who lives in a pasture nearby with his mother Annie and another horse named Cowboy. The wildlife has been out in full force, with dozens of turkeys in the fields, with coyotes howling at night, with wild pigs moving through the woods, with deer visiting the house every evening, and with barred owls calling. For continued inspiration relative to decorating the house we visited a Southern Living Showhouse in Serenbe, Georgia, and came away with some good ideas for furniture, rugs, and window treatments. Of course, since that is a new house with all the modern amenities, it is not quite the challenge of renovating and updating an existing 200-year-old house, but it was still a pleasant trip. Eleanor is focusing on fabrics, window treatments, upholstery, and all manner of decorating challenges. We are also ordering permanent shades for the windows to replace the paper shades we have now. With 42 windows in the house, it is quite the endeavor! In preparation for fall planting, we have ordered lots of bulbs from Old House Gardens heirloom bulbs. We ordered 200 Carlton daffodil bulbs, which were first available in 1927, are very hardy and spread easily. David has the task of planting them in the woods nearby, where Hershey and Joey are buried. We hope they will bring us a measure of beauty and good memories for years to come! All in all, September and October were pleasant, the country was peaceful, and work continues on track to get everything ready for the Selma Pilgrimage on March 15th. We can hardly wait!