The family farmhouse next door has been standing empty since the folks vacated last November. Since then Ruby and I have been watching over, along with Badger the cat, who managed to survive the long, cold winter living on (and sometimes under) the front porch.

As de facto caretakers we’ve all (cat and humans) taken over with basic maintenance needs — winterizing, summerizing, lawn care, mouse control, house cleaning, activating the sump pump when necessary, and so on. It’s a lot of work, but we’re enjoying this new addition to the 8PF operational mission. Most of the house contents have been offered up for sale, but plenty remains, including old tools, artifacts, odds and ends… plus a family archive (photos, scrap albums, etc.) that Ruby and I are combing through in search of good material. Some of it is going on the walls and shelves, some we’re setting aside for research purposes (another blog pending, stay tuned!).

The goal now is to rent the place, if possible, maybe through AirBnB. Step 1 is repairs, and I’ll be posting pix and notes (successes and failures) as I go. Today I plucked plaster from the living room ceiling, which is buckling in two spots. The flashing over the kitchen wood stove needs help too. Eventually a new roof. Painting inside and out. The house is a mainstay of the original farmstead, built in the 1870s, we think, by the Class Classon family. Pretty old, in other words, and showing its age.

Look for the “Old House” category in coming months for more on this exciting new project!