Tonights Thoughts

    Hope that everyone had a good week. Mine was actually quite busy. My grandmother who is 86 fell again over two weeks ago. This was the four fall she has had in the past year that has caused us to have to take her to the hospital. This time she broke her hip and since our local hospital doesn't have a orthopedic doctor she had to be taken 30 miles down the road to the next hospital where she had to wait in the emergency room for 24 hours for a bed to open up. They ended up performing a partial hip replacement on her, and she has been moved to a nursing care facility for recovery.

    However in her absence my 88 year old grandfather has been left home alone. His mind in the past year has been fading away fast and is forgetting many things. The most shocking one for me is that he can't remember his home address anymore and when he is being asked he is telling people the address of his childhood home. One thing you should know about my grandfather is that he has always been his own handyman and fixed things when they needed fixed even if he was doing it completely wrong.

    My grandparents home is on the outskirts of town in the country, and because of that they have a septic tank. At some point of time my grandfather decided to remove his kitchen sink and washing machine from the septic system, and opted to run it into the floor drains in the basement that drains into the wooded backyard. So because of this when that drainage system backed up this week we found ourselves dealing with a huge mess. The washing machine water back up and came out through the kitchen sink, where it overflowed and flooded the kitchen which then inter seeped though the floor and flooded half of the basement.

    The little feel of what our normal life was once upon a time before covid presented itself a little to me on Thursday when I was able to take a ride outside of my new normal surrounding area and I traveled to the neighboring county to run my grandmothers personal things to the nursing home which are all closed for visitation. But since I was there I ended up stopping at Hallmark and picking up my mom's Christmas ornament. After I left that store and was getting in my car to head home I saw that there was a Hobby Lobby that had open up since the last time I was there and I treated myself to some silk succulent greenery and a planter so I can make a arrangement to sit on my sink as well as a beautiful floor lantern that I ended up putting into my meditation room. Rest assured I did try to be safe and I still practiced social distancing as well as I wore my mask and carried my hand sanitizer with me.

Here's to a good and calm weekend that is uneventful!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Peace Thoughs

Good morning beautiful world! Here are more quotes to think on!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Movie Night

    Since I currently have more time then I would have if I was working, I have been able to watch different films I had never seen before. Here are a few of my recent movie night list.

Has anyone else been having movie night and staying in? Any recommendations of movies I should add to watch list?

Yours truly,
Nicklas

I spy something with my little eye?

    Here are the three fireplaces on my first floor! And I spy with my little eye only one of them is original? I spy with my little eye one that has been refaced? I spy with my little eye one that was never there at all? Can you figure out which is which?

#1. This one is is done in a Renaissance revival style with a hand carved fresco going up the wall. It has handmade crackle tile from Italian using white sand found in the Mediterranean Sea!

#2. This one is in the drawing room and it done in a Italianate style. This one is done on a massive scale and is over six feet tall and has the feel of a old library of a castle. It has burgundy arts and crafts style tile where if you look close you can see old soot that had been baked into the crevasses from cozy night fires of years gone by.

#3. This delicate beauty is really something special isn't she. It is only about four feet wide and is located in the main parlor. It is done in a classic federal style, and has built in candle shelf above the mantle level. It features flutted columns with intricately hand carved capitals in addition to other finally crafted details. It has beautiful Victorian French tile that just takes your breath away.

Any guesses which one is which? The clock is ticking! Tick toke, tick toke....

DRUMROLL PLEASE, THE

ANSWERS ARE!

The fully original one is fireplace #3

The one that has been refaced is fireplace #2

And the one that never even there is fireplace #1

Did you guess right?

When making changes to a old house I feel it is honorable to try to make it blend.

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Positive Thoughts

    These are a few positive quotes I found to be uplifting. Whether or not we think we need it sometime a little self reflecting is a pathway to happiness, and I personaly like to surround myself with positive energy. What are some quotes that you find strength in?

Yours truly,
Nicklas

Making a Entry

    One of the best ways I think to set the feel of walking back in time in a old house is the when you turn a door knob or ring a bell with authentic hardware. I am lucky to still have all my original doors and since the front door was never used in the past 60 years by the various owners the original hardware survived! The front entre had been moved from the greeting parlor after the addition of the Italianate tower on the northwest corner of the house which houses the grand foyer. This change happened in 1902 after the house was moved to it present location and they opted to use all eastlake style hardware inside and out all throughout the addition. Just think of all the visitors who's hands used these over the years. I will also say how they are a true testament high quality since they are still holding up just as strong as the day they were installed.

Yours truly,
Nicklas

Love Life?

    Lets get one thing clear my love life is presently nonexistent. Mind you I am not desperate for love and I am comfortable being alone. However I have been thinking for quite some time that maybe the answer for me to find love might be to look to the world wide web. One of my best friends is wanting me to sign up for Tinder; partly so she can take control of my phone and swipe left or right on different guys trying to find that Mr. Right. Other friends have suggested me to use Grindr, however this is definitely not a app for me personally as a hopeless romantic looking for something more serious. When push comes to shove there are so many apps out there as well as other ways you can meet someone else online.

    I know a few different success stories from family and friends that have taken this leap of faith. There are two that immediately comes to mind for me in particular. The first is a family member who meet his second wife after getting over a nasty divorce on Christian Mingle and I will say she is perfect for him. The second one is a family friend that meet her husband through Youtube on the other side of the world. So by seeing them first hand I know it is possible, yet I still have this mental hesitation I need to overcome.

    I am a very private person by nature and I was always taught growing up that you don't put anything personal about yourself online. Yet I know that the right guy isn't going to just one day come up and knock on my door. Although in a way that would be nice wouldn't it? Since this is such a abnormal time we are all living in thanks to the global pandemic I am wondering if maybe now would be the time to give it a go. I feel that maybe since you can actual go out and meet someone face to face then perhaps this would be a perfect way to really get to know that person for a longer time and establish trust. Plus thanks to face chats and other communication platforms I somehow know that this might also spare me from kissing a few frogs in the hope of finding a prince.

    The next question is to ask myself what am I looking for in a potential relationship. Well for starters I want him to have the same feelings when it comes to family as I do and for him to be understanding of the fact that I have a career which takes up a lot of my time and keeps me rooted close to home. I would also want to see that he is dedicated to whatever makes him happy as well. I also love a sense of humor that might bring out the playful side of me since most of the time I am a really serious person. I need to also know that he can be serious when necessary and be real with me.

    The couple that I mentioned who meet on Christian Mingle told me something when I went out for dinner with them that has stuck with me. They told me that when they first meet they actual dove right into the serious questions that aren't exactly the normal ones you might ask on a first date. For that couple it built a instant level of trust and understanding on where both of them intended for the relationship to go. This might sound intense to some but for me it sounds ideal. I think by being so bold upfront in the beginning it makes it that neither party feels lead on the other one as well as no one feels that their wasting time on a relationship that won't amount to anything in the future.

    I am curious about what are other peoples thoughts? And if I should try? I will say I have begun to fancy someone I follow online and ask myself if I might fester up the courage to maybe message them. The worse case scenario is just rejection or being ghosting right?

Yours truly,

Nicklas

Early Morning Start

    As the national numbers increase and more and more cases are being diagnosed locally, I am still bunkering down. I have been wearing my mask diligently and practicing social distancing. But to avoid the crowds I took the advice from my aunt and tried to go to the grocery store first thing when they opened today. She was right, there wasn't really anyone there! 

    It was nice to see that most people shopping at that time were wearing masks, although many had them on incorrectly. In my state the governor issued now two executive orders on mask wearing. The first one had mandated indoor mask wearing, but the second one expanded the order to now even include outdoor settings. So for me this is a simple black and white ruling. In my area though I  have had to explain to multiple adults I know who think that the word "required" is a synonym for the word "requested." I don't understand this think process; is it a question of ignorance, or is this the intelligence level of all these people who's first language is English. 

    I also heard a story that I wasn't saddened surprised to hear today. So after the grocery story I stopped into the local hardware store. I got taking with one of the member of their management team who told me of a major problem they had. They have been normal seeing about 300-400 people a day and because of the area they have been having major backlash over enforcing mask wearing. So one day they had a man that entered without a mask and the cashier had to tell him he needed a mask to coming into the store. What did he do? Well, he actually pulled a gun on the cashier and the line of customers in the checkout. Why is it that this sounds justifiable to some? Lucky no one was harmed but he ran out before the authorities could be dispatched and they were unable to identify this man so no charges could of been placed.

    On a happier note, since I was up so early I opted to make a fruit salad for breakfast! I used fresh strawberries, blueberrys, grapes, and oranges!

Yours truly,

Nicklas

New Bloom!

    I am so excited that my yucca flower bloomed this year! This is only the second time it bloomed for me since I planted it, but since my house is so tall its steam grows taller then it normally would making it extremely top heavy. Lucky I looked ahead and saw they were calling for heavy rain and added a stack to tie it up, and it survived the storm!

Your truly,

Nicklas

Where did the day go?

    Let me tell you, my day started early and only just ended. I had to get my car inspected and get a oil change, go to the grocery store, run my sister across town so she could work with my grandmother on old family history records, and then went and helped my mom sand and stain part of her deck for about six hours in full sun. It felt so nice to come in and get cleaned up, as well as cool down in the air conditioning. I will tell you without a doubt that I'm look forward to a restful sleep!

Yours truly,
Nicklas

Color Becomes Cozy

    This quote can refer to a lot of thing, but what I am going to talk about is the use of paint color. Color is a huge component of a mood of a room. It can change thought the day, and look very different under artificial lighting. I personally like to use a lot of drab jewel tones colors in my own home. For one reason I opt for this choice is for a historical feel, and secondly by using darker colors in a large room with huge windows it make a space feel a lot more cozy. There is nothing nutral about my walls and ceiling for that matter, not to say there is anything wrong with a good nutral pallet. But I encourage people to try to venture out of their comfort zone and try to use color!  I always get a reaction from my neighbors who  stop in and are amazed at the color combinations.

Your truly,
Nicklas

This is my is the room I use as my living room. It was originally referred to as the drawing room, and is located in between the formal parlor and dining room. It had a servent passage that once lead back to the butlers pantry off the kitchen.

Before Renovating

    Before you even start demo, you should have a clear roadmap on what the finished product will look like. As well as be able to actual execute your vision, whether that be just financially or if you are a DIY person within your ability.

Here are are few things I always consider when I design my space.

1. What is the primary function of the room?
2. Who will use this space?
3. What is the budget?
4. Will the design allow for flow and functionality?
5. Does it feel like home?
6. Will it fit the rest of the house?
7. How will this affect the house equity?
8. Is it going to be to trendy and become dated quickly?
9. What the quality of the buildings materials and will they hold up for years to come?
10. Will it be beautiful?

    Now I may be odd in still believing in that "forever home," but for me I have no intention of ever moving. Because of this I also consider my future and think about where life may take me. I have designed my master suite for the idea of maybe a partner, I bought a home with extra bedrooms so there would be room to welcome new life, I ran empty electrical conduit to empty junktion boxs near entertainment areas throughout the house so things can change behind the walls as technology progresses with time, and for when I am older or if my physical abilities would fail I have placed behind the walls additional framing so that handicap bars can be easily added.

Yours truly,
Nicklas

    P.S. the photo from when I was demoing my master bathroom. At that moment I was replacing the 2x4 floor joist that were never meant to support a floor let alone a bathroom with a 900lb cast iron tub. The for starter had cracked over time due to weight, and when the tub was added in the 1990s renovation the ones beneath the actual tub had been sawn threw making the tub rest on the 100 year old 3/4" tongue and grove old flooring with a narrow board that was resting on a old tongue and grove wooden ceiling.  But I am still not done yet with the problems of this room. I had two electrical fires behind the wall, a main structural beams that supported the roof had been removed with no reinforcements added fort a sink, all the copper water lines were bused, and all the PVC drains were going up hill not to mention about half of them was never even glued to begin with. The roof had been leaking for years which had collapsed the ceiling that only added to the moisture problem from the badly waterproofed fixtures  that then cased all the insolation to mold behind the drywall. lastly two story corner of the house were this bathroom is located was on the verge of collapse to the missing exterior foundation.

    So moral of the story be prepared for anything, and renovations can bring many surprises. If your like me and have a old house you can surely relate to how the gross a old house can get from more then 150 years of different people living there, yet you still see the beauty being the grim and the old house is cry out for help and is asking to be brought back to her former glory!

Old Family Photos

    I recently was given this a old family portrait. The man in the oval frame is my great great grandfather on my father, father, mother's side. He was born in 1879 and died in 1954 and probably was only a few years older then I am now when he had this portrait done. In looking at this picture I can help but see my own eyes looking back at me. In addition to the portrait that will one day hang on the wall in my study I also got three albums of scrapbooks my great grandmother had made.

    What is also amazing is that I see her handwriting on every photo that she labeled with when it was takes, who was in it, and a lot of the time even where it was taken. She had saved photos of her childhood photos growing up with her parents and siblings. She has photos of herself with a women that was her great grandmother, my great great great great grandmother. This women come to the US in 1844 with her family after her mother had died. On the ship over she meet the man she would marry at St. Patricks Cathedral in NYC in 1845. By searching deeper online I was able to learn that this woman's father, my great great great great great grandfather, and I share a name although because of the language different it is spelled differently.

    Thanks to this book I can look back and see my great grandmother at  her high school graduation and see how her life progressed on to college and getting a degree in nursing. There are sadly missing photos where I can see something had once been pasted in place, my guess is that the missing photos are of my great grandparents wedding. But yet there are still some photons of a young newlyweds couple hanging out with friends.

    If I jump ahead seven year I see her and her husband holding their first child, who would end up becoming my grandfather. There are so many photos of him as a infant just like we would do today with baby's from one month up to the age of two all label and not missing one month; in fact there are some half months in the series which is amazing to see from 1937. Some even are hand colorized like they use to do.

    There are a few of my grandfather with the woman who was my great great great great grandmother as a infant. There are those classic first moments of life moments of my grandfather captured a picture, I love the one of him dressed in his first Halloween costume. She had saved Christmas card from family and friends. There are pictures of documenting family trips from just days at the beach to a visit to the state capital with my grandfather as a teenager leaning against a lamppost with his brother, sister, and aunt.

    I always thought I looked more like my mothers fraternal side but with getting to see all theres photos I can see myself in the faces of my ancestors.

Yours truly,
Nicklas

Easy Decision

    When given the choice would you rather relax on the porch and maybe snuggle up with a good book, or would you want to go to a wild pool party of someone you really don't know that you weren't even invited to? It's a no brained for me, I chose a quite night at home! Anyone else?

Yours truly,

Nicklas