That's so sad that the house is so run down. How old was your grandmother?
she was only in her 60s. from what I've heard, she was mean as a snake and smoked like a chimney and didn't want nothin from nobody. I'm shocked that everything's such a mess because from what Ma told me, she was a spry old bag. confounds me a bit
this post is brought to you by the free wifi at the Little Grove Public Library, where it took me 20 minutes to get up the gumption to ask the hot library assistant for the password.
I've officially survived my first week in Mulberry Hollow. Yay. Only three days until we actually get power. In the meantime, we're trying to figure out where to start. There's so much wrong and weird and gross about this place. I don't think anyone's cleaned it in decades even though Mawmaw was living there the whole time.
I did some exploring after we got all our crap in and discovered that the inside is just as sad as the outside. The whole place is basically falling down. The sketches don't really do it justice, but here you go. At least my phone camera works here at the library.
First of all, yes the roof really is that slanted. It's also tin, so it's rusted and peeling and covered in moss. The screen door is technically still attached, but only technically. The windows are SO dirty. The porch is rotten almost all the way through.
The only things that seem structurally sound are the two really old stone chimneys, and honestly they'll probably be there long after the rest of the house is rotten and gone.
Behind the house and to the sides, there's some woods that lead uphill. I haven't been back there yet. It's pretty thick with underbrush. I think there's a creek somewhere back there too.
When you walk in the front door, the first thing you see is what I'm dubbing "the staircase of death." No outer railing, some rotten steps, and yes that is a killer slant you see. It's also the noisiest staircase I've ever tripped up. In fact, the whole house is LOUD. Floors, stairs, doorknobs, every piece of hardware. And like I said the roof is tin, so I'm assuming that when it rains it's gonna sound like I've got my head in a drum.
I decided to take the bedroom at the front corner of the house, on the second floor. It's got two windows, one facing the driveway and one facing the side yard, but they're sealed shut like the rest of the windows in the house. The floorboards are really scuffed up, and the wallpaper is peeling in a bunch of places. It's a small room with an itty bitty closet and a ceiling fan that definitely looks like it's going to fall and kill me in my sleep.
The wallpaper looks like this, except the darkest stripes are blue. I think it'd be nice if it wasn't so dang musty.
Speaking of wallpaper, there's a ton of it in the house. Obviously I can't take pictures of it, and I'm not going to hand draw every design, but I did some googlin' and found some examples that are pretty close.
There's this little floral pattern in the kitchen and a hideous damask design in what I assume was a formal dining room but is now just full of Mawmaw's old stuff. I hate damask. It looks like faces.
Also, the bathrooms are painted this really horrible, fleshy pink color, kinda like the one above. All of the bathrooms. Ew. The color gives me a headache.
So that's that I guess. I'm going to explore the woods behind the house later next week when I get time. I think I saw a deer trail going back into the trees. There's like 10 acres back there. I'm also going to poke around the house some more while we start cleaning up and fixing stuff. I'd say I'll take pictures, but my phone's camera still won't work in the hollow. Also, no internet at the house, so I'll only be able to update on the days I can get to town. Wish me luck.
this post is brought to you by the free wifi in Little Grove's local hardware store, where I am currently staring at a wall of WD-40.
we made it to the hollow in one piece.
so we're basically living in an abandoned house. electricity won't be on until next week. the tin roof has leaks. there's vines and moss and kudzu all over the outside of the house. most of the doors are broken or missing. the doors that are still attached creak so bad it sounds like the whole frame is going to come down every time they swing open (hence the WD-40). all the exterior doors are still in tact at least. the front porch is rotting, the staircase is crooked, the windows won't open, and on and on and on.
oh, and the cicadas are literally deafening.
but the weirdest thing so far is that I can't take any pictures. for some reason my phone shuts off when I try to open the camera app. I really need someone to see this place, so I'm going to try and make some sketches of the house when we get back to the hollow later. we'll be back in town again this weekend, and Ma says I can check out the local library so I'll upload sketches then.
Ma says we don't have to do the move all in one go but, like, the drive ain't short and idk when we're gonna be back. and there's just...so...much...stuff. when did I get stuff? and how do I get rid of it? like, I can live without a bedframe and socks and colored pencils, right?
that's it. that's what I can't live without, and that's the stuff that goes in my coffin with me when I kick it lol. don't even talk to me about "clothes" or "toiletries"
Ma says we don't have to do the move all in one go but, like, the drive ain't short and idk when we're gonna be back. and there's just...so...much...stuff. when did I get stuff? and how do I get rid of it? like, I can live without a bedframe and socks and colored pencils, right?
I'm moving to Little Grove in less than a week, and I didn't find out until this morning.
Long story short, Ma inherited her mom's house and we're going to fix it up. Actually, that's the long story and the short story. She won't tell me anything else.
I don't even know. I'm just. Confounded. I don't even finish the school year until this Friday. And I had all these plans for the summer...I was gonna work at the feed store again, I was gonna get my license...
And I don't know how we're supposed to fix a whole dang house by ourselves! Ma hasn't even said what needs fixing. But Oddie's staying behind to work on the farm and Nene is staying in Morgantown for the summer. So it's just the two of us, and I wouldn't say we're experts in the field.
I feel so upside down. But come Hell, high water, both, or neither - Mulberry Hollow is going to be my address by Monday.
I'm moving to Little Grove in less than a week, and I didn't find out until this morning.
Long story short, Ma inherited her mom's house and we're going to fix it up. Actually, that's the long story and the short story. She won't tell me anything else.
I don't even know. I'm just. Confounded. I don't even finish the school year until this Friday. And I had all these plans for the summer...I was gonna work at the feed store again, I was gonna get my license...
And I don't know how we're supposed to fix a whole dang house by ourselves! Ma hasn't even said what needs fixing. But Oddie's staying behind to work on the farm and Nene is staying in Morgantown for the summer. So it's just the two of us, and I wouldn't say we're experts in the field.
I feel so upside down. But come Hell, high water, both, or neither - Mulberry Hollow is going to be my address by Monday.
lol yeah I know. his name is John Titus, but we’ve always just called him Uncle Tit. it was a childhood nickname or something. we’ve all got family nicknames but his sticks out the most for sure
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