The House is My Heart's Desire...for now!

Ramshackle, it seems at first glance. The paint peels away from the columns and siding, and weeds and bushes envelope the screened-in porch. Michael and I were taking a stroll through the quiet town of Greeleyville, SC, the birthplace of my Granny and Grandaddy and many an ancestor, when we spied this seemingly abandoned home.

I exclaimed in delight as I took it in. A gorgeous big porch, a carport that was likely a buggy-port originally, a screened-in side porch whose overgrowth simply gave it a sheltered and slightly tropical feel... The front door has a glass handle, and there is another screened-in side porch in the rear of the house just off the kitchen, complete with a screened-in protruding shelf for cooling pies, as Michael explained! The home is utterly messy, dusty, and enchanting.

I have been so sad to see my grandparents and others of their generation make 'improvements' to their lovely old homes. They have lowered their cathedral ceilings and closed-in the fabulous screened-in porches. I used to harbor a secret hope that I would one day inherit my grandparent's home, but this dream fizzled slowly as I sadly witnessed the continuing alterations that they have made... When Michael and I spotted this home, though, empty and neglected thought it may be, my heart beat faster and I gushed with enthusiasm. It is even grander and more historic than my grandparents' home...AND it has a second story. It is a beautiful old home without any of the unfortunate alterations. After some time, Michael noticed a for sale sign by the main road, and we found out that the house is being offered for only $60,000. If only...

Anyhow, I have enough trouble with maintenance on my own modern, current home, and I have witnessed how others have exhausted their every vacation on maintaining second homes. I hope that someone else comes along and buys and restores the beautiful old home, though it seems as though the real eventuality is that it will be bulldozed to create a strip mall along that main road at some point, as the neighboring land is being sold as commercial real estate.