Thursday, April 16, 2015

Our First Home #tbt #florida


Today for Throw Back Thursday, I have chosen to share a couple of photos of our first house. I was in my 20's then, freshly married, living in Jacksonville, Florida, when we bought the already old house in October 1981 for around $38,000.

The original owners had painted it
white with battleship gray trim.
No curb appeal at all.

I researched the history a bit after purchase, and the whole neighborhood was built around 1955. It was older than me! That poor house was just about a total wreck from neglect when we first moved in. There were roaches everywhere, cracks and fist-sized holes in the stucco walls, no doors on the bedrooms, the yard had been ignored since forever, no central heat or air, window panes as thin as paper, etc. The yard was more of a sand pit and only slightly larger than a postage stamp (65 x 120). It had only one very small 6' by 6' bathroom. But, we where young and, oh, so happy to have a place all our own. Through the years the house became The Ongoing Project (nice name for Wallet Sucker). Most of our spare money, which there wasn't much of then, went into the maintenance and upkeep of said abode. And the government calls a house an asset! "Asset" my big toe! *lol*

First thing on the agenda, after bug bombing the stew poopie outta the place, was repaint the house, inside and out. The outside became Hudson Brown (no lie! that was the name at Sherwin Williams) with dark brown trim. It looked rather classy, I thought. Then, it was time to tackle the yard.

Now that's curb appeal!
[click to enlarge]

I think it was worth the effort. I became accustomed to having strangers stop and talk while I worked outside. They would say such flowery, honey laced comments about how much better the place looked it fairly made my head swell. *blush* Ok, ok, I relished it. *giggle*

Then we moved to Southeast Georgia in 1993 to our current custom built home. I don't miss the old neighborhood but I do miss our lovely neighbors. We all kept up with each other for a long time until some began to die off and others move away. It was a fun place to live for awhile but I am exceedingly grateful to be living in the country now.


8 comments:

  1. So good to see you blogging again Sparky!

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  2. So good to see you blogging again Sparky!

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  3. What a fun post. When we're young, we have the energy to tackle such projects! Your yard was lovely. You were blessed with good neighbors. I'm so happy you enjoy your home/land in the country now. Have a great day.

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  4. We we are young, everything seems possible, and newly marrieds definitely want a place of their own. Thanks for a little history.

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  5. I LIKE your color choices AND what a green thumb! I would bet life was simplier then too!

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  6. You know how much I love the fact your back online!! Have missed you my friend. Thanks for sharing. Blessings

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  7. Nice flower garden! Hope the current owner is weeding.

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  8. Asset my big toe! She's back, she's really back!

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⭐ A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. ~ Walter Winchell