The porch stairs creak as you ascend toward the front
door. That one kitchen tile defiantly refuses to
stay in place. The aging back deck seems to never hold a coat of stain. The
downstairs bathroom almost makes you feel like you are in, well, an outhouse during
the winter. What do they say? The only thing that works in an old house
is the owner? Despite my love for all things architecture, my wife Jackie will attest that I am not the handiest guy. And our 98-year-old Dutch Colonial home has been a constant source of frustration for me since the day we moved in.
Don’t get me wrong – I love this house. In fact, after
originally walking through it when it was first on the market, I insisted we
buy it. I could feel its positive energy, its timeless vibrance, its
unmistakable charm. Upon stepping through the front door for the first time,
friends and family comment on the relatively newly renovated interior that was
completed shortly before we purchased the home. Over time however, we have
discovered the difference between fine craftsmanship and quick “patchmanship.”
Everything is not always as it appears. Hence the seemingly never-ending list
of need-to-fixes and to-dos.
Constructed during a post World War I building boom, our
house on Tuxedo Boulevard was originally part of one of St. Louis’s first
suburbs. People, like the original owners, who wanted to evade the hustle and
bustle of downtown could simply hop on a commuter train and escape to the
country life of Webster Groves via the old nearby Tuxedo Park train station
that was built in the 1890s and later the trolley cars that rambled through the
area just a few hundred feet from our current location. Today, our neighborhood
is a collection of some of the area’s oldest homes with Spanish, Dutch, German
and French influences that reflect the original settlers of this region.
In just a couple of years, we will be eligible to apply to
the City of Webster for a Century Home Plaque which is designed to be
permanently displayed for all to see near our front door. Jackie and I often
joke that if we choose to attach this to our siding, it might literally cause
part of the wall structure to crumble. Like most old homes, there will always
be much to do to keep our house in top working and living order.
During Christmas time, I watched as my son played on the faded
wood floor with our little daughter. We all enjoyed gathering in the kitchen as
my wife dished out another delectable meal from the oven that never seems to
work quite right. And we laughed as I placed our dinner plates in the
dishwasher that has a habit of pulling itself forward and out of the cabinetry
as it operates.
Suddenly, it just didn’t matter. To be clear, we don’t let
things go in our house because it is not in our nature. But the worrisome house
challenges that often seem overwhelming were now just a backdrop to the
wonderful things that were taking place. Through new eyes, I witnessed that
within these walls, the best moments in life are ocurring, right here and
right now. The good old days – the ones we will one day reflect on and treasure
– are happening at this moment, under this roof.
Headed into the new year, maybe we could all use a little
renovation, a fresh perspective, and another chance at being the best we can
be. And maybe, even after everything we’ve been through, been challenged by,
and endured, our best years and best times are still to come.
After all, aren’t we all works in progress? Just like this
old house.
