Restoration of the La Grange House

WHENWEBOUGHTIT

In1979wedecidedtolookforourlasthouse.Itookaweek’svacation andwewenttoanumberofsmalltownsincentralTexas,becausemy familywasbasedaroundAustinandSuzy’swasbasedaround Houston.Iwrotetoanumberofrealestateagentsinsmalltowns betweenHoustonandAustin,andwelookedatanumberof properties.Wehadthoughtwewantedaplaceinthecountry,but towardtheendoftheweekwerealizedwedidn’t.Wedidn’twantto raiseanimalsandwedidn’twanttoraisecrops,ThelastSundaywe cametoLaGrangeandlookedatvarioushouses.Suzysaidthose houseswerejustliketheoneswegrewupin,andhadnoappealfor us.Atlunchwelefttheagent,hadlunch,andboughtalocalpaper.It hadapictureofourhouseinit.Whenwerejoinedtheagentwetold himwewantedtolookatthathouse.Hewasprettydiscouraging,but wetoldhimthatifhedidn’tshowusthehousesomeoneelsewould. Hescroungedaroundandgotthekeyfromthelistingagent.

Whenwepulledupinfrontofthehouse,Suzytookonelookatitand said“Unlessitisatotalmessinside,thisisit.”Wewentinside;the insidewasnotingoodshape(norwastheoutside).Allofwallpaper wasfallingoff.IcalledalocalarchitectwhoseadIhadseeninthe paperandaskedhimtocomelookatit.Whenhecamehetoldusthat hehadplayedinthehouseasayoungboy,thatifwewantedtodrive anailinawallwewouldhavetodrillaholebecausethewallsareold pine,andthatthereweretwothingsaboutthehousewewouldnot havetoworryabout,namelythewiringandtheplumbing.Aftera momenthewenton“Becauseyouaregoingtoreplacethem completely.”Thatmadesensetous.Wedecidedonthedrivebackto Dallasthatwewouldbuythehouse.

Thehousewasbuiltin1907byawidownamedEmmaKruschel,who hadfivedaughters.Wefoundschoolgradecardsinthehousewith

datesaround1900.Emmaownedallofthelandfromthehousedown totheColoradoRivertothewest.Whenwelookedatthehouse,the nextdoorneighborstothewestwereTomandElmaPope(the parentsofourpresentneighborsthere,JimandPatPopeJackson).

ThePopesandtheirneighborstheHengstshadrentedfromEmma andinduetimeboughttheirhousesfromher.Emmadonatedtheland forthecityparktwoblocksaway,nownamedKruschelPark.She donatedthevacantlotnexttoourhousetotheCityofLaGrangefora pocketpark,withtheconditionthatiftheydidn’tdevelopitinfiveyears titlewouldreverttoher–wewereluckythatitdid.

Emma’syoungestdaughterwascrippledandcouldn’tclimbstairs,so whenthehousewasbuiltanelevatorwasinstalledoffthekitchen.

Planningtoliveherealongtime,thiswasanattractivefeatureforus. FromJanuary2020,Suzywasnotabletoclimbstairs,butitwaseasy totakeherupanddownintheelevator.Withoutthat,wewouldeither havehadtomoveaway,orinstallanelevatorourselves.

Theelevatorwasoriginallyhandpowered,witharopeandpulley system,butithadbeenconvertedmanyyearsagotoelectrical operationwithachainhoist.Ithadalargecounterweightwhichwas disconnectedwhentheconversionwasmade.Ireconnectedthe counterweightsothatthechainhoistonlyhastoliftthetemporary load,andnottheweightoftheelevatoritself.

HELP

From1979to1994welivedinDallasandcametoLaGrangeeightor tenweekendsayearandacoupleofvacationweeks.Duringthis periodwedidmostoftheimprovementworkonthehouseourselves.

Ontheprojectswherewehadhelpfromotherpeople,Iwillmentionit specifically.

AfewmonthsafterwemovedtoLaGrangein1994,Iwentfora sandwichtotherestaurantinthebuildingonthenextcorner.Onthe wayoutIpassedDaveSchneiderwhomIhadmetatourchurch.He washavinglunchwithanotherman.Isatdownandwasintroducedto DavidNeilson.Iwastoldthathewasdoingsomerenovationworkfor Schneider,whoownedseveralresidentialpropertiesaroundtown.I saidthatIwouldliketotalktoNeilsonaboutsomerestorationworkon myhouse.Heaskedwhen,andIsaid“Ideally,assoonasyoufinish yourlunch!”Iwentonhomeandhecameoverawhilelater.That startedaverynicefriendshipandanexcellentworkingrelationship thatlastedmorethan20years.

DavidNeilsonworkedonlotsofprojectsatourhouse.Mostlywe workedsidebyside.Someprojectshedidbyhimself,andoneortwo withanothercoworker.Hewasveryintellectuallycurious.Weoften discussedscience,particularlyphysics,andinvesting.Iwasvery flatteredwhenhetoldmeIwasoneofthefewpeoplethatheenjoyed workingwith.Mostlyhepreferredtoworkalone.

Iwillindicateprojectswedidtogetherbynoting“(Neilson)”inthe description.

PLUMBING

Theoriginaldrainplumbingwasallleadpipe.Intheearly1980swe hadthatreplaced,byaplumber,withPVCpipe.Ididn’tdoanyofthat work.

Theoriginalwatersupplyplumbingwasallcastironpipe.Intheearly 1980sIreplacedallofthatwithsolderedcoppertubing.Myfatherand hisfriendBuddyHatfieldhadtaughtmehowtodothatwhenIwasa teenager.Itwasstraightforward.

Themainbathroomupstairsisoverwhatwasoriginallyasmallroom offtheendofthekitchen—myMothercalleditthescullery.The

ceilingoverthescullerywasdroppedaboutafoottoallowmorespace forthedrainplumbinginthebathroomabove.Ipulledupsomeofthe flooringinfrontofthetoilettoallowaccessforredoingboththewater linesandthedrainagepipes.Ialsoputaccesshatchesinthekitchen ceilingtoallowforfutureplumbingworkthatmaybeneededthere.

Wealsoputahatchinthebackoftheclosetoffthenorthbedroom,to permitaccesstotheheadendofthebathtub.

Thisphotooftheaccessthroughthebathroomfloorwasprobably takenaround1983.Notethatitshowstheoriginalcabinetnexttothe toilet,andthesewerventpipeupthecornerbeforeitwasclosedin.

Someone–probablytheplumberwhodidthedrains–toldmethatthe copperlineswouldnotholdupbecauseofthevibrationofthetrains

goingby.Well,thathadnothingtodowithit,butsometimeinthe 1990s—perhapstwelveyearsaftertheoriginalwork–someofthe copperpipesstartedleaking.Theyhadpinholesinthembecausethe LaGrangewatersupplyhaslotsofsulfurinit.Ireplacedallofthe copperwatersupplylineswithPVC.Noproblemsinthelast25years.

ELECTRICAL

Theoriginalelectricwiringwasallknobandtube–twoinsulated separatewireswithceramictubesindrilledholesthroughtherafters andstuds,andceramicnailedinsulators.Ireplacedallofitwiththree insulatedwiresinmetalconduit.Theelectricalcodesaysthatthe ownerofahousecandoelectricalwiringwithoutalicense(although youdohavetohaveaCityworkpermit.Aswiththeplumbing,my knowledgeofwiringderivedfrommydadandhisgoodfriend Professor(ofphysics)BuddyHatfield.Thecodealsosaysthata buildingusedforcommercialpurposeshastohavewiringinconduit. Wehadandhavenointentionofusingthebuildingforcommercial purposes,butIdecidedtoputthewiringinconduitincaseweever decidedtosellthehouseforacommercialuse–thehouseisinthe commercialdistrict.

Iusedthreewireseverywhere(oneisthegroundwire).Iputceiling fansinthefourbigroomsoneachfloor.

FOUNDATION

Thefoundationofthehouseispierandbeam.Thebeamssiton concreteblockpiers,andthegroundflooraveragesabout24inches abovetheground.Thereareseveralpointsofaccesswhichallowyou tocrawlunderthehouse.Thismadeitstraightforwardtoreplacethe

wiringandtheplumbingunderthegroundfloor,andlaterontorunair conditioningductsunderthefloors.

WALLPAPER

Beforewestartedonreplacingthewallpaper,wehadthehouse professionallyleveled.

Theinsidewallsareallmadeofhorizontal¾”pineshiplap.Iexpect thatmanyofthejointswereunevenfromthebeginning–certainly manyofthemwereunevenwhenweboughtthehouse.Theoriginal wallpaperwastwolayers–thinclothnailedtothewoodenwallboards, coveredwithwallpapergluedtothecloth.Thatcoveredupmuchof theunevennessintheboardjoints.

Everyroominthehousehadraggedwallpaperwhenweboughtit. Duringthe1980swereplacedthewallcoveringinoneortworooms, butthebulkofthatworkwasdone(withNeilson’shelp)afterwe movedtoLaGrange.Wecouldseethatsomeofthewallpaper problemsresultedfromminorshiftingofthewalls.Knowingthatthere wouldalwaysbesomeminorshifting,Ididsomeresearchandfounda wallcoveringsystemthatwouldbebetterthanregularwallpaper.

Thissysteminvolvesalayerofclothcovering.Itisappliedbyfirst paintingaspecialtypeofpaintonthewalls.Thenyouputonthelayer ofcloth,andthenwhilethefirstlayerisstillwet,yourollonanother layerofthespecialpaint.Theprocessproducesatoughslightly flexiblecovering.Mostofourwallsurfacesweredonemorethan twentyyearsago.Ithinkthereareperhapsoneortwospotswhere shiftinghasledtosomecracksonthewalls,butIcan’tthinkofwhere theyare.Theconditioniscertainlyalotbetterthanitwouldbeifwe hadjustappliedsheetrock.

Theonlyroomwhereweinstalledwallpaperistheupstairsbig bathroom,anditisstillingoodcondition.Alloftheotherwalls(except kitchenanddownstairshalfbath)weretexturepaintedwithalow profileandthenpaintedwithsolidcolors.

WOODWORKANDTRIM

Anyonecomingintothehousefromthefrontisimmediatelystruckby thebeautyofthewoodwork.Thefronthall,thestairs,andthedining roomhaveoriginalnaturalpaneling.Thepanelinghassquareinserts. Thiskindofpanelingisknownasstraightandcurlypine—theinserts showfancygrainpatternsandtheboardsbetweenhavestraightgrain. TheGovernor’sPalaceinGalvestonhasthesamekindofpanelingin theservicerooms.(Inthepublicroomsithasfancierpanelingmadeof hardwoods.)Thethreedoublepocketdoorsandtheotherdoorson thefirstfloorareallmadeofmatchingpine.Eachofthedoubledoors hasfancywoodworkaboveit,arrangedtoholdhangingclothpanels toreducedraftsbetweenrooms–wehaveneverwantedorhadany suchpanels.

Theceilingsinthelivingroom,diningroomandwhatwecalltheden originallyhadcurvedcardboardpanelsattheceilinglevel.(Myguess isthatwhatwecallthelivingroomwasoriginallycalledtheparlorand thedenwasknownasthesittingroom.)NeilsonandIreplacedthe panelsinthedenandthelivingroomwiththinplywood–muchmore durable.Wedispensedwiththecurvedpanelsatopthediningroom walls,electingtoinstallaboutten-inchmilledwoodworktrim,whichhe andImade.Weputsimilartriminthefronthall,whichoriginallyhad muchsimplerceilingtrimaboutfourinchesdeep.WhenNeilsonwas cuttingandinstallingthetrimatthetopofthefronthallwalls,hemade apointoftellingmetheexactwallanglesineachcorner.Healsocut

themoldingpiecesexactlyenoughthatwhenheputthemupatthe topofthewallstheystayedinplacewithoutanynails.Hedidaddnails sothattheywouldn’tdropdownifthepiecesshrankorthewalls shifted.

Thedenhadoriginalpicturemoldingatthejunctureofthewallsand thecurvedpaneling.Thismoldingwasplastercastings,andthere werelargepiecesmissing.Neilsonmadearubbermoldfromathreefootintactsectionoftheoriginalmolding.Thenwecastreproduction pieceswiththesamepatternusingfiberglassplastic,andpainted thembrownandgold,copyingtheoriginals.Wereplacedallofthe picturemoldingsinthelivingroomandtheden.

CHIMNEYS

Thehousewasoriginallybuiltwiththreebrickchimneysbutno fireplaces.Eachchimneyrestedontheground,wentupthroughtwo storiesandtheatticandtheroof.Onewentupthroughthekitchen andthebackbedroom,anotherthroughthediningroomandthenorth bedroom,andthethirdthroughthelivingroomandtheeastbedroom. Theyallhadlightningrodsatthetop,withglassballinsulators,and twistedwroughtironrodsrunningovertherooftotheeavesandthen downintotheground. Heatingwasprovidedbywoodstoveswithstovepipesoutthetop, whichturnedandwentintothechimneys.Thethirdchimneyserved stovesinthetwoadjacentrooms.Whenweboughtthehouse,there wasonlyonestoveleft,aplatedoneinthediningroom,butthesellers removeditbeforewegotpossessionofthehouse.Thechimneys wereeachboxedin,justliketheinteriorwalls.

In1985weremovedtwoofthechimneys.Wehiredprofessionalsto takethetoppartsoffdownthroughtheattic,andcloseuptheholesin theroof.Thenwe–myselfandvariousrelatives–dismantledthe boxesenclosingthebricks,andtookthebricksdownonebyone.We threwthemoutthewindowandthengatheredthemupfordisposal. ThephotoshowsSuzy’sbrotherMikeStricklandandoursonMarshall takingthechimneyoutofthekitchen.

Thecentralchimney,inthediningroom,weleftintact.Inabout1995 weusedittorunairconditioningpipesandductsfromunderthe houseupintotheattic.

Atonetime,probablyinthelate1990s,someonestoppedbythe houseandaskedifhecouldbuytheremainingfancylightningrodon theroof.Ofcourse,wesaidno.Itservesausefulpurpose.

Beforewegotaroundtorepairingandrestoringtheeavesandthe soffetsaroundtheroof,afamilyofsquirrelschewedaholeinoneof thesoffetsandbuiltanestthere.(Thesoffetisaboxlikestructurethat goesaroundthehousejustundertheedgeoftheroofandformsa basefortheatticrafters.)Onedaywefoundasmallsquirrel unconsciousjustoutsidethebackdoor.Ithadapparentlyfallenfrom thesecondstoryeave,nearthenest,andbeenknockedout.Wekept aneyeonit,andshortlythemothersquirrelclimbeddownthe lightningrodnearbyandrevivedherbaby.Itwasrathergroggy,but sheslowlycoaxedittolifeandledit,withmuchchattering,overtothe lightningrodandslowlypersuadedittoclimbup.Whenitreachedthe roofline,itdidn’twanttomakethenecessaryjumptotheroof,butits mothereventuallygotittodothatandshepherdeditbacktothenest

Whenthesquirrelsabandonedthenestinthesoffetwecloseditup.

EXTERIORRECONSTRUCTIONANDREFINISHING

Theexteriorofthehouseneededrepaintingandsomeofthewooden trimwasabitdeteriorated.Ayearoftwoafterweboughtthehouse, wehiredsomegraduatestudentsfromAustintorepainttheentire exterior.Theytookamonthorsotogetitdoneanddidagoodjob.

Sometimeafterwemoveddownin1994,andengagedDavidNeilson tohelpredovariouspartsoftheinterior,wedecidedthatthewooden trimontheexteriorneededrenewing.Davidhadafriendwhowas availabletohelphim.Theytookseveralweekstoreplacemuchofthe porchtrimbetweenthetwofloors.Replacingthecurvedtrimaround theporchesrequiredbuildingasteamboxtosteamlongpiecesoftrim sotheycouldbebentaroundthecurvedportionsoftheporch.

Sometimeafterthat,DavidandIreplacedthebalusters,allrailingson alloftheporches,andreplacedmuchofthedecayedporchfloors.

Wehadtheexteriorofthehouserepaintedaround2000.

Inabout2015,DavidNeilson’slastprojectforuswastoreplacesome oftheporchfloors,railingsandbalustersthathaddeterioratedagain. Hislasteffortthenwastobuildthehandicapramptothebackdoor, whichwasdoneinabout2016.

GARAGES

Shortlybeforewemoveddownin1994,wedecidedtoreplacetheold garageswithanewmetalbuilding.Thefirststep,whichwasdone promptlyafterwemoveddown,wastodemolishtheoldwashhouse andtheshedbetweenitandtheoldgarage,andmovethegarageto thebackofthelot.WiththehelpofanumberofSuzy’srelatives,we jackedupthegarage,putitonrollers,andpusheditbackwithour ChevySuburban.

Iarrangedforalocalcontractortopouraslabforanewmetalgarage thatwas40x50feet.Theslabhasapitinitthatwouldallowfor workingunderacarwithouthavingtojackitup.Thepitwascopied fromtheonethatwasinourson-in-lawJohnWood’sshopin

Nebraska.TheLaGrangebuildinginspectortoldmethatwemadethe slabtwoinchesthickerthannecessary.Itoldhimthatwasintentional –wedidn’twanttodealwithanycracks.Weputplumbinginfora watersystem,andforabathroomwithashower.

Suzy’sbrotherBillStricklandwastheninthecontractingbusiness, andhearrangedforacrewofworkmenfromAustraliatoconstructthe metalbuilding.

Halfofthegarage/shophasaflooraboveit,forstoragespace.Fora longtimewegotupthereusingalongsturdywoodenladderthatIhad boughtatajunksaleinDallas.Muchlater,around2005,David NeilsonandIputinthepartitionsandelectricity.Davidbuiltaregular stairwaytothemezzanine.

AIRCONDITIONING

Whenweboughtthehouseithadgasoutletsinseveralrooms.Italso hadacentralceilingfanintheattic,whichwasworkingthenand presumablystillis,althoughweneveruseit.Inthecourseof renovatingthehouseIinstalledceilingfansinthefourlargerooms downstairsandthefourupstairs.Wealsoinstalledtwowindowair conditioners,inthedenandthemasterbedroom.

Shortlyafterwemovedinin1994,IengagedmybrotherTom,who wasintheairconditioningbusinessinAustin,toinstallacentrala/c unitinthespaceunderthestairlanding.Hewasveryenthusiastic aboutasystemcalledaWaterFurnace,andhepersuadedmetouse oneofthem.Thewaterfurnaceusesasystemofundergroundpipes asaheatsinkinsummerandaheatsourceinwinter.Usuallythe undergroundpipesareinacoupleofdeepwells,toallowaccessing thenearlyconstanttemperaturesdeepunderground.However,when Tom’sworkmentriedtodrillholesinthevacantlotonthesouthsideof ourhouse,theyencounteredsomeemptyspaces,whichwouldnot allowforsatisfactoryheattransfer.Theydecidedtouseanetworkof 6-footdeeptrenchesinthesideyardinstead.Thesystemwas satisfactorilyinstalledandweuseditforabouttenyears.

However,itwasn’tprovidingquiteenoughcooling.Around2005we replacedtheWaterFurnaceequipmentwithaconventionalheatpump andatthesanetimeweinstalledasecondheatpumpintheattic.The

upperonecoolsthetopfloorandtheloweronethegroundfloor. Sincethespaceunderthestairlandingwasnotbigenoughforthe replacementunit,DaveNeilsonandIpouredasmallslaboutsidethe downstairshalfbath(alsounderthestairs)andbuiltalargewooden cabinettoaccommodatethedownstairsheatpumpunit.Thenew arrangementhasworkedjustfine.Wehaveseparatethermostatsfor upstairsanddown.

LAUNDRYAREAANDOFFICE

Whenweboughtthehousetherewerenolaundryfacilitieswhatever.

Sometimeinthe1980swedecidedtocreatealaundryareainthe upstairshall.Iclosedinaspacefromthesouthwallofthenorth bedroomupstairs,andinstalledlaundrymachinesandstorage.There wasoriginallyaclosetinthewestwallofthenorthbedroom,withtwo doors,oneopeningontotheupstairshallnexttothebathroomdoor, andoneintothebedroom.Ipartitionedtheclosetintotwo,andmoved thesouthwallofthebedroomthreefeettothenorth.Thespaceabove thelaundryalcoveisclosedinandnotused,butitisaccessiblebya cabinetdoorinthebackofthewallbookcaseonthesouthwallofthe bedroom.Thereareacoupleoflightsinthatspace,andaswitchin theclosetoffthebedroom.

SometimeafterthatourfriendsVicandBetsyBriscoestayedwithus foraweekormore.,VicandIinstalledthewallbookcasesinthenorth bedroom,whichisnowtheoffice.Thebookshelvesstartataboutfive feetup,andgototheceiling,whichleavesthewallspacearoundthe roomforfurniture.

WebecamegoodfriendswiththeBriscoeswhenIwasagraduate studentatRice,from,1955to1957.Wearestillgoodfriendswith them–theyarebothabout90yearsoldnow.Vicwasalwaysagood

craftsman.Ihelpedhimdotheelectricalwiringathisbeachhousein NorthCarolina.

Theinspirationfortherollingladderintheofficecamefromthemovie MyFairLady.HenryHigginshadatwo-storylibrary,withaladderlike that.Isearchedtheinternettofindacompanythatwouldprovideus withtheladder.

KITCHEN

Whenweboughtthehousethekitchenhadasmallroomonthenorth endwhichcontainedasinkunderthenorthwindow.Thedoorwason theeastendnexttothediningroomdoor.Whenmymotherfirst visitedus,shereferredthisroomasthescullery.Ipresumetherewas asmallgasstoveinit.Idon’trecallexactlybuttherewereprobably somecabinetsbesidethesink.

Wesoondecidedtoremovethewallthatdividedthesculleryfromthe restofthekitchen.Theceilingofthescullerywaslowerthanthe ceilingintherestofthedownstairs.Thislowerceilingprovided,and stillprovides,aspaceaboveitfortheupstairsbathroomplumbing.

Thewallsofthekitchenandscullerywerecoveredwithsheetrock.It canbeseeninthephotooftakingdownthekitchenchimney.Wetook thesheetrockdowntoshowtheoriginalwoodenwalls,andthought wemightrefinishthem.However,thewoodhadsomanynailholes thatwedecidednottorefinishit,buttocoveritwithplywoodpaneling withasimilarlook.

Webuiltanewcountertocontainthesinkandthedishwasher.We openedthewallbetweenthekitchenandthebasementstairwell,and builtnewcabinetsthatextendthroughwherethewallwas.Anook

wasbuilttoaccommodateafreezer.Webuiltnewcabinetsalongthe formerscullery(north)wall.Ibuilttwolazysusanstogointhelower cabinets,andweinstalledastovetopunderthenorthwindow.

Allthiskitchenworkwasdoneinthe1980s,whenwewerestillliving inDallasandcomingtoLaGrangeforweekendsandoccasional week-longstays.

BATHROOMS

Thehousewasbuiltwithonebathroom,upstairs.Soonafterwe boughtthehousewestartedtoconverttheclosetthatwasbetween thecenterandthewestbedroomintoafullbath.Weputinalarge showerstall,withaseat.Weboughtthestallcomplete.Tobeableto getitintothecloset,weopenedalargeholenexttotheeastdoor,and invitednumerousrelativestocomeandhelpusmoveitupthestairs andintothebathroom.AsIrecallittookfourorfivesizablementoget thisdone.Wewereveryappreciative.

Downstairstherewasasmallunfinishedclosetunderthestairlanding. Wecloseditinandmadeaconvenienthalfbaththere.

FLOORCOVERINGS

Whenweboughtthehousetheupstairsbath,theupstairshall,the stairwayandthekitchenhadlinoleumfloors,ratherbeatup.Allthe otherfloorswerehardwood.Wehaveaddedarearugsoverthe hardwood,whichhasnotreceivedanyotherattention.

Thekitchenfloor,andtheelevatorflooradjoiningit,andthefloorsin allthreebathroomshavebeenreplacedwithplastictile.Thestairway andthemasterbedroomhavebeencarpeted.

BOOKCASES

Wehavealwaysownedlotsofbooks.Theupstairshallinthehouse wasbuiltfivefeetwide,whichwasverynice.Inthecourseofredoing thehall,Iremovedthesidingonthehallwallandinstalledbookcases extendingintowhatwasthespacebetweenthewalls.

Inthecourseofredoingtheeastbedroomupstairs,weremovedthe spaceinthenorthwest,cornerwhichhadoriginallyhousedachimney, andinstalledaclosetthere.Atthesametime,weinstalledsomehigh bookcasesonthenorthwall.

ROOF

Theoriginalroofwasmadeofasbestostiles.Theyareverydurable butabitfragile.Whenwemoveddownin1994therewereafew leaks.Wehadtorndowntheoldwashhouseandgarage,butwe savedtheasbestostilesthatwereonthem.Whenwehadtheroofon thehouserepaired(professionally)inthe1990s,weusedsomeof thosetoreplacethecrackedandbrokentilesonthehouse.Asof 2020theyarestillholdingupwell.

SUMMARY

Wedidalotofworkonthehouse,muchofitbeforewemoveddown fromDallasin1994.Wearestillveryhappywiththehouse,andplan tolivehereaslongasweareable.

ThelastphotographshowsSuzyrestingonatemporaryplatformwe builttoalowustorefinishthewallsinthestairwell.

Laternote:AfterSuzydiedin2021ImovedoutinJune2022.

ArnoldRomberg,May07,2021

ArnoldRomberg,May29,2022