Colder temps are back this morning. As I let the puppies outside after their breakfast and saw smoke chugging out of the wood boiler, I was reminded of a photo I took a couple days ago when it was warmer.
The photo below looks like a few homes in rural Indiana — there’s corn, right? 🙂
To me, the image depicts my past, present, and my future. (Queue soft background music.)
The house in the middle.
The house in the middle is where I spent my childhood. Starting out without the addition you see now, it was first just a small Bedford stone home surrounded by fields. The little red barn behind the house still stands. That’s where my first pony, Fuzzy, lived. It’s where Jerilyn got her foot stuck in a post hole and where Scott hid in a bathroom reading while everyone else helped in the fields.
The renovation and addition came about when I was in high school. It was the place I entertained so many friends and formed a bajillion lasting memories.
The house on the right.
The house on the right is where I moved with my 4 year-old son. I drew the plans with help from my Momma and couldn’t wait to move in. Carl used a tractor to level the ground before the house was built and Nanny sewed the curtains that hung in the living room for years afterward. It started out around 1000 square feet and didn’t grow to just above 1500 square feet until around 12-years had passed.
Although I moved and rented that house for a few years, it still felt like it should be my home. I spent around $40K to put it back together once the renters moved (being a weak landlord does not make for a good outcome) and I moved back in myself. Ben and his former wife lived there with me for a time — and a few years after that, Ben moved back in with my granddaughter. Once I moved to Seymour, Ben and Coco lived there until it was sold.
The house on the left.
Those Pesky neighbors! I’ve never lived in that barndo, (Green Acres for those playing along at home) but we’ve gathered there more than a few times. My Momma will spend her remaining years there, and I’m pretty sure Carl will, as well. For me… I’ll spend what time I’ve got left right here with this same view.
In the future, I may have a place where the weather is warmer to spend some time in the winter months, but this place right here is my home. This view belongs to me. 🙂
TIL (Today I Learned): The IRS has specific tax codes requiring you to report money earned from selling illegal drugs, taking illegal bribes, and the fair market value of anything you stole as taxable income.