Antiquing ... Make That Vintage-ing

When we were at Mama Leone's last week, I picked up a flier for an estate sale in Eutaw. This was just the thing I've been waiting for! I need some antiques to fill up my antique house.

Unfortunately, we were a little too broke for this event. The estate sale was held in a gorgeous historic house behind Kirkwood (I'd guess 1840s) that we later found out was the home of an interior designer. It was chock full of gorgeous antiques but the house renovation comes first, furniture later. I drooled over an 1840s grandmother clock with faux wood grain, but alas, it was out of our league.

But good did come from the sale! We met Mr. Parkins, who we're buying the house from. Jean from the pizza place introduced us. He told us his parents were from Atlanta and bought the house in Eutaw after they retired in the late '60s or early '70s. He said they are the ones who enclosed the back hall (formerly a porch) and added on the back bedroom and the aluminum siding across the back. They redid the kitchen and bathrooms, also. It's good to know some history about the house's remuddling, but I still have some unanswered questions.

When we got back to Tuscaloosa, I convinced Darwin to stop in a couple of antique stores. Here, the antique stores are more like "vintage" stores ... rarely (if ever) anything older than 100 years. We debated about a 1920s mahogany dining table and ended up buying a 1930s wing chair to go in front of one of the fireplaces. Nothing fancy, but hey - we're not fancy people.

I packed like a maniac all last week. Thursday night we packed the workshop. I was dreading it, but my dollhouse stuff all fit neatly in one box. And now it's all organized for when I unpack it in the new, larger, air-conditioned workshop!

Yes!

After hemming and hawing with the first couple who made an offer, we finally got a legitimate offer from another couple tonight. We accepted it without even countering. Just want to get this place SOLD!

The plan is to close both houses on Sept. 30. We'll be moving some stuff that day, strictly because we can't WAIT to get in our house again, and the majority of it Friday and over the weekend. We have to be out of our 1967 house after Oct. 3.

Hurricane Ivan hit Alabama last week, so we made a trip out to see our little casa today and make sure it's OK. Thank goodness, it suffered nothing worse than a few twigs in the yard. While we were in town, we ate at Mama Leone's (best - ok, only - pizza place in town) and met some of our soon-to-be neighbors, including the sister of one of Darwin's aunts. A really nice lady - it's great to know someone there!

Because we've got so little time before our closing, we've had to scrap kitchen remodeling plans for the moment. That will come later, which is probably better anyway so I can evaluate our needs from within the house. We're also going to remodel part of the master bath and add a standing shower.

Today we went to Lowe's and stood in the showers together to see what size we need!

Finally, an Offer!

On the 5th we got an offer from a couple who'd looked at the house twice. Thank goodness. I was beginning to freak.

But this couple is in no hurry. I went out of town on a business trip this weekend and was hoping to get it settled before we left. But no. They won't budge.