Shapeshifting

It is starting to look like the little house is too far gone to save. Nothing is definite. Just discussing all the issues that need to be dealt with right now. I knew there was a chance that could happen. I can’t say I’m surprised. Of course I’m a little disappointed. Mostly I’m just eager to get on with it.
The good news is that the little garage can be saved. It’s not as big as the house, obviously but it is a lot more solid and a lot safer. The walls are heart pine and the roof is the original 1930 steel roof. It needs some work. Nothing too daunting though. There is a dirt floor in the main space and the wooden floors in the little rooms are going to need to be replaced. The whole building will need to be jacked up and put on a concrete slab and posts then—finally— I can start thinking about new doors and windows and paint and maybe even a porch.
The next thing I have to do is see if I can pull out some of the old windows in the house to put in the garage— that is if I tear it down or even tear part of it down to make it easier to restore. I’m going in today to take out the doors. I’m also going to pick up all of the broken glass to make art with later and transplant the daffodils from the little garden beds by the front door. I’m also going to take the rock from the beds and carry them over to the grotto garden area. I’ll use them to shore up the old fire pit and maybe the little wall behind it. I’m hoping I can salvage some of the stone from the old fireplace and chimney too and if that comes down.
I’d really love to save some of the wood from the house and the covered porch and columns but I have to see if I can pull some of the wood myself or pay someone to pull that porch cover off of the house before demolish it completely. Just making a shopping list right now. Not touching anything —just in case there’s a chance we can still save at least part of the house. It might not be possible to do the things I imagine or it might be too expensive. I’m imagining anyway. Ha!
The house was made out of materials that were not great quality from the start and a lot of it has been cobbled together with scraps. You know me. That’s part of what appeals to me about this little cottage. So I’m going to carry that practice forward and honor the history of the Ghost House by rebuilding it in a crazy way with materials I can cobble together or cannibalizing it and repurposing the pieces I can save, if I raze it, to use in the garage space which will become stage 1 of building my new studio compound. The process of salvaging and repurposing also speaks to my creative practice. I love this part. This will be the biggest piece in my After the Apocalypse series yet! Exciting huh? Everything I do these days is about changing the shape and purpose of materials— and my life.
There is still a lot to do before I get to the rebuilding and reinterpretation stage. Arrangements have to be made and people have to be hired but a new plan is definitely taking shape.