Thanksgiving has come and gone and we took some free time off to spend it with family. Over the weekend it was back to work to make up time. Fortunately, the weather was cooperating and we had a beautiful couple of days to be productive. We even had one of those impromptu family moments. While grabbing a quick sandwich on the the front stoop, the kids were putting up a hodge-pogde of Christmas lights on the trimmed back 80 year old boxwoods and I caught a glimpse of what it might feel like when we are all moved in and able to relax on the wonderful front porch.
We may think of front porches as an ideal aesthetic element to a modern house, but back in the day before there was air conditioning a covered front porch or screened side porch were essential, especially in more humid areas, in order to have a cool place to sit. This means they were often deep enough to have a porch swing, (which helps to create air flow with out fanning) or even to have a table for an outside meal. The Humphreys House porch will be a perfect place to sit wrapped up in a blanket and drinking some hot coco while the Berlin Christmas parade takes place, as well as cooling off with a summer concert at the Taylor House Museum, all within ear shot.
On the inside of the house the floors have been swept and sanded and are almost ready to be stained. Oak floors in the front three rooms and the original pine floors in the kitchen will take stain differently and add to the character. Detail sanding can be back breaking work so having someone come over willing to help with anything is truly a blessing. We are thankful once again for friends who show up to help on their free Sundays.
It turns out that those Christmaslights we hung on Saturday, that I thought were reminiscent of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, struck a cord with a couple of the neighbors who came over to tell us that is warms their heart to see holiday decorations on the house that has not had any in over 30 years.
