Yesterday, I shared a speech Justine wrote when she was 9 or 10, about her grandparents’ house and all the fun she, her sister and cousins had. You can read it here. I moved into that house at the same age, my 10th birthday to be exact. It was one of the best birthday gifts I ever got. The place was magical. People would slow down while driving by, just to stare.
It was a Victorian home with a huge wrap-around veranda with a turret. My father screened in the side portion and we practically lived there all summer. There was almost an acre of property and a big circular driveway in front.
Inside, there was a huge staircase leading up to the second floor covered in rich, red carpet that contrasted with the black and white tile floor below. My mother always dreamed one of us would come down that staircase on our wedding day and be married in the big foyer and although my sister did get married there, it was outside in a big wedding tent in the back yard.
Upstairs were four big bedrooms, a huge landing and a bathroom. I’m the eldest so I had my own bedroom, my two sisters shared a room that had all built in cupboards and drawers, and my brother had the front bedroom. My parents had a canopy bed in their bedroom which had a fireplace in it. When we had other families visit, all the kids would roll out their sleeping bags on the landing while the adults took the bedrooms. This happened frequently as we had lots of company. My cousin, Christine told me on the weekend that their family’s visit (my aunt and uncle and 5 kids) was one of the only vacations they took as a family. There was always something happening there. My parents loved parties and having company.
There was a huge living room, separate dining room,
both with massive picture windows facing the front,kitchen, breakfast nook and a big wood panelled den. Not the panelling everyone put on in the 60’s, this was the real stuff. Huge wide planks of thick wood. Both the living room and den had fireplaces and in the winter they were usually burning. The ceilings were 9 feet high and the place was hard to heat.
My friend, Kate will tell you that the best place in the house was the basement. It was divided up into little rooms and we played house there for hours. Kate was convinced that there was a secret passageway to the carriage house in the back and there was a dirt mound under the stairs we called the horse grave. We used to try and dig there in hopes we would locate the secret passage. We saw ghosts there too. It had a brick floor and it was damp and musty but we loved playing there.
I lived there for 8 years until I moved to Toronto to attend college but my parents stayed there for nearly 30 years until my father died there and it was too big for my mother to maintain herself. We all loved the old homestead and have very fond memories of the fun we had there.
OH MY GOD!!! What an amazing place! It’s beautiful! That is the perfect house for a kid to grow up in, no wonder all your family loved to come and visit. So glad you have all these happy memories there of your own childhood and of Justine’s. Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you Meg. That speech inspired me to show my old home.
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I love old houses. In fact, I’ve never not lived in one. Even growing up and all my apartments as a bachelor, being divided old places. Our house now is old, 113 to be exact. We have ghosts too. Nothing like an old house, the walks tell stories. I hope my boys have those fond memories from growing up on our old homestead as well.
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There is something mystical about them. Before we bought the house a little girl died in the bedroom I had. I was never afraid of ghosts. I’m sure my dad still haunts the old place he loved.
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Yeah, there’s bound to be energy left behind. We’ve named ours and her to simmer down if the activity gets out of hand. It comes and goes. Gives the old place character though.
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Absolutely! Thanks for sharing!
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I knew you grew up in a nice house but didn’t realize how amazing. Fabulous description of the house I definitely got a sense of how fun and wonderful the house was. Great to have so many memories from this place. I hope the people that own it now enjoy it as much as your family did.
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It’s been bought and sold twice since my family lived there Cindy. The previous owners ran a Bed and Breakfast there and now a young lawyer and her family live there.
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B-e-a-t-i-f-u-l pictures of the house Cathy 🙂
Wish I spent my childhood there!! ha! 🙂
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It was a wonderful place to grow up for sure!
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🙂
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Wow that is so amazing! I love the pictures! It seems like the dream house from a movie! thanks for sharing!
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Thanks Linz.
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A really lovely home and apart from the veranda, I really like the black and white floor tiles in the hallway.
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I loved them too. The people who bought the place ripped them up and redid the original pine floors and it looks really nice too but not as grand.
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Oh it must be funny to see what someone else has done to your former home.
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Yes…good and not so good!
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What a beautiful house. I am sure you have fond memories of the place. I am attracted to grand old residences. I am sure the changes must’ve ruined the look and the warmth of the place – but memories have an excellent way of staying fresh, especially if we visit them frequently. Thanks for sharing, Cathy.
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Thanks Anand. It was your comment that made me think about doing this post and I think it’s one of my best ones. I’ve never used so many photos but I like when other people do photo blogs. Thanks for the inspiration!
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You are welcome.
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I remember that house. One of the most beautiful houses in Wingham
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I have a pic of us in the old house Frances. I’ll look for it and post on Facebook.
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OMG what a beautiful home. I love old houses, although they can be a lot of work. Ours is 150 this year. Your house looks like a magical place to grow up. No wonder Justine loved to visit there. Thanks for sharing the photos.
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Thanks Judy! Your house is lovely too! I do love older homes but as you said, they are a lot of work.
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It’s a wonderful place. So beautiful. you not only had a beautiful family but also a beautiful house and upbringing. I am so happy for you.
Have a wonderful Sunday and a great week ahead Cathy.
Anand 🙂
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Thanks Anand!
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Gorgeous house and setting, how lovely to have such memories to hold dear 🙂 I’m now imagining in future time/years reading the wonderful fiction you might set there, your writing’s always lovely to read 🙂
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Thank you Colette.
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What a beautiful house! Nothing built now can compare to the craftsmanship in old homes like that. Thank you for sharing.
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I agree
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I soooo loved this! I would never turn ddown a tour of an old house. I feel I just got to go on one here! Thank you for sharing😂
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You’re welcome! I love old houses too.
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What a magical place to grow up, Cathy. The foyer is my dream–love black and white checked floors–so elegant! Such a lovely tribute to your family and homestead.
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Thank you! I always loved the tiles too but the people who bought the house ripped them up and exposed the original pine floors. They’re beautiful but not as elegant.
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Nooooo!!!!!
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