It was an incredibly busy week. A full day at the thrift shop on Monday, a trip up to Okoboji for a job, a Quester’s meeting thrown in and it turned into a whirlwind. Finishing out the week with leaf raking in the back 40!
I left Omaha at 8:30 Tuesday morning, to caravan up with my client, in the lead. A 3 1/2 hour drive, we witnessed a brush fire. I don’t believe this was a controlled burn. The smoke was beautiful and seen for miles. The colors told me it was creating a toxic stew, to the environment. It has been incredibly dry in the midwest. We are under drought conditions. I would think a controlled burn would be off limits.
The project house has been 2 years in the making. Not a huge palatial home but, an interesting lake place of about 1500 s/f. The original part of the home was a 100 year old log cabin, in the Monarch Cove area of Spirit Lake. An old Methodist camp ground. Additions of a kitchen and primary bedroom, as well as two other bedrooms in another portion of the house, made for a comfortable weekend retreat. The additions were already in play when my client purchased the home 20 years ago.
Originally filled with left overs from their home in Omaha, they were slowly making their way in updating the home with a new kitchen, flooring etc. We finally completed the lower level bath in the summer of 2022. A trip up in December, of that same year to button the house up for winter, told them the house would be safe until spring. But then disaster happened.
A problem with the lower level bathroom counter top, brought workmen into the home to replace it in February of 2023. Upon arrival they discovered inches of water covering all the floors on the main level and a flooded basement. Although the water had been shut off for the winter, a broken pipe in the kitchen allowed the water to run unchecked for 6 weeks.
Mold was everywhere. Even the stainless steel flatware in its drawer was rusty! What once was a comfortable summer home was now an uninhabitable box of devastation. Everything had to go, down to the studs. The windows, the walls, the appliances, the art and accessories, mattresses, and upholstery. Some of the wood furniture, and bedding, was able to be cleaned and put into a neutralization chamber, as well as a few pieces of art.
For my client, this turned into a two year, full time job of insurance adjusters, contractors, and decision making. Just the mold remediation took months. After pealing away the drywall what they discovered, was a rabbit warren of electrical problems with ancient knob and tube wiring. Bad plumbing and gerry rigged solutions, over 100 years of DIY, and a fireplace built over a fireplace!
What was a devastating blow, to my client and her family, has turned into a blessing and opportunity. An opportunity to create the “cabin” of their dreams. Not a cabin that would become a showplace, but one that would become a summer haven for family and friends. A place to escape for a few days respite, and stick a fishing pole in the water.
Some very worthwhile changes were made. The original log structure lost its logs but we were able to vault the ceiling. In a nod to the log structure we put stained shiplap on the ceiling. This proved to be magical. We refaced the double fireplace with new “old looking” brick. Creating a deep mantel allowing for some bigger items to be placed there. New wider windows give us a sweeping view of the lake. Support pillars were removed, to allow for more freedom of movement in the room. Not to mention better furniture placement!
In the small kitchen we were able to steal a foot from the generous primary suite and enlarge the kitchen. It is amazing the difference a foot can make. A bit more counter space and of course more storage. The kitchen was only a year old when the flood happened. We opened the entrance into the living room from the kitchen. What was once a 32″ opening between the two spaces, became a 5′ opening, creating better flow. Now gone, the pillars were the bane of my existence.
The shared bathroom received a wonderful new checked floor, a newly painted vanity and tub surround. The hallway to the two guest rooms, was eliminated to create more space to one of the bedrooms. The smallest room was the size of a closet previously with 2 twin beds. Still boasting twin beds the added length to this room was a huge plus.
The lower level room received a new ceiling, floor, and walls with a complete gutting of the already brand new bathroom. Reconfiguring door placement, and the edition of pocket doors improved the flow of the shared laundry and bath space. It is coming along.
What did I do? As you can imagine they are still moving back in. There are boxes everywhere. My job was to make sure the sectional we were about to order, would not overwhelm the living room. Happily our selection was a good one and we can move forward with it.
Though most of the furniture is now in play, there are still all the incidentals. Where to hang towels in a lake place that requires lots of them. A home where you will have a constant rotation of family and guests. What of these lamps will work and where do they go? The art that they were able to salvage, what do we do with it? Can this coverlet still work on the new mattress or do we need to replace?
So we opened boxes, unwrapped art, hung some pictures, discussed furniture placement in the living room, and played with bedding. Did we get the “cabin” slicked up and ready for company. No! We made a dent. Nothing that was picture worthy. In fact I didn’t take a one!!! But hopefully I left my client, who has become a dear friend to me, in a better place.
Working all afternoon the first day, we looked at the clock and discovered it was already 8:00 and we hadn’t had dinner. We were like two ship wrecked passengers that had just found our legs after a long voyage, staggering into the empty restaurant for a meal. Enjoying ourselves when we got up from the table we still had sea legs and staggered out! Proving I am too old for this!!! The next day we carried on and before I headed back out of town we stopped at the local antique mall. I almost got thru the entire mall empty handed. But of course “what’s this” happened. It was a Doulton Lambeth Pub Ware sugar bowl with lid. I had never seen one. They had two! Well I had to inquire about a price and after some negotiation the sugar bowl came home with me.
On leaving the area I witnessed charred earth just outside of Spirit Lake and 2 more wildfires. And that one we witnessed the day before? Still burning dispensing its lovely toxic smoke into the atmosphere.
Moving can be overwhelming for anyone. I wanted to get some things off the floor for her. Hanging pictures may not feel like a big thing but, not having to maneuver around them is. It is a small window into the future and a vision of what all the hard work was for.
Until next time
Thanks for stopping
Shelley
