Saw this home down the beach this summer and the first thing that popped to mind was how my wife and I always wanted a front porch on our home. We have a small one, no railing and only good enough for 2 people, maybe 3. So when I look at this I see a home that might meet our needs. Not that I can afford this home even if it weren’t at the beach.

In thinking about my home, I was in love with it the day I pulled up in front of it with my better half. Oh don’t get me wrong, it was a real fixer upper. We had to look beyond the nursery in the dining room. We had to look beyond the dozens of big game animal heads on the walls. We had to look beyond the tar from the constant cigarette smoke oozing from the paint. We had to look beyond the stains and burns on the hardwood floors and carpet that I won’t even begin to describe. And when your eyes saw beyond the big animal heads you could see some of the most bizarre wallpaper on the planet. Later we discovered a glue factory under that wallpaper. We had to look beyond the gravel drive. We had to look beyond the pool that looked like a cesspool. We had to look beyond the rotted picket fence with deer skulls on each fence post. We had to look beyond the goat grazing in the back yard.

Now I have to pause because that goat made a hell of a lot of sense. You have to be part goat to cut some of my back yard. He asked if I wanted it but my wife said no because it charged her when we were walking around the top of the back yard.

There was an arsenal of weapons and he had his own room in the basement for loading. And by room I’m saying some significant space. Of course next to this was a huge and very old and ugly wood burning stove. Concrete floors and block walls with a half working half bath in the basement.

The list of issues encountered is too long for a blog. Maybe too long for a book. I believe the crooked carpenter was employed to build most of it. Few rooms are square, even though I believe that was the original intention.

It’s no mansion. 1500 sq ft. 3 bedroom rancher. But its a castle to me. And the front porch is fine with the evening sun and a snowball or just a relaxed talk and sunset with my better half. There is no more relaxed feeling to be at peace with all you have and have both worked for and been given.

Yeah those porches would be nice. A home at the beach would be nice. A stable of motorcycles would be nice. But I’m happier helping my family and friends and enjoying some of life in a simpler way.