The house that Babs and Elroy built after I went away to college went up for sale. This piece of land has a long family history and when I sent the zillow link to some of my nieces and nephews we all had a very similar reaction.
“It’s like a time capsule! They haven’t changed the house at all since Grandma and Grandpa moved out.”
Truly the house looks nearly exactly the same. The owners put up some wallpaper borders, added a sun room, and maybe painted, but as someone pointed out, even the family pictures on the walls could have been of all of us.
Here are the screenshots from Zillow:
We had a family photo exactly like this one.
Exact same sorts of pictures on the wall.
Border on the wall in the kitchen is new.
The little door in the middle of the wall in the back of the kitchen leads into a half-height, room length pantry that we all loved. You could hide up there, but also go grocery shopping for all sorts of canned and non-perishable goods when you came home from college.
The bathroom where Buds used “the decorative towels” on his first visit, to my dad’s dismay 😆😆.
The basement had a full kitchen, and Barton’s sister lived down there when she was in grad school.
Grandma’s office in the background.
It has not been changed at all!
Many, many family gatherings here, as you’ll see in a minute.
Great piles of shoes would mound up here when we would all gather.
The nostalgia grew stronger as I looked over those pictures. So much work and so many memories in that house. I went back and pulled out some old family photos.
Everyone helped in building it.
He couldn’t stand for the basement to not be finished.
When my dad had a job to do, he assembled a posse of skilled labor. I have no clue why I’m out there clomping around in boots like I had a single useful skill, but a lot of loved ones in this shot.
Two of my brothers, my dad, and my nephew.
Buddie’s first trip home with me.
The first meal we ever made for my family.
Brandie the dog lived with my parents my summers of grad school.
So many hours the grands spent playing here.
So many birthday cakes were made with Grandma.
Another birthday cake!
Another birthday.
Tough to see in the photo, but this was the clear phone we all loved that Dad took from Joe The Barber’s shop one day when he decided he liked it.
My brother and sister-in-law at one of countless family meals.
Family Christmases.
The picture wall.
P lived with them part of a high school year after her parents moved.
The kids kept getting taller and Buds and I didn’t.
Barton visiting when his sister lived in the basement.
My sweet parents.
My brother David was a big kid no matter what age.
The stereotypical kids’ table. A very mannerly group.
Yup, more fun pictures.
Remember when you were taller than any of your grandkids, Babs?
This sweet face.
Family gatherings of all sorts.
The red truck and my sweet dog I had when I met Buds. He was intrigued by both.
I love this shot for so many reasons. My sweet dog, my sweet niece reading.
My parents adore/d Rags.
Babs within her office of wood.
Buds playing hokey with P after she got new skates. Yes, he’s using a snow shovel.
Such an Iowa shot: camper for the state fair, truck with topper, and Grandpa and Grandkid washing the car. Notice the extra garage which was needed, but obviously not for parking vehicles in it. Or maybe Babs’ car was in there?
Rags and P working together.
Grad school buddy Lisa.
The grandkids grew up and brought their friends and significant others, too.
My parents moved out so I could host a weekend retreat with the SAB Board.
Trying on the wedding dress I borrowed from a friend for our wedding. Those big packages behind me are the sleeping bags Mom and Dad gave Buds and me as a Christmas present. They were zip together sleeping bags!😳😳😉😉
Buddie’s family’s first visit to Iowa for our wedding.
Hanging out together.My niece, Buds’ siblings, Buds’ college friends.
More wedding gathering. Saffi braiding my hair, Buds wearing my t-shirt, and me wearing a jumper.
One of my very favorite photos from this house: Little George Jr. sitting by a sweaty Grandpa as he took off his shoes after a hard day working. My parents love/d being grandparents.
The picture of all of us except my eldest brother David.
Dad carried this around in his wallet, so a little grainy.
I hope some new family buys it and they have years of love and laughter and arguments and using the decorative towels and new boyfriends and new girlfriends coming home. It was a good place to call home.
