The great and mighty Ivy and I loaded up her husband, one son, and daughter today to check out what appeared to be a delapidated old Victorian home.  With well over 2000 square feet (in fact if all areas were livable it would be roughly 3200 square feet), we were excited to see what kind of fixer upper this was for $88,000.

We were apprehensive when the listing agent told me she didn’t even have a lockbox anymore because the door would no longer shut.  And we were cautioned that there were floors missing in at least four rooms.  The sign on the side door also warned "Enter at Your Own Risk!"

The house was an absolute and complete mess.  But I could almost hear the history of laughter, running, crying, children, gardens, hunting, cooking.  COOKING!  It had a summer kitchen … one that wouldn’t heat the house during the terrible three-digit temperatures and would keep it safe from fires.  It also had a smokehouse that could double as a storm cellar.

If I had six months and an unlimited budget, I’d be all over this home.  Ivy had some very specific ideas about what she’d do … I’ll link to her here at the Shakadoo sites when I find where she’s written her posts.

I’ll leave most of the photos to her, but here are three that I love. The outside photo first.

Ivy loved the lace curtains.  I loved the porch swing.

And one to show you the complete destruction on the inside.

PS – That’s Ivy there drooling over the prospect of a project this big!