Happy Anniversary!

September 1, 2014 marked one year of Bill and Donna’s ownership of the House.  A lot has happened in a year:

We learned about the original owners, Dr. Charles and Gertrude Masser and about life in Western Colorado in the 1900s.

We met some of the families that lived in the House and learned some great stories of their time there.  The Sorters, who lived in the House in the 1980s, and the Littles:  Leslie, Roger, Mitch, and Virginia, who lived in the house starting in the 50s.

Troubled trees were removed, and the sinking porch was shored up.

Winter’s snows came and the carriage house was taken down.  Meanwhile, we learned about the sorts of tack and carriage Dr. Masser might have stored there.

Plans to lift the House for a new foundation involved removing additions that had been built onto the original structure.

Porches and chimneys were removed, bricks were cleaned and saved, trees were trimmed, and Leslie and Roger picked up the family sidewalk sections during One Busy Summer.

This last week,  in order for the house-lifting company to have enough room, alterations are being made to the garage.  Its nearly unusable door was removed to make way for more efficient storage shed style doors.  Here’s a look:

The House has come along way from September 1, 2013

to September 1, 2014.

As Bill puts it, “One year down and a few more to go.”

 

A Fabulous Fest Weekend

What a weekend–so much to share with you!  Friday evening, the House was ever so pleased to be an Art Gallery.  Bill showed a selection of his photos and we had a featured artist, Sarah Mah Withers and her wonderful art!  Sarah lives in her own historic house; once owned by a banker who left a vault in the basement, and then by an architect who operated a speak-easy there in the 20s–complete with warning buzzers to alert patrons of law enforcement visits!

Lots of friends, old and new, stopped by to enjoy the art, the House, and Bill’s popcorn.  Not the least of which was Rachel Sorter Cochran!  Rachel and her family walked through the house, commenting on which sibling had which room, where the Christmas tree always was (in the bay window of the dining room) and pointing out the locations of previous stories she, her sisters and cousins shared.  She also gave us a new giggle–she and her sisters would push her brother’s buttons by piling things up outside his room, standing on the pile, and peeking into the transom window over his bedroom door.  What a special visit!  We felt like we’d just met a rock star!  She even volunteered to help us find information on the Massers using her Ancestry account.

Saturday we had big plans to remove a willow tree, but got to the house and discovered a couple of new neighbors we thought wouldn’t appreciate the sound of a chainsaw:

The decision was made to tarp the garage roof instead; a temporary remedy for the leaking roof. Thankfully, the roof is still sturdy enough to hold two men!

Later we walked around, enjoying the sights and sounds of the fest and ended up (no surprise) at the Copper Club for beers–Aspen Street Porter, Slap and Tickle ESP and Hoocheweisen.  We ordered a pizza from the Hot Tomato–Granny’s Pesto–perfect!

The lights of the ferris wheel were a beautiful end to a lovely weekend!  We can hardly wait to sit on the renovated porch and listen to the bands at a Fall Fest in the future.

(Camel and ferris wheel photos by Bill, Sarah’s art photographed by Sarah.)

Sorter Family Memories

When a house is inhabited and loved by a family, it’s a home.  The Sorter family lived in the House and made her a home in the 80s,  shared some of their memories with us via Facebook, and gave us permission to share them with you–you lucky readers!  These memories made us laugh out loud, cry, and sigh.  One of the first we’re sharing here is from Lloyd; little memories strung together that to us, read like poetry.  Wow.

The following two memories were shared as responses to posts on our Facebook page.

Lloyd S.:  There was space in the back yard for a raised garden. The first year, tomato plants 6′ tall with round tomatoes all over them. A tall pole became one side of a swing set. A metal pipe for the cross bar. Lots of laughter and giggles. A large lilac bush that crowded 3/4 ths of the way over the sidewalk. After trimming…a picket fence that needed repair and paint. Two little girls learned to stand in dad’s open hand while I walked through the house. While doing some remodeling in the dining room, a fireplace was discovered behind the plaster on the wall.

Rachel C.:  I lived in that house from 1983 until 1986 (?- I’ll have to ask my mom). I shared the bedroom at the top of the stairs and to the right with my sister. If there is still light wood in the dining room, my dad installed that. There used to be white wallpaper with strawberries in the kitchen and the cupboards were painted yellow. We used to sleep on the porch. THANK YOU for restoring this house! It makes me sad every time I go by to see it still hasn’t been painted since we lived there. The lilac bushes in the back were gorgeous when we were there. Can’t wait to see what you do with it!!!!

The following are a Facebook conversation between sisters, cousins and Mom, shared with us by Rachelle.

Rachelle K.: Rachel, I talked to these people for quite awhile last Sunday, there at the house. SUCH memories. SO many sleepovers. Crystal, Julie, what are your favorite memories of the house?

Rachel C: Yes! How cool! I loved that house. I used to sneak out of my room at night when I was supposed to be sleeping and and sit at the top landing of the stairs and watch the TV in the living room. Then one time it was a really scary episode of Fantasy Island and I had nightmares for weeks…but I couldn’t tell anyone because they would know I was sneaking.

Crystal B: How great is this!! Fav memories…wrapping ourselves in the hammock out back and swinging in complete circles (or trying to anyway), picking Lilacs (still one of my favs!) and stripping all the tiny flowers off to fill a wooden baby bassinet, waiting and watching for the praying Mantis eggs to hatch in a canning jar, putting salt in my dads coffee on April fools just to watch him drink it with company over sneaking out our bedroom window and climbing down the tree & into the kitchen to smuggle a pound of powdered sugar back to our room, sharing a room with my sister , watching Julie eat a whole bowl of mac & cheese just to realize that it was full of worms (HAHAHAHA), the first time I ever saw Dane put ketchup on Ice Cream…gosh..I guess that I could go on and on…

Rachelle K.: These are great!

Crystal B.: But perhaps one of my favorite memories EVER….watching my Mom Betsy, letting parts of her go, burning papers on the east porch and talking to me about what it means to change and grow, to be a strong Woman, to Know my Power. How I should not be afraid and to search for the Divine within my..Self. Sigh, thank you Rachelle

Rachelle K.: Wow. That is so personal to put here and share, Crystal. How blessed you and your siblings are, to have such an amazing example of a mom. She is one of my most favorite people to talk to.

Crystal B.: I had not thought about that in many a year. Is a great memory to remember. thank you for sparking it…

Betsy S.: I am blessed. So glad the house will have more memories and not be torn down. Precious times, difficult times, but full of life.

Julie K. Wow! This is so neat and I’m so happy they are going to restore it! It made me sad to see it in disrepair. Geez – what DON’T I remember from that house? I love lilacs still from springtimes spent standing and smelling the lilac hedges in the back yard. I also love growing peas and chives because Betsy S. would send me out to pick them in the summer for dinner. One time I was jumping down the stairs two at a time and hit my forehead full weight on the ceiling bar on that turn and nearly knocked myself out (seriously). I played about 1000 hours of piano there. Also, my most embarrassing moment of ALL TIME happened when I was about 14 and one of Dane’s friends that had a horrible crush on me accidentally walked in on me going to the bathroom and then just froze…staring at me..and wouldn’t go away until I shrieked at him. Ack! It was mortifying for both of us (although I had no sympathy for him until years later). I think we started the tradition of having fondue on Christmas eve there, and I have so many little memories like Crystal cleaning the kitchen and Rachel sitting at the dining room table tilted back in her chair and laughing. I remember when Dane came home after kissing Paula S. for the first time and he was absolutely on cloud nine.

Paula S.: I remember Madge being there and my parents going to buy Amway! I am glad I can be I that memory Julie K.! ! I will share this with Dane!

We feel so very fortunate to have these memories of the House.  They bring her to LIFE!  It makes us all the more determined to make her pretty again.  Thank you, Sorters!  ❤