Gun Fire Too Close To Home
The other night we were sitting on our sofa watching television when we heard really loud gun fire outside a home 3 houses up the street from us. It was so loud that it sounded like it was in the same room with us. I flew off the sofa and plastered my body flat against the floor. David ran over to the window to see what was happening. All the while I am screaming, “Get out of the window! Get out of the window!”

David saw two Hispanic teenagers running up the street, right past our house. We assume it was a gang related incident. No one was hurt but it definately scared me.

Selling Crack Across The Street
My sweet neighbor from across the street saw me in my yard and came over to talk. She asked me if I had seen a green Buick parked in front of her house. I told her I had but admitted that I hadn’t really paid much attention to it. She told me that I needed to start paying more attention because the man was selling crack from his car. This woman lives directly across the street from us!

She handed me a slip of paper with the car’s license plate number written on it. She asked if I would call the police on her behalf since her English is not that clear. I called the police department for our area directly. The officer who took my call wanted to know how my neighbor knew for sure the man was selling crack? I explained that it is happening in front of her house so she was able to observe the transactions and it was pretty obvious the man wasn’t selling Avon.

The officer told me to call 911 the next time we saw the car because the police would need to catch the man in the act of selling crack. At this point I became frustrated and asked if the officer could at least run the license plate number. He did and said it was registered to a Buick. The officer again requested for me to tell my neighbor to call 911 the next time she saw the vehicle.

The whole exchange was infuriating. I can see why most of my neighbors are of the opinion that the police don’t care. The car hasn’t been back since I reported it to the police. I almost wonder if someone at the police department tipped off the crack dealer?

The Attempted Burglary 4 Hours After We Left Town
Last summer David and I flew to D.C. for a vacation. Our flight was right before noon. We usually schedule an early morning flight so that we can leave our house under the cover of darkness but that didn’t work out this time. The taxi picked us up and took us to the airport. Four hours after we left town we received a call from our alarm company letting us know that an alarm screen had been tripped.

The police responded about 45 minutes after the alarm company contacted them. Of course, by this time there was no intruder to be caught. They filed it as a false alarm and the city of Los Angeles stuck us with a $115 fine.

When we got back in town a few days later I called the police department to file a report. They sent out an officer who basically said there was nothing he could do because there were no witnesses or any evidence. He believed that someone in our area had observed us leaving and did try to enter through the kitchen window because it is shielded from the street. The officer said the alarm served its purpose and scared the would-be burglar off.

It wasn’t stated but the innuendo was that $115 is probably a small price to pay when being faced with having our house broken into. I see his point of view but I’m angry because it WASN’T A FALSE ALARM.

The other incidents were people coming into our neighborhood and doing illegal activities. The people who actually live here are hardworking. They take care of their houses, manicure their lawns and generally make great neighbors. I am most bothered that someone who actually lives near us is either tipping off a friend or is willing to steal from us directly, i.e. is generally not a great neighbor.

Most of the time our area is a quiet, peaceful transitional neighborhood. Hopefully, the negative elements will completely transition on out of here.

Looking at these historic photos and illustrations from the early 1900′s, I find it interesting that so many of the living rooms feature a table or desk in the middle of the room. This was the era before coffee tables were popular.

Photo of an upper class home, taken around 1914

Armstrong linoleum advertisement featuring a desk placed behind the sofa.

This photo was captioned “A simple bungalow living room” in the original publication. The room is sparsely decorated with a small table and lamp in the middle of the room.

Desk in front of the fireplace.

Side table and chair in front of the fireplace.

Desk in the center of the room.

Desk is prominently placed in the living room.

I am also helping co-ordinate the remodel of a very cute late 1920′s Spanish style bungalow.

I know I often complain of feeling “burnt out and SO over” the restoration of our house, but there are things that still get me excited. I love that there always seems to be something left to discover or another surprise waiting to be revealed.

Yesterday, I recieved an email from someone living in our neighborhood who provided additional information about the the John Welsh family, the family who built our home. Not only did I have complete house envy when I saw pictures our neighbor’s home, but I learned that John Welsh had another daughter! I hadn’t turned up any information about her in my research. It seems that this other daughter has quite a story which I will share once I learn more.

I was also forwarded John Welsh’s obituary from May 30, 1932:

Welsh. May 30. John L. Welsh, beloved husband of Katherine Welsh; father of Mrs. Don F. Catudal and Mrs. Walter Hempel. Funeral Wednesday, 8:45 a.m., from the Frank D. Weber Mortuary. Mass at Holy Name Church at 9:30 a.m.

I want to say thank you to our neighbor, Danny, who found this information about the Welsh family. I am so excited!

:: Paint ::
Ceiling Color: SW 6387, Compatible Cream
SHERWIN WILLIAMS
website: www.Sherwin-Williams.com

Wall Color: HC-34 Wilmington Tan
BENJAMIN MOORE Historical Collection
website: www.benjaminmoore.com

:: Stain ::
Read all about the paint stripping and staining process, the stain color and stain recipes here.

:: Reproduction Casement Window Latches and Entry Door Strike Plate ::
HOUSE OF ANTIQUE HARDWARE
3439 NE Sandy Blvd P.M.B. 106
Portland, OR 97232
phone: 888.223.2545
fax: 503.233.1312
website: www.houseofantiquehardware.com

:: Switchplates and Return Vent Cover ::
REJUVENATION
2550 N.W. Nicolai Street
Portland, OR 97210
Sales & Service: 888.401.1900
Retail Store: 1100 S.E. Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97214 (503.238.1900)
website: www.rejuvenation.com

:: Register Cover ::
THE CRAFTSMAN HOMES CONNECTION
PMB 343, 2525 E. 29th, Suite 10B
Spokane, WA 99223
telephone: 509-535-5098
fax: 509-534-8916
website: www.crafthome.com

Register Cover: Metal Registers Style 1, Antique Brass Finish
They now offer nice Mission and Rickenbacker style register covers that weren’t available when we purchased our register covers last year. Although, I would still probably select Style 1 since it most closely matches the original wall register cover found in the house.

:: 1910 Arts & Crafts/Mission Chandelier ::
ECLECTIC REVIVAL, Fine Vintage Lighting & Decorative Arts
email: eclecticrevival1@rogers.com
website: www.eclecticrevival.com

:: Wooden Electrical Outlet Covers and Deadbolt ::
HOME DEPOT
website: www.homedepot.com
Electrical Outlets had been added to our floors. I replaced the covers with natural wood ones that I stained to match our red oak floors. David found a deadbolt that is from The Craftsman Collection.

:: Furniture ::
CRATE & BARREL, Leather Club Chair and Sleeper Sofa
website: www.crateandbarrel.com

RESTORATION HARDWARE, Metro Recliner
website: www.restorationhardware.com

POTTERY BARN, Side and Coffee Tables, Henry Line
website: www.potterybarn.com

::Window Shades ::
SMITH + NOBLE
phone: 800.248.8888
website: www.smithandnoble.com

:: Paint Stripping, Wallpaper Removal, and Plastering::
J & C Home Repair
626.793.7091 ask for Juan

:: Floor Refinishing ::
DROR MENASHE
phone: 818.705.8799
cell: 213.798.9097

See Bungalow Living Room Before & After photos.

Usually after staying in a hotel or someone else’s home where the water worked, where you could take a shower, where all the dishes in the cupboards and the sheets on the bed are free of construction dust, it felt like a let down to come home and give up all the little and big conveniences of a house not in a constant state of destruction and rebuilding.

This time the house threw out the welcome mat and welcomed us home. We walked into the house and it felt warm and inviting. We settled in the sofa in front of the tv and listened to the rain patter down on a roof that no longer leaks. A big sigh.

Oh, it sure is nice to be home.