2019 Year End Review. THE HOUSE.
2019 is my sixth year of owning the Cross House. In August of this year I did a post detailing much of the work completed during these years. While, golly, a lot has been done there is a vast amount still to do. I do not even have a shower in the house yet!
The work has been hugely enabled by two Heritage Trust Fund grants, which are awarded by the state. I know of no other state which offers grants to historic properties. So, if you are looking for an old house to restore and have limited funds, Kansas may be an ideal place to move to!
So, the 2019 review!
Remember a time far, far away when the infamous cat fence was at last underway? Sigh. Then cold weather shut the project down. When warm weather returned, pressing Heritage Grant work consumed the rest of the year.
During the cold months the butler’s pantry started getting some attention!
And thanks to Dr. Doug missing bits were recreated!
Yet again, I attempted to try and remove the mystery finish in the dining room, covering up the…
…original faux wood finish.
Then Kymberly suggested using ammonia and that made a difference (and three coats of amber shellac!). While I was able to return this one door to its original beauty such effort has proved not very effective with all the remaining trim. Sigh.
Once the temperatures improved, the Heritage Grant work in the SE corner, which had started in late 2018, resumed. And it went on and on and on and on and…
…and on and on…
…and on and on, resulting in wild & crazy scaffolding…
…until one day — gadzooks! — the SE corner was actually done.
But…then…the outside corner had to be redone…
…and was, baby step by baby step, finished. And finished well, thank you!
However, my joy was short-lived as work on the south wall had to began…
…and it, too, inched along.
An original bit of paneling, which had been reduced in size and used elsewhere, was restored to its original size so it could be reinstated under the east dining room window.
During the cold months early in the year, work began on the restoration of the highly damaged north wall of the upper stair landing.
And in March, the wall was largely done!
Kenny came by again to begin the restoration of the trim in the Round Bedroom. In 2018, he did the mantel in the room.
The famous niche was finished!
Remember the non-original stone pier interrupted the big sweep?
It is not missed. Oh! What glory it will be in 2020 to reinstate the seeping railing! And lattice! And to finish the painting!
Remember the non-original stone inserted between the two original single piers?
It, too, will not be missed. Remember the two 6×6 posts atop the original stone piers?
They, too, began the process of dematerializing.
And — drum roll, please — the dematerialization of the 6×6 posts and the non-original stone was complete.
Over the many decades of the Cross House four columns had gone missing. They were recreated.
Another 6×6 post and three very sad columns. But…
…there are now four happy and zesty columns!
And columns which were worked on in 2014 got some more attention. They, too, are now happier and zestier!
Way beck in 2014, non-original bits were removed in the carriage house. This year, more accurate low walls were built by Dr. Doug, and eccentric columns and brackets from the 1921 conversion were reinstated. Squee!
Stained-glass from the round bedroom were removed and sent off for restoration. And, no, that is not me on the terrifyingly tall ladder because I pee my pants on very tall ladders. Thanks, Justin!
The second round stained-glass window of the servant’s stair tower received new glass, was reglazed and painted, and….
…reinstalled after many many years.
My double beauties!
Although the built-in gutters were relined in 2015 via the first Heritage Grant, this did not prove a 100% fix. Settling had caused some gutters do allow water to flow NOT where it was supposed to flow. The red line shows a new gutter inserted atop the original, but the new gutter assures that water flow is headed in the right direction.
The main bathroom now has a period-correct marble sink thanks to the intrepid…
…Celeste (L) and Cindy! Thank you!!!!!!!!
Dr. Doug made four corner guards of the parlor, perfectly matching original guards in the house. My excitement is great.
I have greatly enjoyed visitors to the house like Margaret and Scott!
Beverly (R) and her sister-in-law, Sandy!
Kyle (L) and Hasan (R) and their daughter, Innes!
From left to right: Louis (dad), Nathan (son), Britta (daughter-in-law), Campbell (grandson), and Phyllis (mom)! Phyllis and Louis lived in the house in the early 1970s and I did two posts on them.
Carlos (L) and Robin from San Fransisco!
And Amy and Fritz, from North Carolina! And they have a blog!
Also, in 2019, I did 229 blog posts! A feat in itself!
I expect that 2020 will be a year that will go down in history as a truly, powerfully momentous year. So, fasten your seat belts everybody, it’s gonna’ be a bumpy ride!
And a happy new year to you all! BIG hug from Kansas!
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Happy New Year!! Thank you for sharing your house with us!
Happy New Year Ross! I love your year long re-cap – you have really got such a lot of work done.
Happy, happy New Year to you Ross, your kitties and your Fantabulous Cross House! Thank you for years of enjoyable and often hilarious posts as you painstakingly restore your castle. Looking forward to more progress in 2020! God Bless.
Happy New Year, Ross! It has been a true delight following your progress. I’m looking forward to another year of surprises, discoveries, and “small moves.”
Happy New Year Ross. You have accomplished so much this year, while doing 229 blogs. I don’t know how you do it, but I’m glad you do. I really enjoy reading about the Cross House and all of your adventures.
Looking forward to some 2020 progress. 🌻
🎉Happy New Year, Ross!🎊
2019 was another productive year, Ross. Thank you for sharing the experience. Big hug!
Happy Happy New Year Ross!!!
Remarkable post!!!
I love the detailed recap of efforts through 2019!
Thank you so much for this wonderful NewYears Eve & year end post!
Happy New 🎊Year & the new decade!!🎉
Wow, Ross, that is a tremendous amount of work you’ve accomplished this year. Congrats and Happy New Year!
Thank you, Ross. Your posts bring me so much inspiration and joy. Here’s to the new year, bumps and all! Hugs, my friend!
Happy New Year, Ross. Thank you for sharing your incredible work with us.
Constantly in awe of you. Happy New Year to you and the kitties.
Happy New Year, Ross! Loved reading this today and reliving all your amazing progress. My spring visit was a joyful memory in what turned out to be a very challenging 2019. Keep baby-stepping to crispy excellence. We love not only your passion for meticulous restoration, but also you sharing it with us through the blog. Wishing you many more blessings in 2020! 🥳
Happy 2020! So much achieved and such a pleasure to be brought along for the ride. Here’s hoping 2020 is the year Ross and cats move in!!
This helps reassure you how much work you really do in a year. Great work. Look forward to seeing the completion. Thanks for sharing everything.
What an amazing amount of work in a single year. Thank you for bringing us along on the journey and for making the world a more beautiful place.
Wow, you are absolutely amazing. I love seeing all that you have done to this old house!! I hope that you can move to Emporia soon!!
Your blog is a book I cannot stop reading. I feel like we are best friends. Happy New Year!
Nice to meet you, Melissa! And Happy New Year to you, too!
So Ross, I have just reread all your year end compilations. At the end of this one, you predicted 2020 would be a bumpy, momentous year. It’s only APRIL and your prediction has already come true! We’re in the middle of the pandemic, a screwed up election year and the economy is at a stand still. (Along with other catastrophic world events) What a surprise…I have a bit of trepidation as to what’s coming next.
In any case, the new search button is a fantastic addition. How wonderful to have the possibility to search “stained glass” and have 46 pages (yes!) come up at my fingertips. What is so clearly obvious is that you’re making huge strides on the Cross house. The outside painting alone, of course, adds such beauty to the house. The sparkling, reflective windows, the changing interior bits, and your sure and steady progress all combine to help bring bring the heart back to this home. What a happy day for both of you and us when you bought the house and decided to share the journey with us. The 1999 photo of the house sure made it look forlorn. Who knew such grace and elegance was waiting to be rediscovered and coaxed out. You’re just the man to do it. Please don’t loose heart at this unnerving time. Keep calm and carry on.
“I expect that 2020 will be a year that will go down in history as a truly, powerfully momentous year. So, fasten your seat belts everybody, it’s gonna’ be a bumpy ride!”
boy, you never said a truer word!
Ha! I forgot I wrote that, Bunny!