We've been in our new house since early
July and as of yet have still not retained
a housekeeper. That means that Frank
and I have been cleaning seven thousand
square feet ourselves. While I doubt any
of you have pity on our rather pampered
selves, it's getting to be more than a bit
overwhelming. The fact is we're not up
to the challenge. Whatever "clean gene"
that some possess must was replaced by
our predilection for others of the same ilk.
We simply loathe cleaning and yet are
unwilling to let just anybody in the house!
Nobody loves a clean house more than
we do. In fact, if or when we're able to
be sanitarily satisfied by someone else,
few could be happier. Our challenge is
that we simply can't keep up. Hence our
frustration, angst, and at times... terror!
Our lives seem out of control as our
home almost daily requires a good
scrubbing. Given this old house has
become the top tourist attraction in
town, we must keep it looking it's best!
What confuses me is how did wiping
my counters become my civic duty?!
You see... everyone, I repeat everyone
who lives within a fifty mile radius
seems to want a tour of the Passion Pit.
Virtual strangers ring our door bell on
a regular basis. Vehicles risk being rear
ended as they pause and stop dead in
the middle of the street to view our
progress. At nights we often watch
the same grey truck circle our block
multiple times as it's passengers ogle
us dining in our sun room. Maybe it's
time that we start charging some sort
of admission. Honey, we'd be rich!
In a way I'm more than thrilled that
our fellow residents are as excited
about our home as we are. If for no
other reason, our hope is that we are
inspiring others to restore rather than
renovate. There's a big difference.
While both renew a home, one is all
about preservation while the other
simply alters it's appearance. There
are many wonderful homes here in
Lewistown that are sadly entombed
within aluminum siding. Is being
ugly worth deferring maintenance?
It seems as if we're at a philosophical
crossroads. More and more locals are
realizing the benefits of going back to
the future. If that means that only one
more treasure is saved, we're all more
than blessed. Recently there's been a
bit of controversy over the WPA built
stone walls marking our fair grounds
entrance. County Commissioners are
proposing replacing them with new
prefab pseudo stone slabs. Just the fact
that somebody actually wrote a letter
of concern to the paper THRILLS ME.
Last Saturday Lewistown held our annual
Chokecherry Festival. Thousands flooded
into town from across the state and I must
say, Lewistown was strutting her stuff!
That evening, the new trail system portal
was dedicated. One couldn't help but be
proud - this new park is truly an asset to
our community. Could it be that finally
everyone is realizing what they actually
have? That Lewistown is truly a special
place? Miracles do happen and somehow
I think it's happening in rural Montana!
Who's ready to jump into their own pit?