House hunting in a rural area can be rough. I'm not just talking about trying to find a place—I'm talking about everything involved from start to finish.
First, you find a house that looks absolutely perfect. Then you discover the photos in the listing were apparently taken 30 years ago...back when the house was young and full of hope.
You decide to take a chance and tour it anyway.
Bad idea.
Bad, bad idea.
You walk into the home and realize that nothing has been updated. The carpet looks like every fiber is fighting the other fibers for the last little piece of string holding it together. You're not quite sure what's sagging worse—the ceiling or the floor.
But that's not even the worst part.
The bathroom looks like something straight out of a horror movie, and the kitchen? Well...I honestly think I'd be safer cooking over an open fire like my ancestors.
So, the hunt continues.
You raise your budget a little and decide to look at a house that's a bit farther out. It looks nicer, has a little land, and is nestled in the woods.
What was I thinking?
It took us 40 minutes to get there. The drive was beautiful on a summer day, winding through the mountains. But being so close to Canada, we also get some pretty rough winters, and that's something you have to keep in the back of your mind.
Then we turned onto the road that I hoped would lead to my new home.
That's when I saw the sign.
"Primitive Road."
Now, I don't know about you, but a primitive road is not my cup of tea. Winding through the mountains, I'd really prefer a guardrail or two to keep me from tumbling to my untimely demise.
Not only was the road primitive, it was so bouncy that my four-wheel drive practically told me, "You're on your own. I'll be waiting for you back at the bottom."
Eventually we reached the house.
Honestly...it wasn't too bad.
It was clean. No sagging floors. No sagging ceilings.
But there were also...
No appliances.
No electricity.
No running water.
Nothing.
Now, don't get me wrong. I love the woods. I love nature. I love camping.
But when I come home after a long day, I do have a few non-negotiables.
Running water happens to be one of them.
So...
The search continues, but so do the adventures. After all, every good story has a few unexpected turns in the road.
Lisa - The Autumn Hollow
The Kettle is Always on...