This is a section of the wall I am closing to separate my son's "new" room (our old dining room/den) from the living room. The photo was taken after I had framed the opening for closure, but before I added the new drywall.
We have a tradition here, whenever we remodel we leave stuff...messages, goodies, etc. for those future denizens of our home.
This started years ago on my first room remodel. Our bedroom needed a make-over and I pulled up all the puppy and baby stained carpet. The plywood subfloors were sanded clean in preparation for new oak tongue and groove floors.
I called the family in and gave everybody a Sharpie marker and said, "Have at it!"
The 3 kids were little at the time and they looked at me like, " IS HE SERIOUS?" Their little brains were all remembering the accumulated "time outs" they each had earned with unsolicited wall crayoning.
I assured them it was okay and they had a blast. They drew, they wrote. We all got into it and soon the floor was a cave painting of sorts.
Afterward, I lay the oak flooring down and the drawings disappeared until some future date.
When friends come over during a remodel session, they are often invited to sign a board or the back of a piece of paneling.
On the day of the photo, I couldn't resist tucking a few things away for someone...someone probably not on the planet yet.
Inside the wall is a paystub of mine, a note about why I closed off the wall, some change, and a photo of what the wall looked like before any changes were made.
I have something for you Pure Florida regulars too, but that can wait until my film is developed.
10 comments:
We did the very same things when we put down new wood flooring in one room and walled in part of the basement to make a room. The newspaper of the day is down there, along with mash notes and little drawings.
In fact, when I carved my initials in the boulder at Roundrock, it was with the knowledge that it would be under 10 feet of water, probably forever (when the dam finally holds).
Let's just hope your house doesn't fall victim to the Extreme Makeover people who take down houses with giant machines. All of your messages will be lost.
We, too, have left little surprises for those who will follow us. We don't remodel (it's not our house, it belongs to the state), but we do repair. There have been a couple of times that holes mysteriously appeared in the drywall ("I didn't do it!") and had to be patched. We tucked little time capsules into the repairs.
Under the wood laminate flooring in my living room is the old linoleum. And under that the same newspapers that I discovered when pondering removing the linoleum. Seems there was a new suspect in the Lindy baby kidnapping case!
That is such a great idea...leaving treasures for the future. We have left our hand prints and our initials in wet cement. Maybe when we knock down a few walls we'll leave a note too. I really like that. A printed page of Pure Florida recounting this tale might be good to leave as one of your messages.
If I were to attempt to remodel the final product would probably be message enough, but I think it would be the wrong message! ;-)
My opinion (which is driven by lack of ability)is some things are worth paying for.
Awesome! Hope you blotted out your social security number, however.
Pablo,
Yeah, a bulldozer would ruin my message in a bottle...wall.
Swamp,
Park housing runs the gamut...I hope yours is good...we know the location is good from your photos.
OA,
That's the kind of fun surpise I hope to provide someone.
RD,
That is an excellent idea. Consider it done!
DPR,
Thanks. I remember at the Castillo in St.Augustine, there were still mason's marks on the upper arches that dated to 1672. I just found that fascinating.
Thanks for the kudos.
Laura,
Don't worry...Social Security will be broke long before then :)
Thing,
My wacky son likes to write things like..." Help! The nalks are coming...must find way out. Send for help"
That'll make some future restorer scratch his head and wonder.
ThunderD,
You used the P word. Here is what's worth paying for...lumber, nails, paint, tools, ...and the electrician. Okay, we definitely pay the electrician.
I think this is a wonderful idea. (She says while she is looking around her house looking for a wall to tear out.) My husband will love you for this. Heh!
Hick,
There's probably some exposed rafters in the attic. Get your sharpie and write the history of the house...after you finish your novel.
When we moved out of our Brandon home us kids all took turns sneaking into the attic and writing messages on the rafters of the sort your son left ("Help...!"). Much later in life, at a wedding reception in the old neighborhood, I was introduced to the (then) owners of our old home.
"I see you finally escaped from the attic," he says. "Wow, your hair really did turn white."
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