Removing and adding layers of family

The destruction of the next room began in earnest yesterday, the removal of a wall in the master bedroom to open it into the attic. For a large house, the bedroom spaces are unusually small and there is very little space for clothing storage, so the attics will become walk-in wardrobes. This requires heating them first, as previously they were entirely cold spaces and snow would blow in - we have a person doing the insulation for us, as it has to be done well.

As I started taking the wall away, the first layer was relatively new gyprock with a layer of wallpaper covering it. Underneath however, there were at least 5 more layers that sat on top a soft particle board, which would have given the wall "carpet" feel it was so spongy. Then beneath, the wooden planks that were used to form the concrete basement and repurposed as walls.

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While the work itself isn't fun, there is something kind of special about peeling away these various layers to expose the past, as each was likely put down at stages of life where the owners felt they needed a change, a time where they had the time and money to do something, introduce a new feel into their world. I don't know the history, but each layer could represent the first owners move in, the arrival of a child, the conversion of a child moving away, extra money to spend from a promotion or a divorce and the preparation to sell.

It will never be known exactly what the history is, but there have been a handful of families who have called this house home and they have likely all experienced some of the best times and the worst under this roof. All have likely laughed and cried here, whether it is through that arrival of a new child, or the loss of a parent, proud parents throwing a graduation party, or the feeling of emptiness when their children have moved away. People have lived here, people with messy lives and feelings, ups and down and all kinds of issues that for them at that time, were the most important things in the world and took all of their focus and energy.

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Taking this wall away from the house doesn't remove their history, it gives us space to add to the history of the house, to evolve it with the current needs of our life, the world that is the most important to us at this time. The next family may come in and question our decisions and convert or revert it again to suit their needs at that time but again, our history isn't wiped, history can't be, what happened has happened and there is no going back and rewriting actual events already lived.

I wonder what it would look like to see a collection of photographs taken by the families who have lived here throughout the years and what would be the focus. I think the house wouldn't play a starring role, it would be a background actor, ever present, but the life of the family would take precedence, their home looming behind, slightly blurred. A home is a common meeting point, a place that ties a family together, but it isn't what makes a family, it facilitates a family's living.

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For my family at this point, the house takes precedence in many ways as we ourselves as a family are focusing on its development and suitability for ourselves. But, once it moves far enough along the development timeline, it fades into the background and becomes the slightly blurred backdrop as we live our life around and through it, the walls behind our barbecues, the stairs we stand on for a family portrait when our daughter graduates, the windows we open to let smoke out after burning something in the oven. The house becomes infrastructure that we utilize to make a home and will eventually outlive its usefulness to us and we will move along and hopefully, someone else will fill its space and give it a new purpose -

which might look a lot like much of what has happened in the past.

History of humanity repeats for a reason and that is because while a lot changes is superficial in comparison to what evolves in us as people. We are genetically hardwired and while technology might fight against it, we evolve much more slowly than we are able to change our environment. We can engineer a world where we don't need a community or family unit, but for the vast majority of us, our body hasn't caught up to the technology and, will look for ways to seek balance and to be itself. We can train ourselves to ignore it or practice avoiding looking at it - but it is there within us all to some degree, as we are far more alike than different.

I am quite sure that for each family that has lived under this roof that now shelters us, many of the same thoughts, hopes and fears have been experienced. The dreams of better lives, the worries of parents for their children, children for their own futures - each family added and removed layers, and tried to do their best - what happened, happened.

Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]

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A very interesting look at the story! Nothing passes without a trace.

I think we should remember this in our actions today

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I fell you. So glad i am well over the destruction phase and my reconstruction is nearing the end. Just finished painting the walls yesterday. That is also the reason i have been so inactive on Hive. Simply no spirit after doing everything myself.

But next week it will all be over hopefully and i will post a proud selfie in a newly decorated room. With some before and after images hopefully :)

Well, you aren't "that far" away, so if you are keen to continue - you are welcome here :) We still have plenty to go.

It will feel good when you are finally able to say "this is done" (for now) and just start living your life there. I am looking forward to that point in the distant future.

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"this is done" (for now)

This is the funniest part however lol Although i am sick and tired living in a bathroom with my dog (stairs to the second floor will not be built for another week or so) i know that after this stage is finished there will be things to do around the house ETERNALLY! lol

Just think though, there will never be a reason to ever be bored again ;D

That is true indeed. Never found myself in such an occupied state considering i also got a dog i have to go for long walks :) Never felt better too :)

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What a really beautiful perspective and sentiment to hold whilst renovating. You should slice a square of one of those segments showong the layers and put it in a box frame for your wall. Well thats the kind of weird thing I would do anyway lol.

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Thanks Jaynie! I might very well do that and keep some random "pieces of the past" to place around the house later. :*

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Bit of work there. I would have been there (if COVID didn't strike) this Friday coming (10th). I would have loved to wield my sledge hammer around the place.

Will work for munkki.

Fucking virus.

Yeah it is pretty shit but, this means that next year you hopefully won't have to sleep on a bed of sawdust.

While not ideal circumstances, make sure you enjoy the time with those who will be there with you over the next week or so. Wish we could be there too.

Yeah, next year. Save some munkki's!

We will be thinking of you guys at dad;s funeral of course, and wish we cold be all together.

P.s. you see the #weekend-engagement prize pool is 160 now? Lol.

Yep of course - though I am not one to save munkki.

160?
Hope there are some more entries :D

Lol...People kept sending me hive.

Might be 50 for the winner then will split the rest up a few ways.

yeah, I guess a portion of it can carry forward too - would be nice to get some more entries in though :)

Can lead a horse to water...You know what I'm saying.

The attics are on the same level as the master bedroom? The layout in my head is now further confusing me XD

it would be a background actor, ever present, but the life of the family would take precedence, their home looming behind, slightly blurred

After reading this I was thinking of the photos I have around the house (aside from when I went through and took several photos of the actual house when we were thinking of selling and to document the bathroom renos) most of them are in whichever room was the computer room at the time when the kids come to show me something because that's where I live x_x

After having peeled wallpaper off the walls here, I think you have it somewhat easier taking out the whole damn wall XD

At some point, I will do u a floor plan for you to get a clear picture :)

Peeling wallpaper sucks!!!!

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Uh I would wonder the same thing. What a great search in the past would be to find archive photos of this house and all of those who have been on it. Ooo the stories the walls could say.... I am sure this was a lot of work, you are not pealing layers, you are pealing entire damn walls😂

Would love to have a collection of pics over the last 60 years.

Yep, no need for peeling wallpaper off piece by piece on this wall! :D

When you will have that collection , I would love to see. It would be like a walk in history. I love vintage old photos

I love the timber strip wall behind, it's a shame you can't keep that as the finish.

The last house we owned was Victorian and when we stripped back we also found many layers of wallpaper starting with 80's woodchip paper but lower down some funky 60's/70's psychedelic stuff the bottom layer would have been original, 1900's and stuck to the wall so well that we were able to leave that in place in a under stairs cupboard, kind of cool to have been able to leave that bit of history in place.

I love the timber strip wall behind, it's a shame you can't keep that as the finish.

We are considering it in some areas. I am also considering using it to make a table and set it in resin, but I am not sure if I have the skills :)

We will keep some of it too as we aren't stripping every wall down like this, it is that this one is going to be removed completely to open the attic. We will add layers of our life on top.

I was helping a friend renovate an old apartment a few years ago and they wanted to strip each layer of wallpaper away - the smell of some of them was horrendous when we got to "smoker" layers and had to wet them for removal.

It's nuts how wall paper can keep the smells of yesteryear alive, I have served many years in the building trade and had the pleasure of taking in some interesting smells.

I have a background in composites and resins so if you go down the table route shout me up for advise I will help if I can.

Some decades are probably better smelling than others :)

Cheers! I will hit you up if I get up the balls (and equipment) to do it. I tihnk it would be a good project to do, but with a thousand other projects of urgency ongoing, it might have to wait - which will mean picking and storing the wood til i am ready.

That's all good fella, every job has its day, stored dry it will last for ever. I think walls before tables is probably the way to go.

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