{"id":1121,"date":"2026-03-10T19:58:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T23:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/?p=1121"},"modified":"2026-04-04T20:49:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T00:49:41","slug":"house-and-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/index.php\/2026\/03\/10\/house-and-home\/","title":{"rendered":"For Love of House and Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>On a Sunday morning a few weeks ago, I turned on the TV to catch up on the news with my coffee. The destruction and insanity and death was too much \u2013 I just couldn&#8217;t do it. So, I gave in to my weakness for watching videos of house restorations in the UK (watching other people&#8217;s happy endings) and watched an episode. (On Tubi <a href=\"https:\/\/tubitv.com\/tv-shows\/444230\/s02-e14-longhurst-lodge\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/tubitv.com\/tv-shows\/444230\/s02-e14-longhurst-lodge\"><strong>Season2 Episode 14<\/strong><\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst1.jpg\" alt=\"Longhurst Lodge, Cranleigh, empty for almost 50 years - as it was at the date of purchase by Nik Huddy and Vanessa Ford\" class=\"wp-image-1255\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.7500106924425816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst1.jpg 480w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst1-1x1.jpg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"519\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst2.jpg\" alt=\"Longhurst Lodge, Cranleigh, at the begining of the restoration\" class=\"wp-image-1256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst2.jpg 519w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst2-230x300.jpg 230w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst2-1x1.jpg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 519px) 100vw, 519px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"736\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst3.jpg\" alt=\"Longhurst Lodge, Cranleigh after completed restoration\" class=\"wp-image-1257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst3.jpg 736w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst3-230x300.jpg 230w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/longhurst3-1x1.jpg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I enjoyed it so much &#8211; a wonderful record of the determination, love, and creativity it takes to do this work. I was suckered in, toasted some homemade bread and watched the second episode (On Tubi <a href=\"https:\/\/tubitv.com\/tv-shows\/444477\/s03-e14-longhurst-lodge-revisit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><strong>S03:E14 &#8211; Longhurst Lodge Revisit<\/strong><\/a>). How fortunate these two people are to have found each other; to take on this ruin, to see past the ugliness and to imagine only possibilities. They love solving problems, they love creating, they love history of place and of building. Most fortunately, they appear to love hard work. It reminded me to find a bit of joy again, even when it seems like my house might be actively trying to drive me insane.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My wee house is no 19th century gatehouse, but it is over 120 years old. Buying the crooked yellow house was somewhat of an act of desperation, with little choice available while still in the throes of the pandemic. Jumped in with both feet, full of optimism and thankful for the discounts while working at a home building store.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I didn&#8217;t realize until later, but the house had been empty for three years &#8211; it was cold and sad and neglected and covered in layers of grime and cobwebs and mouse poop. The last time it had undergone any work was likely the mid nineteen-seventies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover has-custom-content-position is-position-bottom-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"546\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-1201\" alt=\"still image from &quot;The Money Pit&quot; with Tom Hanks laughing hysterically and Shelley Long looks like....Shelley Long.\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tomhanks.jpg\" style=\"object-position:50% 53%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"50% 53%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tomhanks.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tomhanks-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tomhanks-768x410.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/tomhanks-2x1.jpg 2w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#cc9933\">During my first year, nearly every week exposed a new problem, resulting in both budget and timeline being tossed aside. I&#8217;ve watched the &#8220;Money Pit&#8221; clip with Tom Hanks laughing hysterically waaay too many times.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I slept on the floor for 6 months while ripping things apart and only graduated to a bed when I contracted Covid. Too sick to do much else, I sat on a pail in the backyard and refinished an old iron twin bed. I put my mattress on that, made the bed like a grown-up and felt very accomplished. I was finding some joy in getting somewhere, and beginning to love my house <em>sometimes<\/em>. There were still months to come filled with tears of frustration, yelling into the void and pounding my fists on unforgiving walls. They didn&#8217;t show that in the <em>Fairytale Cottage<\/em> video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-4 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"1132\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"broken chimney\" class=\"wp-image-1132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-2048x2048.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20230210_122607554-01-2-1x1.jpeg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"1158\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"vintage iron bedframe being refinished\" class=\"wp-image-1158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220813_220323997-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"1147\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"floor boards in basement with old square nails showing re-use\" class=\"wp-image-1147\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022072.jpg 1276w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"1144\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"peeling back old flooring to show newspaper underlay from 1937\" class=\"wp-image-1144\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220307_141101090-2-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"1135\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"messy bathroom under renovation\" class=\"wp-image-1135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20231217_183600445-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"1131\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-576x1024.jpg\" alt=\"stairwell under renovation with scraps of plywood hiding damaged wall\" class=\"wp-image-1131\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-169x300.jpg 169w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-768x1365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220722_144848239-1-scaled.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:35%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727.jpg\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"813\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727-813x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1145\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8955368193069307;object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727-813x1024.jpg 813w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727-238x300.jpg 238w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727-768x968.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727-1219x1536.jpg 1219w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727-1625x2048.jpg 1625w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220717_192248795-1-e1773266362727.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 813px) 100vw, 813px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:75%\">\n<p>My house was probably built by people who had no choice but to use the scavenged building materials I kept finding: studs with paint on them, floor boards with mud on the underside, square nails sticking out of everything. Repairs were done with scrap, floors underlaid with newspaper, stove holes wallpapered over, and sawdust insulation (this WAS a lumber town, after all). There was still coal soot on some walls upstairs (I found coal in a window well). One doorway seemed very short, until I realized the floor had been levelled or corrected so many times, they lost four to eight inches in ceiling height. I started wondering if this was even intended to be a house when it was built.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In an effort to find some love for a house that maybe hadn&#8217;t seen a lot of it, I spent a few hours at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adarchives.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Arnprior &amp; McNab\/Braeside Archives<\/a>. If I could find some history to grab onto, that might be something. We looked at fire insurance plans for the town over the years with details of the size and finish, to see if anything changed (it didn&#8217;t, although the address has changed 3 times). Went through tax rolls looking for owners\u2019 names, then following up with census records of families who lived here. Between about 1900 and 1968 it looks like the little yellow house changed hands nearly 20 times, and that might explain a bit &#8211; not many planned on staying long, or could afford to do much. I began to feel more a part of this home\u2019s history, and it was up to me to give it some love. I even found out that the town of Arnprior was originally divided by \u201csections\u201d according to original landowner names. I live in what was once known as the Harrington Section, named for my great-great grandmother\u2019s brother, Eric Harrington. Neato.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"689\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-689x1024.jpg\" alt=\"fire insurance plan detail of Harrington Section, Arnprior c 1904\" class=\"wp-image-1167\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8333333333333334;object-fit:cover;width:auto;height:330px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-689x1024.jpg 689w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-202x300.jpg 202w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-768x1142.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-1033x1536.jpg 1033w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-1377x2048.jpg 1377w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20220304_191716636-4-scaled.jpg 1721w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 689px) 100vw, 689px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"688\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-1024x688.jpg\" alt=\"A page from the tax roll, town of Arnprior, beginning in 1871\" class=\"wp-image-1170\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:494px;height:330px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-1024x688.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-768x516.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-1536x1032.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-2048x1376.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_2022030-3-1x1.jpg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have all this rolling around in my head, and it fuels the constant fight between loving and hating my house. The pride I feel in the hard work I\u2019ve done and the skills it took me to get here is at conflict with the anger I feel over having so little control over how things work out (or how they so often don&#8217;t). I don\u2019t know whether to stick it out or grab my tent and run for the hills. (<em>&#8220;There&#8217;s a thin line between love and hate&#8221;<\/em>&#8211; thanks Chrissie).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Watching the videos of these people renovating and SMILING, seeing the special and meaningful things they do for each corner of their home has me leaning towards staying put; remembering why I was doing this. I didn&#8217;t even throw things at the TV. The work you pour into your home and the choices you make are acts of love, and sometimes of blind faith that things will work out &#8211; because they have to. Because this is MY home, and when I come in the front door, I really am glad to be home.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1273183_5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"1148\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1273183_5.jpg\" alt=\"original living room as I found it. Filthy carpet, dirty furnishings\" class=\"wp-image-1148\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1273183_5.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1273183_5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1273183_5-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1273183_5-1x1.jpg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">for the record, that rug was foul<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" data-id=\"1150\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"My somewhat crowded living room as it is today\" class=\"wp-image-1150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-1536x1186.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-2048x1581.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/PXL_20240825989-1x1.jpg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ok ok Mary &#8211; where were you going with this? Sounds like complaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I believe there&#8217;s a connection between this struggle and the love of home, to the drawings I do of places &#8211; of houses and homes. A client who commissioned a house portrait a while ago told me that when she looked at the drawing, she felt like I must have loved her house. I&#8217;d heard that once before. I do feel as though I am creating a relationship with my subject, whatever it is, while I draw &#8211; it is a kind of intimate process. The feeling extends to houses I draw; it&#8217;s more than lines and colour on paper, it&#8217;s a love of houses and places, of drawing and creating, of recreating a small part of that for someone else.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Somehow connecting all of this together has brought me back to a better place. Nota bene: I have been told I am &#8220;much nicer&#8221; when I&#8217;ve been drawing. Go figure. I did manage to make a little house portrait for myself while suffering from a terrible cold (of course) and I enjoyed that instead of thinking about my cold walls.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1014\" data-id=\"1155\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma-1024x1014.jpg\" alt=\"watercolor drawing of the little  crooked yellow house in Arnprior\" class=\"wp-image-1155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma-1024x1014.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma-300x297.jpg 300w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma-768x760.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma-1536x1521.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma-1x1.jpg 1w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitma.jpg 2023w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"1154\" src=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"commissioned home portrait of a victorian style home in Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood in watercolor and ink\" class=\"wp-image-1154\" srcset=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/madmother.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Bitmap-in-Untitled-1-1-1x1.jpg 1w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>Someday I&#8217;d like to put together the story of improvements I&#8217;ve made to my crooked yellow house (even if I get reno PTSD) but there&#8217;s ALWAYS something else to do. Last week it was ripping out ceiling tiles, part of an ongoing battle against destructive invading squirrels. Soon it will be time to tear down the breezeway, and get more work done on the bathroom. For now I will watch videos like that one above, where things work out for people, for inspiration, and for a little joy. And I&#8217;ll keep working on drawings of homes &#8211; drawings that remind me that other crazy people love their homes as much as I (sometimes) love mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I slept on the floor for 6 months while ripping things apart and only graduated to a bed when I contracted Covid. Too sick to do much else, I sat on a pail in the backyard and refinished an old iron twin bed. I put my mattress on that, made the bed like a grown-up and felt very accomplished. I was finding some joy in getting somewhere, and beginning to love my house sometimes. There were still months to come filled with tears of frustration, yelling into the void and pounding my fists on unforgiving walls. They didn&#8217;t show that in the Fairytale Cottage video.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1241,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"42","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[42,24],"tags":[39,52,62,37],"class_list":["post-1121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drawing-and-portraits","category-home-life","tag-drawing","tag-home","tag-house-portraits","tag-memory"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>For Love of House and Home - mad mother designs<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/madmother.ca\/index.php\/2026\/03\/10\/house-and-home\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"For Love of House and Home - mad mother designs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I slept on the floor for 6 months while ripping things apart and only graduated to a bed when I contracted Covid. Too sick to do much else, I sat on a pail in the backyard and refinished an old iron twin bed. I put my mattress on that, made the bed like a grown-up and felt very accomplished. I was finding some joy in getting somewhere, and beginning to love my house sometimes. There were still months to come filled with tears of frustration, yelling into the void and pounding my fists on unforgiving walls. 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