Let's Lighten Up!

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 7:05 am

Hey everyone!

Our own home's going to be 100 years young in another two years, as well.

Maybe we should schedule a birthday bash :-)

Come to think of it, wowie, what a brainstorm! Since many Lakewood homes were finished in the period from say 1907-1925 or so, what about an ANNUAL birthday bash for century homes? Public records could easily identify those properties.

We could have an annual "Century Home" celebration with period music, food, and a good time had by all; as we welcome homeowners to the second century for their property!

Hey Jim and co., whatcha think about this?

That would build the best of the brand, would it not?

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:30 am

I like that idea.

I was reading the PD this morning and a woman featured in the Arts section referred to Cleveland architecture as "vintage."

I thought - old building are just old, but vintage buildings are treasures! That's what we have in LakewoodÃ¢â‚¬â€œCentury homes and vintage commercial buildings.

Perhaps this is something that you could devise with the Historical Society.

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:56 am

David,
Hey the market is hot now with big inventory and low rates!! You can pick and choose! Or are you waiting for marriage? When is the big day??

David Lay · Post by **David Lay** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:09 am

Justine Cooper wrote:David,
Hey the market is hot now with big inventory and low rates!! You can pick and choose! Or are you waiting for marriage? When is the big day??

Yeah, we're waiting to get married, on June 7, 2008. Also, she's in Des Moines, Iowa right now, attending med school, so that definitely puts a damper on things! When she graduates we'll have a lot of student loans to pay off, so we'll be renting for a while...but someday, we will own a house.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:24 am

Gary Rice wrote:Hey everyone!

Our own home's going to be 100 years young in another two years, as well.

Maybe we should schedule a birthday bash

Come to think of it, wowie, what a brainstorm! Since many Lakewood homes were finished in the period from say 1907-1925 or so, what about an ANNUAL birthday bash for century homes? Public records could easily identify those properties.

We could have an annual "Century Home" celebration with period music, food, and a good time had by all; as we welcome homeowners to the second century for their property!

Hey Jim and co., whatcha think about this?

That would build the best of the brand, would it not?

Gary

Love it, what do you need from me or us?

I was at a LakewoodAlive meeting years ago it seems. I believe one comment was every home in Lakewood is old enough to be on the historic registery with the exception of about 45 of them.

We should all work to get this done.

.

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:22 am

Gary,
What a great idea!!! Do we all get to dress up in period costumes!!! Any prizes for the oldest house?? Our passed the birthday!!

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:50 am

Hey Justine, DL, and Jim!

Glad you like the concept of "Century Home" birthday celebrations for Lakewood over the next several years. Brunswick has "Old Fashioned Days" but with our housing stock, we could take that sort of thing one better.

And what about businesses? Some of our stores, churches, lodges are getting to that point too.

We could tie this in to present celebrations, or do it as a stand alone.

Period outfits, music, horseshoe games, and even newspaper stories from 100 years ago would all be awesome additions to the yearly celebration.

Who knows? It might even give folks an impetus to do more fixin' up?

Maybe a small engraved brass plaque could be awarded by the mayor

Official Lakewood Century Home (or building)

dedicated _________

Signed Mayor_______

Can you all think of other things we might do?

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:54 am

Gary,
I think you should form a board for ideas! I think that is such a great idea!! Avon does the antique and garage sale community thing every year that brings in tons of people!!! If we had the antique stores and other shops like you said participate I think the possibilities are endless!!! People are drawn to vintage and antique and look how the Medieval festivals draw crowds! Do you think something could be done at the parks with that?

Mark Crnolatas · Post by **Mark Crnolatas** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:19 pm

Years ago I lived in Madison, Ohio for awhile. The BIG thing there was to buy a "century home" as a status symbol. People from all over NE Ohio were scrambling for one, if one went on the market. Now here in the Wood, we have a city full of century homes.

It would be great to highlight how "they don't make them like they used to". Let's get the word out.

Take it from me, plywood floors and all the shortcuts in a more modern home is like saying a VW will take on a Hummer H2 in a head on and come out a winner. (no offense to either vehicles or their owners).

Mark Allan Crnolatas

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:05 pm

My neighbor just asked me about the article a while back in the LO on Clarence, Waterbury, and Grace and wondered if signs could be put up on streets with older homes (is that all streets) calling it historic district or something??? Sounds better than birdtown! This end gets a bad rap but signs like that on some of the streets would make it more interesting!!!!

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:55 am

Today I saw a Monarch butterfly. It was deep into some dandelions we haven't pulled.

The grape hyacinths look good and the tulips are growing tall. The bleeding hearts are in flower.

Some of the peonies that DH grew up enjoying in spring are now growing here for both of us to enjoy. They are still too small to stake.

Beajay Michaud · Post by **Beajay Michaud** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:17 pm

I saw a coyote today and a Red-tail hawk. I love wildlife. My oldest daughter called today to tell me I'm going to be a grandma!!!

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:38 pm

Congratulations! Any good news at school??

Dl,
Thank you for the reminder!

Justine Cooper · Post by **Justine Cooper** » Sun May 13, 2007 8:29 am

The other day I heard a chirping noise coming from the wall of my second floor spare room that I am refinishing into a meditation/reading room. Then it sounded like squeaking. So for two or three days I listened and called others to listen but no one could make out the sound. I was so paranoid about mice or worse in the walls of this old house, but then I wondered if it was a trapped bird or squirrel. The squeaking got louder and I worried that baby rats now were living in there!!!! I called exterminators but was really also worried about "humanely" removing whatever was in there.

My husband offered to "exterminate" the creature(s) himself but I really wanted them removed not killed. He climbed out the window onto the roof and found a vent (??).When he removed the vent he pulled out a big bird nest with a half dozen newborn babies!!!! I was so relieved and I told him to hurry and put it back!! He did and I watched by the window to make sure the mamma bird would still come back. Well she was sitting there waiting with the daddy bird too!!!! Of course I sprinkled food on the roof and keep watching and listening and they are still chirping!!

I think that is the most perfect Mother's Day gift I have ever gotten! Spring is rebirth and to have this nest built for newborns in my "new" room feels like such a sign of rebirth and love.

To think about how birds with their little brains instinctively know how to build these amazing nests twig by twig astounds me. And to see mommy and daddy finch coming back, made me think birds have better instincts than some humans!!!

My heart overfloweth today with the joy of being a mother. God Bless every mother, from birds to humans! Whether you are a momma to humans or a momma to animals, or a momma to the community, God Bless!

Joe Whisman · Post by **Joe Whisman** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:24 pm

I am overjoyed at the arrival of summer. I look forward to enjoying the sound of keggers springing up all over. Every year, I find myself waiting for the first sightings of crotch rockets. Oh and the smell of lawn fertilizer is not to be missed. I enjoy watching the weeds grow up around the abandon car in my neighbors back yard. The rumbling of the Baker tow trucks speeding down my strreet sets my heart racing.
It is the little things that makes summer my fvorite season. Did I mention loud butt rock?