Chapter 27 - The Homewreckers

We are in the process of reclaiming our house after almost 20 years of living in South Carolina. By reclaiming I mean de-dogging it. We lost our last dog, Boh, in October and, while I miss him badly, our house is a lot less scuffed and altogether cleaner without him and all the other dogs who were in our lives. Initially we had a lovely curved sofa which nestled comfortably against the front bay window but we had to move it after our Border Collie and German Shepherd kept racing on it to accost people who had the nerve to walk by our house. Then the family room became the dogcave as the sofa in there was also against the window with a window seat behind it which also served as a pet perch. Of course the rug suffered all sorts of doggy messages and while cleaned regularly, there were still identifiable pee-mail.

Much of our interior renovation, (exterior siding, roof, and gutters happened within the last four years), has been inspired by our trips to France and other places. Our dining room, which was never used as a dining room, has been turned into a cozy Paris bistro/cafe', our living room has the sofa, (thank heavens for washable slipcovers), back in its rightful place accompanied by two silk covered chairs, and our family room has been reorganized into brighter space with the window seat more usable and the window is a frame to the flowers outside.

So, because I think of books pretty much all the time, I started to reflect on the books I've read which feature home renovations. Here are a few I've come up with.

The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews - Hattie Kavanaugh started in the home renovation business when she joined Kavanaugh & Son Restorations in Savannah, Georgia. After her husband (the Kavanaugh son) dies she continues and becomes a general contractor for the firm. Wanting to make her mark on the world, Hattie buys an old money pit to restore which might be the end of Kavanaugh and Daughter-in-Law. When a slick talking Hollywood producer comes to town to scout out his next renovation reality show, he is intrigued by Hattie and talks her into restoring an old beach house on Tybee Island. Hattie needs money, the house needs to be restored, what could go wrong? Maybe a dead body and someone trying to derail the restoration? This is another good read by Mary Kay Andrews.

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes - A memoir which reads like a novel, Frances Mayes tells about her attempt to restore an abandoned Tuscan house called Bramasole. In the restoration Frances learned a lot about the people of Tuscany but even more about herself as a travel writer, gourmet cook, poet, and more importantly, a woman. This book has never been out of print since its publication in 1996.

The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White - Looking for a fresh start in New Orleans, Nola buys a fixer-upper with plans to work hard, restore the house, and live happily ever after. Unfortunately the spirits who still frequent the house don't seem to be in agreement with Nola's plan. So Nola decides to bring in the big guns to rid her house of unwanted guests and calls on Beau Ryan, a man with a past which also includes Nola's past. This is the first book in White's New Orleans series.

Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax - An oldie but a goodie, as they say, Ten Beach Road is about three women who have been Ponzi-schemed out of their retirement funds. The only thing left is a vintage house in Palm Beach, Florida. The women can sell now and recover some of their money or renovate and recover much, much, more. As they work on the house, the three strangers learn a lot about themselves and each other. This is the first of a five book series by Wendy Wax.

Low Country Lost by T.I. Lowe - Full disclosure here, this book won't be published until September but I received a copy for an early read. Avalee Elvis has worked very hard to become the best in the renovation business and to forget her past. As she starts a new project to restore a long abandoned town, Avalee finds that her ex-husband is the structural engineer on the job. Can they complete the work peacefully or does the past come back to haunt them both? You can pre-order this book here -https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1496465652?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR09DjOM2B-0W2ED3qpbjyaMCWBO2AuCt5rxyCeoE0xcOM5lTbi9x_eCoxc_aem_6D39r8rrcBYrVaKQK9yjPw

So let me know if you have experienced any home renovations recently. They are not for the faint of heart!