Monday, November 02, 2009

Front of House

I think there has been a shortage of the front of the house being documented on this blog so far. I took a better picture from across the street. The neighbourhood is so peaceful and full of families. It is really beautiful and this particular street had block parties. There is also a book club on this street (for people living on it). The autumn makes it look really nice. We are also only a 5 minute walk from the Tube station which has a relaxing feel when you come out onto the street...unlike many London areas. Everyone has a distinct door colour. I am partial to a deep red, while Nigel loves the forest green ones. Our front yard, which I have barely taken notice of. Our next door neighbour has the traditional Victorian tile leading up to their door. A view from our door. I was under the stairs cleaning it out inside and noticed as I craned below the floorboards that I could see light from outside through several round holes. Hmmm. I ran outside to see where it was coming from and noticed these holes under that door frame. I noticed all the houses had them. They must be some Victorian method of allowing air to circulate in the house. The mouse poo droppings under the stairs now make sense. Of course, I call Nigel to come take a look. He comes out and the door swiftly blows shut locking us out. Hmmm. I knock on our neighbours' door to ask for her key to the back passage (ours were also locked inside) so that we could scale our back fence and get in through the back door which we have left open. This is the back passage door which is locked and only the neighbours own keys. Okay, maybe the local council does too. I don't know. At the end of the street the little stained glass shop is having a sale on today. Oh, I like that one!

5 comments:

Sarah said...

I love thata the stained glass shop is selling something that might be from your house. Also, the brown tiles look slippery!

Mama Bear said...

i love stained glass windows! I have a small one hanging in the window of my office. They're just so pretty!

Anonymous said...

Hey those holes should have metal screening over them, sufficient to keep out rodents and insects. Nice of the previous owners to provide special openings for the vermin!
George

Friar Tuck said...

The front of house is definitely my favourite so far.

michal (W.I.T.W.I.M.) said...

The stained glass is in a little shop at the end of the street made by a couple of master stained glass makers...lead and all! I would have taken a course and made themself except for the lead!

It doesn't look like anyone has the screen on the outside. Maybe on the inside of the holes? I don't know. None on ours though.

I was discussing with a friend who lived on the same block that I thought our house was wider than hers. for the most part, each block in this Victorian grid has a somewhat unique layout and width the other blocks. You can be pretty sure that all the houses on the block are the same.

But she said, heck, it was Victorian times. I don't think they measured anything. She realised this when she was having her windows redone and the two side windows on her bay were different measurement. I had been discussing how I was sure our house seemed wider than hers which seemed odd being on the same block and all.