Installment 13: Progress Report on the House - Painting is fun

There haven’t been many updates on the house because there’s not been much going on. Finally, the weather has gotten somewhat normal. Some vacation time will be spent soon doing something I don’t really do that often – paint.

So much time goes into prepping an area that painting can be quite the anitclimax. It’s the easiest thing to do in regards to the restoration work. It's easy and I find it relaxing and enjoyable.

One interesting tidbit that I can share is a connection with the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace, which is two blocks down the road from my house. Earlier this summer I was desperate to find crown molding for the exterior of my house. I had some small areas that had rotted and were not salvageable.

The crown is not stock stuff and I could not find a match anywhere. Weeks went by. Enter Greg Sekula of Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana. During work on the Ritter house, they’d removed some of the exterior crown molding. He’d told me I was welcome to what they had if it was the right style.

It was. So I grabbed two six foot sections. A small part of the Ritter house is now permanently attached to mine. This section of crown (what is white in the photo) is from the Ritter house. It’s a little beat up and dented. I could have spent time filling in the divots, making it look like new. But instead I left it exactly as is.

I’m pleased with it and will make sure I bore everyone who comes by with the story of my piece of the Ritter house.

2nd Annual New Albany Historic Home Tour Concluded

It was a terrific day. We (tour coordinators) and homeowners were thankful for no rain. The forecast was not a promising one. We were fretting. In the end we fretted for nothing as the rain never arrived.

We were definitely on the north side of 250 tour goers. Foot traffic downtown was high. Jazzy tunes filled the air. Eateries were full at lunch time.

While selling tickets, we met folks from all over, including some that had flown in from out of town. We got a lot of direct feedback and it was all good.

Thanks homeowners and volunteers. It’s a lot of work but well worth the effort.

Mark your calendar now for September 13th, 2008 for the third Annual New Albany Historic Home Tour.

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Sadly, although I had my camera with me, not a single photograph was taken.

Dedication of The Floyd County Historical Society Padgett Museum

Seating for 150 people wasn’t enough for the dedication of the FCHS Padgett Museum. It was standing room only this Saturday.


The dedication committee of the Historical Society did a fantastic job. There were a lot of highlights – an energizing speech by Society Vice President Vic Megenity, accolades for Beverly and James Padgett and their generosity and a resounding group singing of New Albany’s official song “Indiana, My Home Sweet Home” led by the local singing group the Silvertones.

Did you know we had a song? I sure didn’t.

My Indiana, my home sweet home
I’m always dreaming day and night of you
The old Ohio, your silv’ry moon
Your hills that seem to kiss the skies so blue,
Your gorgeous autumn I’ll always love
No matter where it’s mine to roam
The place that I love is New Albany;It will always be my dear old home sweet home

View the entire gallery of photographs here: Floyd County Historical Society Dedication