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Interesting (to me) story about someone who repurposed an abandoned high school. --Bob

Bob78164 wrote:Interesting (to me) story about someone who repurposed an abandoned high school. --Bob

Thanks for posting this. In a similar vein, I have become fascinated within the past week by a British TV show called Restoration Home (now on YouTube.) It reveals the hurdles and triumphs of people who take on the task of renovating old buildings -- mostly dilapidated manor houses, but also other abandoned buildings, including a church and a municipal water works building, into liveable homes for their families. Of the episodes I've seen so far, the folks involved have been greatly varied, ranging from a young couple in which the husband did virtually all the labor himself while his wife kept working to pay for materials and their own food to a retired couple with seemingly lots of money to pay skilled workers but who lived on the property and focused on maintaining the history of the place. In fact, lots of history -- of the sites, architecture, old construction techniques, and the political and social scenes at the time of original construction -- has been part of every program.

I have seen only the first season of Restoration Home so far, but that's because I have to ration myself to one episode per day or else I'd be in the middle of 24-hour-a-day binge watching.

silvercamaro wrote:I have seen only the first season of Restoration Home so far, but that's because I have to ration myself to one episode per day or else I'd be in the middle of 24-hour-a-day binge watching.

You say that as though it's a bad thing. --Bob

Bob78164 wrote:

silvercamaro wrote:I have seen only the first season of Restoration Home so far, but that's because I have to ration myself to one episode per day or else I'd be in the middle of 24-hour-a-day binge watching.

You say that as though it's a bad thing. --Bob

The girls (Miss L. and Miss B.) have convinced me that two hungry dogs can most certainly become bad things. Maybe not "bad," but definitely "annoying."

Bob78164 wrote:Interesting (to me) story about someone who repurposed an abandoned high school. --Bob

Indeed it is. I walk to/from downtown two or three times a week by this building -- it's about midway between my house and downtown.

They must live on the third floor. I've been to a number of performances in the auditorium on the first floor and a few meetings in offices on the second floor. What used to be the library is a dance studio, but I haven't had the pleasure. The acoustics in the auditorium were the best in the area for a long time until the college built the community concert hall. The Barbershoppers always have their concerts there -- heavenly music.

It's really a repurposed junior high school. During my three years of junior high, I walked to and from Emory E. Smiley Jr. High five times a week. Then my first two years of high school, I was still walking to/from Smiley. The High School and Smiley were on adjoining blocks, and the school board amalgamated them into one high school, moving all the middle schoolers to a new school. Then during my senior year, I had a boyfriend or a BFF with a car most of the time so rarely had to walk. Three years later, there was a new high school, still two middle schools, and a new elementary school, completely reconfiguring how those bratty kids I was chasing off mom and dad's lawn went to school. Now add a charter high school, and hopefully the configuration will last a while.

I haven't bought anything at the Smiley Cafe, but I did pick up some delicious carrots at the tiny farmer's market a couple weeks ago. Almost heaven.

All y'all are welcome to the best burger in Colorado (my treat) and a tour of the Smiley Building anytime you care to drop by.