I am pleased to announce that lonebear and I are housebuying twins. He astutely managed to sell one as well. Perhaps less cleverly, I am now responsible for three domiciles for the next thirty days.

The people who sold us the house are a very kind and generous couple. Not only did they fix more than we'd requested before the sale, but they are leaving us a whole bunch of useful stuff (storage shelves, garden hoses, bird feeders, a desk and chair, a treadmill) and they have the original plans for the house. They'll give us the plans when we meet on Saturday to take possession. In the meantime, I have the Abstract of Title to peruse.

This is a file folder full of fun! It traces the property ownership beginning with the 4000 acres granted Philemon Thomas by John Adams. There's a little jog immediately following, since the land containing our parcel somehow ended up belonging to Lucas Sullivant by the time of his death 23 years later, but then each transaction is spelled out. The property hit a rough patch in the 1930s when it was purchased in a Sheriff's sale and resold to The Commercial Paste Company. The abstract includes the articles of incorporation for The Commercial Paste Company in 1902 as well as the article amended in 1929 (new text italicized):

Third, Said Corporation is formed for the purpose of manufacturing, purchasing, selling and dealing in paste, gum and glue and the constituents thereof, and also for the purpose of buying, or otherwise acquiring, owning, leasing, improving, selling, and dealing in real estate, and the doing of all things incident thereto.

I know there was a real estate reality show called Flip That House not too long ago, but I think I'd be into something with a different focus. My show would be more like Bleak House: Columbus.

Anyway, that was the morning. Then Brian had to leave and Victoria helped me get through my to-do list. We didn't get to finish everything, but it was a valiant attempt.