Well, I've never done this blog thing before...

but then, I've never rehabbed a dollhouse before, either! Until just two years ago, I'd never done anything like any of this -- and then I fell in love with the Garfield...

but this is about the Brimble. Or should I say Brimble, a male dollhouse that is "talking" to me, as I clean him up and rehab him.

I fell in love with the Brimble when I saw one on eBay, and immediately thought about building one, and turning it into a bookstore on the first floor, and reading room on the second. Then I discovered that the kits were no longer available, unless I was willing to wait around for one to show up on eBay.

So I waited for awhile. And waited. Not that long, really, but I'm impatient! And then one day there was this Brimble on eBay....with a buy-it-now price! But I hesitated. Went to the forum and asked about it.. was it a good price, was it a good dollhouse, all those newbie-hesitant sort of questions...

and talked about it to my dear husband. Incessantly. What I'd do with it if I had it. What I'd like to paint it. What I'd need to rehab it. But maybe it was too expensive. Maybe I should just be content with my Garfield. But then I really enjoyed building the little village I'd won at the Greenleaf Halloween Madness Month, and maybe I'd like this rehab thing. But then I'd never rehabbed before...heck, I'd barely learned how to use some of these tools before...but then I REALLY liked this Brimble, and this one looked like it was in pretty good shape...

Finally my husband said, "BUY it already!!!!" So I did. Then the seller balked a bit at the shipping -- she'd way underestimated the shipping costs. I don't think she ever had to ship anything quite as big. The Brimble isn't all that heavy..but it is large! So after a few testy e-mails back and forth, she finally shipped it at the quoted price. When it quickly arrived, and was in good condition, and "as advertised"...I sent her a bit more money to cover her losses. And the Brimble was MINE!!

And thoroughly inspected by Cindy Cat, the house matriarch. Actually all four cats have been in and out of it, and would really like it if I left it vacant, so they could play in it!!

Well, I had my idea about turning it into a bookshop/reading room, and started inspecting it to see where I'd start fixing it. And as I turned it around, and tipped it upside down and looked closely at the windows and roof line....here's where it gets spooky.

I SWEAR he talked to me. I swear he told me, quite forcefully, that HE was a HE, and I'd better stop with the "she" stuff. So I switched to "he", and he was quiet. For awhile.

Then I started talking about how the wallpaper in the lower half really was not bad looking, and maybe I could just patch it up (or cover up a couple of worn spots), and save it. "Pu -leeze!!!" came out of nowhere. "I HATE that paper. I'm a wainscoat kind of guy!!" Oh. Well, then. So then I started looking at the wallpaper on the upper half...and it really wasn't in good shape. "THANK you!! I didn't like that much, either, but since I'd already complained about the lower half, I was going to be polite..."

So I made it clear that all the wallpaper would be stripped out, and we'd talk about what we'd do with the inside. There was this small grunt and a bit of a sigh.

Then I laid him on his back and started to look at the bottom. Oh dear! The glue joints were really ugly, and there were bits of foundation loose, and porch trim about to fall off. So I started to pull away the loose stuff, and there was this "sigh!!!!!!". Then I tackled a large piece of loose foundation, and there was this AWFUL CREAK!!! Oh dear me! I thought I'd really hurt him! But instead, as I pulled it away, there was a creaking and settling -- and the whole house firmed up! Apparently the piece wasn't put in quite right, and had stressed the entire structure. So now that it was gone, everything seemed to square up, firm up. And he said, "AAAAHHHHHhhhhhh, that's SO much better!"

Well, then he really started to talk. "I guess this library bookstore thing is OK, but what I'd REALLY like to be is a bar. A bar and grill. A neighborhood sort of place. Brimble's Bar and Grill. Don't you like that alliteration there in the beginning??" I know he was appealing to my English teacher past....and flattering me that I'd remember what an alliteration was, at my ancient age... But I played along. "A Bar and Grill, huh? And what would become of the second floor?" "Well, the proprietor has to live SOMEwhere. And you could always put a bookcase or two up there, and a couple of those leather chairs you were going to buy for the library, anyway. A guy's gotta sit SOMEwhere." Not bad. "And you might want to put a staircase from the second floor down, along the outside, so the guy has some PRIVACY, don't you think??" Another good idea.

I haven't told him yet about the folding staircase I think I'll install on the second floor, leading to the roof, where he could have a nice place to sun himself, and maybe a little garden.

But in the meantime, I spent the last two days stripping off all the wallpaper, tightening up a couple more seams, and getting it ready for a sanding, tomorrow. Everything needs sanding -- the previous owner apparently didn't believe in sanding...or priming...or caulking...or putty. So a lot of that sort of fixing up.

Then Brimble and I will have to discuss wallpaper, and I have to buy some walnut flooring -- the first floor is half-floored in walnut, and should be finished. We -- Brimble and I -- haven't quite discussed what the floor should be in the living quarter, but I'm thinking carpet, to muffle the sound from the bar..

Anyway... to be continued...