Last July (2007) ABC's Extreme Home Makeover worked on a house in the neighboring town. It was huge news to our local economy. We thought about taking the bus tour to see the progress, but were too busy getting ready for our family vacation to Disneyland. The episode aired in October 2007.
We watched the episode and wondered where the house was located. We knew the general area and figured the home was on a side street. But, I hadn't paid close attention to the local news so never heard the exact address.
Sadly, on December 29, 2007, the little girl, Janessa, for whom the home was built, lost her battle to cancer. And to top this off, the family may lose their home. What a horrible ending. But, this information isn't what this post is really about.
A couple of months ago, we were driving to town on one of our back-road routes (quite close to the mysterious airport) when the subject of the Make-over House came up. Dave turned his head and said - "Hey, is that the house right there?"
My jaw dropped and eyes literally popped from their sockets. Yes, it was the house. A house that I drive by TWICE A WEEK or more. A house I drive by on the way to my favorite grocery store. A house I drive by on the way to Piano Lessons. A house I drive by on the way to my OB/GYN. Let me repeat myself: A house I drive by TWICE A WEEK or more.
Let me just say "I was shocked". Why was this never noticed before? Why had I failed to see it? Upon looking around at the general vicinity, I noticed two reasons as to why I've never seen the Extreme Makeover Home.
A - It sits back a little from the road and B - HORSES.
I am not a big horse fan, but directly across the street is a muddy horse pasture. And, of course, whenever I see it, I start wondering about those poor horses standing there in the mud; no grass, just mud. The horses look sad. I worry about them and the dismal land they occupy.
Did I take a picture of the muddy horse pasture? No - too chicken. Because the house next to the muddy horse pasture is even SCARIER than the mysterious airport. It is a shotgun-carrying-shoot-and-ask-questions-later-I'm-a pissed-off-back woods-maniac-whose-got-a-muddy-horse pasture-and-fifty cars-plus-parts-in my yard-and-I-probably-make-meth-in-my-bathroom-sink kind of place.
I was nervous enough taking a picture of the Extreme Makeover House. (Privacy for the family was running through my mind at the time). But take a picture of the freaky muddy horse pasture and scary house? BAWK BAWK BAWK
Where is Vicki when a chicken girl really needs her?
I would probably pay more attention to horses than a house, too!
Blame it on the pregnancy ;)
Cool house!
An Extreme Makeover home was done near here last year, and it was exciting, front page news! Wish I could have seen Ty ;)
Posted by: Kila | March 31, 2008 at 05:02 PM
Nice looking house. Some Private Eye you turned out to be. Why, I bet you could even find your feet right now.
Posted by: Willowtree | March 31, 2008 at 10:45 PM
It's amazing what we miss on our daily travels. Sometimes I'm able to pull over and take a walk for a few blocks along a street i would normally just drive along, on my way somewhere else.
It's amazing what you see, the people you meet, the things you see... all too easy to miss from a drivers' seat.
We had a similar kinda house down in Sydney near where I was growing up... they turned a really shockingly-horrid old apartment block near the beach into something that became, overnight, hugely outpriced! hahahaha
Cyalayta
Mal :)
Posted by: Mal | March 31, 2008 at 11:17 PM
I'm starting to worry about you. All these secrets and mysteries. Are the hormones a little buggy? :)
Looks like a pretty house, so sad the girl is no longer with them and they may lose it. Cancer sucks, totally. Even with insurance the bills are outrageous.
Posted by: Lisa's Chaos | March 31, 2008 at 11:49 PM
I thought those houses came fully paid??? Weird that they would lose it. They must have borrowed against it.
Poor horses. Maybe you SHOULD stop and look at them. Maybe that would make the owners realize people were looking.
Posted by: Pamela | April 01, 2008 at 07:59 AM
Oh my. I always wonder what happens to the families after the shows. Doesn't someone normally forgive the mortgage at the end when they have moved the bus and are all crying??? So sad. And so sad about the horses, too.
Posted by: Sabrina | April 01, 2008 at 08:08 AM
Have you called the SPCA? They take it to heart when someone screws with animals.
Posted by: Anglophile Football Fanatic | April 01, 2008 at 10:49 AM
"a shotgun-carrying-shoot-and-ask-questions-later-I'm-a pissed-off-back woods-maniac-whose-got-a-muddy-horse pasture-and-fifty cars-plus-parts-in my yard-and-I-probably-make-meth-in-my-bathroom-sink kind of place."
LMAO, that was goooooooood!
my heart is sad for the horses in the muddy pasture though....
I hope the homemakeover family does not lose their home.
Posted by: BarnGoddess | April 01, 2008 at 01:19 PM
LOL! Are you trying to fit in a whole super agent career before that baby is born? Just Asking! You seem to be doing quite a bit of spying lately!
I feel for the little girls family, I can imagine the medical bills alone would have sent them broke. Its always the way though, the do gooders all pitch in then everyone forgets that its ongoing! I sure hope things get better for them, but I guess there are a million more in the same boat! It would be nice if we could save them all.
Posted by: Karisma | April 01, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Scary horse keepers...we have lots of those.
Not a good thing.
Posted by: min | April 01, 2008 at 05:23 PM
I remember watching that episode !! Sad to hear that Boey died. Not all of the families get their mortgage paid off for them. It depends on the builder and the community - some neighborhoods are more generous than others.
Keep up the spying - I will now think of you as The Secret Agent Girl !
Posted by: Beth | April 01, 2008 at 07:04 PM
I saw that episode, as a matter of fact I think I have seen all of them twice! I wonder what else you will find in your neighbourhood?
Posted by: Caroline | April 01, 2008 at 08:51 PM
So sad and so educational. I was also under the assumption that all of these houses were completely paid for. Who knew?
I will pray for the family.
You DO live in an interesting part of the country, don't you? We used to pick up door facings at a shipping facility there but for the life of me I can't remember the name of the place.
Posted by: Sandy | April 02, 2008 at 08:17 PM
That is just to sad about the house. I knew about Boey I followed her website because of a friend of mine whose daughter had cancer and knew her. I really hope something gets worked out. The bills even with insurance are outragous when a family member has cancer let alone dealing with her having passed after such a long battle.
There are a lot of horses kept like that where you live I knew of several in different areas when I lived there.
Posted by: my4kids | April 06, 2008 at 10:17 PM