We got new stained glass windows for Thanksgiving! I know there are no gifts given for Thanksgiving...traditionally. But, we lucked out. They are really pretty, I guess you could call them etched more than stained glass as there really isn't any colored glass involved.
These are more simply decorated, not so ostentatious. More subdued, but very beautiful in their own simple, pure way. They kind of remind me of the glass doors that might be a doctor's waiting room in the 1940s. Or what I imagine would be in a doctor's waiting room in the 1940s.
This is why I am concerned. These new windows are courtesy of Mother Nature. When we moved in to this house it was 110 years old. Now it is closing in on 116 years (Wow. We have been here for almost 6 years. And wanting/thinking about/trying to sell it for 3.). The FIRST thing we did was to get storm windows. The windows are original to the house, neither of us knew (and still don't know) how to re glaze windows. At least, I don't. Someone else in this house may have some skills that I am unaware of up a sleeve or two...I wouldn't be surprised.
The line of thinking was such:
-Any windows we were to get would have to be custom made as the opening sizes is not standard to the modern era. Let's face it.....not the past century, much less the current one. Major bucks.
-The original glass has rippled since they were made. That really pretty, old fashion-y, hard to see clearly through kind of glass. You can't recreate that effect without time or wait for it.....Major bucks.
-The frames that hold said glass.....not so much in the greatest of quality for them. Years of water, and opening and closing, and frost, and wear and tear. These babies have seen better days. (My own individual line of thinking: Even if I knew how to re glaze a window, the entire frame for each window would have to be rebuilt because these are mostly shot. I don't know that we want me rebuilding something meant to keep out the elements.) Again, Major bucks.
So, we opted for custom made (because of the sizes of the windows.....no picking them up same day at the Home Despot.) storm windows. Thumbs up: keeping wavy glass for old fashion-y feel. Thumbs up: better protection and energy savings with new storm windows. Actually, any storm windows, I don't think there were even any on the house when we bought it, but I may be wrong.
Really nice guys, really nice work.
Where was I? Yes, back to why I am concerned. I have the idea from somewhere that.....while pretty to look at.........this is not a good sign. There shouldn't be this much and this thick of frost in between the storm window and the house window. This tells me that moisture is leaking out and cold is leaking in. I mean it is no shocker that in this old of a house, a brick house no less, that there might be some exchange of air with the outside.
Let's just say that my love for all things old is still close to my heart, but I think this is a growing experience where I have firmly put on the Big Girl Pants and decided that "pretty and old fashion-y" is going to almost always be trumped by "how much is this costing us in our heating bill?!?!".
I don't want to talk about the radiators either. Same idea.
While I still like charm and character and probably always will....it will no longer be such a strong factor in the decision making process for me....as it was with this lovely home. I don't know that I can totally regret buying this house as it has gotten us started on our lives together.
However, the NEXT house with be chosen with Big Girl Pants on and a decidedly more frugal, realistic and logical perspective.
