Mimi's Cherished Dollhouse

When I re-titled my blog I think I told you how giddy I was about getting the electricity on my dollhouse repaired.  My exuberance over this has not died down one bit!  Let me tell you about it.

This dollhouse was probably the nicest thing I received as a child.  I can't believe we hung onto it, but somehow it ended up in our attic here in Arlington.  Susan just happened to be here one day when Jack was cleaning out the attic and saw the dollhouse (in pieces).  One corner of the roof was broken off, but somehow still there.  She scooped it up before I even saw it and found a place in Fort Worth to have it restored.  That Christmas I cried my eyes out when they brought it out with a big red bow tied around it--almost like new!

Isn't it just wonderful?  It was furnished in a much different manner from its original little plastic pieces when the family presented it to me.  Jay and Terri had bought the bedroom furniture which looked much like the antique suite we have in our bedroom (and probably cost accordingly!!)  We already had Madeline, thus the nursery.  Her nursery was in a carousel theme, and I later found the little carousel horse for the dollhouse nursery.  (See it in the nursery window?)

 

The house did not have electric lights when I received it that Christmas.  We used to take the girls over to the place that restored the house to look for new "stuff."  They spotted the chandelier which is now in the dining room, and they wanted it!  We asked if the house could be electrified.  Yes...if we wanted to take out a bank loan...which, of course, Gaga did not hesitate to do!  So...we picked out wonderful fixtures for every room.  Here's where it all began:

Oops.  It looks extremely more glamorous in person.  And here's the living room, complete with fireplace, tools, etc.  "Gaga" is holding a miniature Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Now the disappointing thing about all this was that the lights were never very dependable.  They would sometimes work, often flicker on and off, and just generally frustrate us girls.  The man who had wired it had retired.  I made multiple phone calls.  I hauled the thing to Denton to try to get proper repair.  When I got it home, the lights would not work at all.

I then called my electrician brother-in-law, Jerry.  I was embarrassed to ask him, because this thing is electrified with little tape--not typical wires.  He sent one of his best guys, Joe.  Unbeknownst to me, Joe has a hobby of--guess what?  Building dollhouses!  He fixed it!!!  Better than ever!!!  Hallelujah!!!

This has definitely been a high point of my Christmas.  Every guest has been directed and coerced into looking carefully at my dollhouse!