Age: 59

Occupation: Disabled (multiple sclerosis)

Address: Harmony Church Road in northern Orange County

Square footage: 1,500

Acreage: 1 acre

Details: Two-story farmhouse with wide front porch and a side porch with entry to the kitchen. First floor: living room; two bedrooms; kitchen with breakfast area and laundry area; bathroom converted from a pantry. Second floor: two bedrooms with brick chimneys from downstairs fireplaces; sitting area between the bedrooms. Stairwell entered through door in living room. Stairwell and entire upstairs have exposed knotty pine walls and ceiling.

Move-in date: June 2007

Nearby landmarks: Winery at Iron Gate Farm; home with large, metal sculptures

Where I live

This is not my house. I don’t own it. But it is my HOME. There is rarely a day that goes by that I don’t say, “God, I love my house.” I’m happier now than I have been in years. I’m finally around my kids and my grandkids, and this old house is a dream.

Ever since I was little, I dreamed of having a big, old house with an upstairs. I waited until I was nearly 60. But, hey, I’m here. Unfortunately, I can’t use the upstairs now because of my MS.

I have my days, but most days I get around here pretty well. There was some worry about that before I moved in. I thought maybe I might be taking on too much because this is a pretty big house. But I’ve never had such a clean house before. I love cleaning my house.

The original owners who built this house were Mary and Levi Haith. They brought up all their kids here. One son, Walter, visited and said, “Oh, yeah, I was born here.” He was born in the living room. The house is about 72 years old. When you go upstairs, notice the smell. It’s just old. It smells so wonderful.

Why I chose my home

I kind of had my mind set on a house. I had been [in North Carolina] for two or three weeks, and I was desperate to get a house. I went to church with [daughter] Tracy and [son-in-law] Ted. Afterwards, I said to the minister, “You know, Rod, in my old age I’ve learned there are two people who know everything — hairdressers and preachers. And obviously, my hair hasn’t been done in a while, so let me ask you: Do you know of somebody who has an old country house I can rent?” Lo and behold, he knew somebody who knew somebody.

Tracy just fell in love with the house. I was expecting a little shack. When we drove past it, I thought, “Oh, my god, look at that house.” Every time I pull into the driveway, I think, “That’s my house! Yay!”

The ramp was already built. When I walked into the house and looked to the left and saw a [decorative] feed sack with a bunny on it, I thought, “Dot, isn’t that fate just telling you this is your house?” I collect bunnies, and now that bedroom is the bunny room.

When I signed the lease, the owner asked how long I would like this house for. I said, “The duration.” He knew what I meant.

Advantages

The first two advantages I can think of are [my grandchildren] Shannon and Evan. And then the next advantages I can think of are Tracy and Ted and [son] BJ and [daughter-in-law] Carla. The house is close to my children.

I’ve always wanted a big, roomy house, and I’ve got it. This kitchen is probably as big as my apartment in Colorado. I’ve got a big yard, and I’ve got [the owners] Shirley and David Haith. They’re just my best friends in the world now.

You can hear the birds singing here. In Denver, the apartment I lived in, there was traffic and sirens and people who made a lot of noise. It was horrible. You couldn’t get away from it. I gladly traded it for the birds.

The big front porch is my favorite part of the house. Sometimes I bring books out there to read. They never get opened. I sit and listen to the birds. And usually Shirley or David will come over, and we’ll have a gabfest.

And my old stuff just fits in here. A lot of my stuff is antiques. I’ve got a lot of my mom and dad’s stuff and my grandmother’s. That’s my grandmother’s rocking chair in the living room, and my mother’s is in my bedroom. Old me. Old house. Old stuff. It’s just a perfect fit.

Disadvantages

I honestly can’t think of any. I love this house. But the one thing, if I could change something, is I would put in an elevator so I could go upstairs.

I’m sure BJ would disagree with me because he thinks I live too far out. But I don’t think I’ve been too much of a bother. I can take OPT [Orange Public Transportation] for transportation to the grocery store, plus to medical appointments in Chapel Hill.

My neighborhood

I love it here. People here — and I’m not just talking about my immediate neighbors — they’re so friendly and courteous. I’ve found the old expression “Southern hospitality” is absolutely true. People are just very, very nice — even my OPT drivers.

My neighbors are the best. Basically within a mile, I’m the only one who’s not a Haith. But they’ve made me feel like one. My neighbor Chris (great-grandson-in-law of the original owners) cuts the grass and takes care of the yard for me.

I still use a wheelchair and a walker, sometimes a scooter. Chris saw that I was having trouble on the ramp with my walker. He came over the next day and built the handrail. They’ve just been so good to me.

Making my house a home

It’s always been my home. Even before I got my own furniture here — I was living with a couch and a TV — it still felt like home. I’m home because this is where my kids are.