My husband and I moved to Clarendon County in 2017, buying an older home on the lake which had previously been someone’s weekend house. It came fully furnished, and we gave away the furnishings to make way for our own things.
We knew no one here, as we had been living in North Carolina for several years prior to the move. When my younger son graduated from high school, he lived at home during his first year of college and was finally moving out. At last we could purchase a home for ourselves which didn’t center around school districts or sporting events or teenage dating convenience.
Intending to move closer to my husband’s much-younger brother and his family, we originally planned to live near Summerville. However, we discovered a lake house on the Santee side of Lake Marion in our price range and realized we could live on the water.
We did not, however, wish to sell internal organs on the black market to afford a home on the water, so we took our time, looking at smaller, older homes which occasionally became available. As my husband works from home, proximity to a metropolitan area was not a huge concern.
When we found our home, it was love at first sight. Sure, it was an older home, and it showed its age in spots. But we saw the potential, and the price was exactly right. We dreamed of big plans to upgrade this and fix up that. It truly has the potential to become a showpiece.
We arrived around 10 p.m. on Thursday, June 15, 2017, exhausted and sweaty from loading a moving van all day in the summer heat. As the home was fully furnished, we chose to simply go to bed and begin the process of moving the old out and the new in on Friday morning.
My husband took the first shower, as he would do so more quickly than I would. I waited, imagining how lovely it would feel to get clean.
Our first taste of buying an older home came when the well pump quit immediately following his shower. It was Monday before it could be replaced, as parts had to be ordered. We spent the weekend using a camp shower from WalMart hung from the shower bar. Cold showers from a tiny spigot hanging at knee level, protruding from a plastic bag, aren’t fun, but at least we could get clean with a few contortions and gritting teeth against the cold water.
Over time, what we intended to spend on cosmetic fixes have been used to replace plumbing fixtures which were slow and clogged from sediment in the well water, the breaker box which was old enough we were surprised it passed inspection, as there was no way it could have passed code, the dishwasher which quit within two weeks of moving in and on and on and on. We installed a sediment filter for the house and an under counter filter in the kitchen, as we discovered high amounts of lead in our water.
We still haven’t begun the cosmetic fixes, and there are still things which need to be fixed, but all in all, we have no regrets. We love our little house on the lake.
As I stand in the kitchen to load the dishwasher and wash those things which must be handwashed, I look out at the lake, often seeing a Great Blue Heron who visits us regularly or the Snowy Egret who often joins him. We’ve seen a pair of otters playing on our dock and there is a myriad of birds including crows, Purple Martins and several species of duck. And there are turtles. Many, many turtles.
My husband originally hoped to spend time fishing from the dock. However, he soon learned the turtles are quite adept at stripping the bait from his hook, and he gave up. Now we sit on the dock and watch their heads pop up from the water here and there. Of course, it didn’t help that while he dangled a line in the water, a large fish would come quite close and breach, as if taunting him. My husband came to respect that fish’s audacity.
Months ago, I saw a Bald Eagle just across the water and was disappointed that by the time I could get close enough to snap a picture, the bird chose to fly to the top of a tree, hiding among the foliage. This past spring, there were even a pair of alligators who frequented our little slew, one six feet long and one four feet. Naturally, the yard is fully fenced to ensure the dogs don’t become alligator snacks, another expense upon moving in.
This past spring, rather than taking money we hand intended to use on cosmetic upgrades, we bought a boat. Upgrading countertops or appliances or replacing the carpet with hardwood seemed less and less important.
Instead, we spent hours upon hours on the water, enjoying the wind in our faces, sun on our skin and incredible beauty of Lake Marion. We’ve watched sunsets from our dock and from the boat, seeing colors so breathtaking there are no words to describe them. We watch the wildlife play in the water at the edge of our yard. Currently there are Mallards and Canadian Geese spending the winter months with us.
While there have been problems to fix and adjustments to be made, we have no regrets with our move. We have come to love Clarendon County and Lake Marion and look forward to being here for many years to come. Where else could be as beautiful?
