Haircut and the Foyer

This photo was taken April 23, 2019, as we began uncovering the foyer at Glenlochie Lodge. The carpet about to be removed, wallpaper stripped away, and a small section of the ceiling needed some repair.

Not long after arriving in Dresden, we quickly learned that this is a town where people know each other well — and where almost everyone seems to have a nickname. At the Legion just a couple of blocks away, we met Dave Houston, better known to everyone as “Haircut.”

Haircut offered to help us with a small repair on the foyer ceiling, adding a piece of drywall where the plaster needed support. It was a simple job, but it meant a lot to two newcomers trying to bring an old house back to life.

At the time we weren’t legally allowed to live in the house yet, so inside we kept things simple — two lawn chairs and the box from a shop vac that served as our table. We would move them from room to room, sitting quietly and enjoying the different views out the windows while imagining what the house must once have been like.

Haircut began stopping by often enough that we realized we needed a third chair. So a lawn chair was added to the foyer just for him.

It was one of our first reminders that restoring a house isn’t just about walls and woodwork. In a town like Dresden, people have a way of showing up, lending a hand, and making you feel welcome.

Looking back now, this foyer holds more than the memory of a repair — it holds the beginning of friendships and the kindness of a community that made us feel at home.

Just beyond the foyer, the staircase begins its graceful climb…

but that is a story for another post.

Forever part of Glenlochie’s story.

#StepIntoTheStory

#dresdenontario