We are Daniel and Lori, and now Casper. At some point we were also Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, and Claire Bear the cats. And Goldie, Edgar, and Whoopi the fish. And Dolly Parton the dog. And there were a few neighborhood cats named Tom Petty and Stevie 2. But now it’s just the three of us.

We’ve moved around a bit since we’ve been together. Lori grew up in Griffin, Daniel in East Atlanta. After getting married we lived in a couple apartments in the Virginia Highlands (in Atlanta), we bought our first house back near the Starlight Drive-In and the State Pen. Then we moved out to an apartment in Avondale Estates before buying our house in Tucker. We sold that one too and then bought our current house in Lilburn.

Axe Murder House (Tucker)

OK, so that’s a very rough name for a house, agreed, but it’s what we call it. And it’s more of a compound than a house, the way it’s tucked in the trees and kind of curves around itself for protection. Built in 1969, we are the second owners. There’s quite a bit of retro charm in here, from the light fixtures to the pocket doors, to the wood paneling in the basement and the odd water feature in the foyer that was turned into a planter.

The previous owner died (of old age) in the house. His kids had already moved out and he was by himself here in this big house. We sometimes ponder out loud where he might have passed, it often ends in what’s now Casper’s room. Someone once told us Casper said he talks to the man in the closet, so that’s cool . . . But we never saw a ghost here.

Cannonball House (Lilburn)

This house was a mess when we bought it. We were tired of getting outbid on other houses so we jumped on this one, even though it looked like a hoarder lived here, and we knew it would need a lot of work. Someone else came to look at it while we were doing our inspection, so we shooed them away real quick.

It has a pool, wallpaper in nearly every room, an old roof, high ceiling in the living room, joist damage, and pee covered carpets. A dream come true. But the back yard gets lots of sun so Lori can have her a garden that may actually grow something.