Thanks for sharing this image. I got lost in those interesting pics, and noted that in 1939 slips were being planted rather than pieces. Even today, many people in the South grow slips in warm beds -- cold frames lined with straw, where the tubers can be placed on their sides for the last month before the last frost. I don't think there's much point in pushing the season because sweet potatoes won't grow until the soil is warm. We set out slips grown in buckets of sand on the deck in mid June. Here is a link that might be useful:

Fresh out of school, XH and I took on a massive old house, something akin to Victoria Elizabeth Barnes'. We entertained even though it was in the middle of a construction zone. Lots of our friends were also young professionals who were tackling the restoration of an old house. We went to dinner one night at a house where there was major scaffolding in the LR. When we entertained, we used lots of candles. The candlelight covered a world of sins! The point is, don't stop inviting friends over. Make new friends who are also doing renovation. If you have someone in your life who is negative about your adventure, dump 'em. If its your mother (ask how I know), learn to smile and tune her out (nod your head and say "yes, ma'am" a lot. She'll think you are listening.) Like others suggested, make a sanctuary somewhere in your house. And post your questions on the kitchen forum. There are good people who will bend over backwards to help you find a reasonable and economical solution. Find a day when you can open the windows and air the house out even if it is only for a few minutes. We just moved into a newly built house. There is a tile in front of the toilet that doesn't match up. I'm trying not to become fixated on it. Each day, I notice it a little less. Remember, this is an adventure. We all wish you well and will be cheering for you.

Smashing staues was certainly not solely the preserve of Cromwell's men, iconoclastic fervour appeared as you say on the continent when the reformation got a bit further on than Luther - If I remember correctly, there would be well over 100 years between Luther's 95 theses (1517) and Cromwell (1649) - but England had largely escaped protestant religious fervour, preferring the more cynical exploitation of attacking Rome's power for political ends. And this perhaps is the point. There is not a single brand of protestantism, there were all types, from Henry VIII's "English Catholicism" to some real extreme loonies out there who believed really preposterous stuff. It's possibly safe to say that Cromwell appealed to the loonier end, and counted amongst his supporters people who were happy to smash heads off statues for religious reasons, but we mustn't forget that he was fundamentally a politition, soldier, republican and parliamentarian. Headless statues may be one of Cromwell's most lasting legacies, but it was not the greatest sin committed by his supporters, the Irish campaign, including the destruction of Drogheda with most of its population was a far more evil act. Possibly those defaced statues have a role in reminding us all of those dark times - a sort of negative memorial ? And then (- as this is a "readers" forum -) Cromwell shut the theatres ! Directly after the age of Shakespeare, Marlow, Johnson....and worse was yet to come....when they reopened...RESTORATION COMEDY !!! I don't think you can really blame these dreadful 17th century "Carry On" plays on Cromwell, but without him, they wouldn't have happened ;)

toxcrusadr - I am a big advocate of going "paperless". Everything I have found has been saved on Dropbox, so if my computer crashes, it will still be there. I am really paranoid about that so I also have a Carbonite Subscription. And yes, I plan to leave any info I find. bulldinkie - Good idea about checking with the courthouse. The house is in Maryland, not far from Antietam. There is a large boulder in the basement (I guess they got tired of breaking up rocks as then dug). And I mean large.. like a VW Bug. I try to imagine what it must have been like for that family living there during the battle. It must have been very loud. If they didn't flee, I would be she was huddling down there by the boulder with the kids. I have traced the deed back as far as I could. Maryland has access online, but those don't have actual signatures on them. But the clerk of the court had beautiful (but hard to read) handwriting. I did find this 1853 newspaper ad that I am 99% sure this was for the house. The person who ran the ad owned all four houses on that side of the street. And the original section (log) of our house is about that size. In 1860 the a family was living in the house but did not own it. They bought it in 1865. Not sure what an "ordinary" size family is back then, but in 1860 they had 6 kids ranging from Age 15 to a 1 year old. Yikes in that tiny house with no bathroom, and no kitchen.