The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Bonus Episode: Maggie Smith on This Old House Radio Hour
Date: December 20, 2025
Host: Maggie Smith
Guest Host: Jen Largess (This Old House Radio Hour)
Episode Overview
In this bonus crossover episode, poet and podcast host Maggie Smith appears on "This Old House Radio Hour" with Jen Largess, sharing an intimate reflection on her century-old home in Bexley, Ohio. Smith explores the emotional landscape of homeownership, family history, divorce, and the powerful continuity a beloved space can provide. The conversation bridges poetry and the soul of home, emphasizing how physical spaces hold memories, transitions, and deep-rooted comfort.
Key Discussion Points
1. First Impressions and Falling in Love with the Home
[02:31 – 04:59]
- Maggie discusses moving to Bexley, Ohio, the “first city in the US to be designated an arboretum,” enchanted by its abundance of trees and the light that fills her 100-year-old house.
- She recalls touring the house with her infant daughter, noting that windows (35 in total) were instantly captivating — both a joy and an eventual challenge due to maintenance.
- The tall ceilings and quirky, impractical layout gave the home a “light and bright” feel, helping her envision raising a family there—despite the need for extensive renovations.
Notable Quote:
“I live in, basically, a glass display case surrounded by trees. And so it's perfect for a poet. It's just like light and leaves, and who doesn't want that?”
— Maggie Smith [03:12]
2. Home as Sanctuary and Witness to Life’s Changes
[05:00 – 08:00]
- Maggie recalls the evolution of her house from a child-friendly play space to a creative writing room, underscoring the adaptability of domestic spaces through different family stages.
- She details the physical peculiarities—creaking floors, misaligned doors, and the affectionate term “whopperjawed”—embracing the home’s character.
- She opens up about her divorce in 2018 and the pivotal importance of keeping the house for her children’s sake, describing the home as an emotional anchor through upheaval.
Notable Quote:
“The only thing that mattered to me other than the well being of my children in my divorce was keeping this house… The amount of peace that I have had raising my kids and continuing to raise my kids in the only house they've ever known.”
— Maggie Smith [07:05]
3. Community, Continuity, and the Future
[08:01 – 09:05]
- Maggie discusses the connection between her home and neighborhood, citing her love for both the house and her community.
- She faces the dilemma of whether to stay or eventually downsize once her children have grown, conflicted between emotional attachment and pragmatic concerns.
Notable Quote:
“So much of what I love about living here is the house, but it's also the community… I can't keep this as a monument to their childhood. It needs to be useful to me and a place to live.”
— Maggie Smith [08:32]
4. Reflection on Family and Belonging
[07:30 – 08:15]
- Maggie articulates the way her family has been shaped by their shared home, but also acknowledges that their bond transcends place: “The three of us are a family. And we would be a family anywhere.”
Notable Quote:
“To be able to have this place as a constant, it just calms my nervous system and I think it does the same thing for my kids.”
— Maggie Smith [07:35]
Memorable Moments & Quotes
-
On her relationship to the house’s quirks:
“They're the original wood floors so apparently they could use some tlc. I mean the house has a coal chute... My mom would use the word whopperjawed. Wonky is maybe a more common term. But I love whopperjawed. Everything is a little off. We like to say. Oh, it just, it has character.”
— Maggie Smith [05:54] -
On adapting spaces as life changes:
“On the other side of the living room through French doors was my kids playroom. Now it's my writing room.”
— Maggie Smith [05:14]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [02:31] Maggie Smith's introduction to her home and the city’s arboretum status
- [03:12] Enchantment with light, windows, and trees—perfect for a poet
- [05:14] Evolution of family spaces within the home
- [05:54] Embracing quirks: creaky floors and “whopperjawed” architecture
- [07:05] Divorce, keeping the house, and pursuing stability for her children
- [07:35] The house as an emotional anchor and calming constant
- [08:32] Grappling with the possibility of selling and the house as more than a monument
Episode Tone & Language
Maggie Smith’s voice is warm, reflective, and candid. She balances poetic description (“a glass display case surrounded by trees”) with practical anecdotes about home maintenance and personal resilience. The tone is affectionate, lightly humorous, and deeply grounded in the reality of parenting, transition, and creative living.
Summary
This episode offers a heartfelt meditation on what it means to build a life inside a house, blending the practicalities of homeownership with the art and soul of poetry. Maggie Smith's reflections will resonate with anyone who finds meaning, comfort, and continuity in the spaces they inhabit, or who has ever questioned the pull of “home” against the tides of life.