We
signed a contract to sell the city house. We are divesting ourselves
of this place. Closing is in 30 days or less. Probably less as we
told him that we wanted to close as soon as possible.
I
bought this place in 1975 and Marc moved in not that much later. By
spring of 1976 I guess. We married in the house in 1976. Our daughter
was born in 1977, our son in 1979.
We
conducted our business there having converted the garage into studio.
We made an enormous amount of decorative functional glass there over
the course of 38 years or so. In 1985 we bought the house next door
for studio space, the house our daughter now owns and is selling as
well.
Now,
it is (almost) no longer ours. The new owner is a small builder who
plans to save the house if possible. If not, he will use as much of
it as he can and incorporate it into a new house. My daughter's
house will be torn down and he will build a new one in it's place.
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We
planted the magnolia tree that is in the front yard, an asset. Nice
trees are prized and saved if possible. The magnolia will be saved.
Maybe the crepe myrtle but the camphor will go to make the narrow
driveway wider. I'm sad about the camphor. It was the climbing tree
for two generations of kids and provided us much shade.
Kevin
said take what ever we want so I will be trying to dig up some prized
shrubs and the last of the ginger and my heritage rose from a cutting
from a neighbor and the red lilies and and...
I
also have to retrieve my Dresden porcelain chandelier. And I want the
cast iron claw and ball foot bath tub if we can get it out of the
bathroom.
And
I know there is stuff in the attic but I haven't been up there for at
least 20 years.
As
agonizing as it was and as long as it took, I guess I finally
extracted my roots, because once I decided to sell, I was impatient
to do so and now that the contract is signed, I feel relieved.
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In
related events, last Monday I hauled the first stuff over to the new
shop...5 boxes of packing materials and over a dozen tubes of full
size art work. As soon as we finish the last two panels in the shop
next weekend, we will start to dismantle the shop there and start
moving it to the shop here.
We
think we will have the enclosed rooms part of the shop remodeled. A
cousin is an architect and we want to get him out here and give us a
proposal for a couple of work rooms and a small gallery.
Me
and another load of drawings...
It sounds like we are floating in the same boat. We were also married in 1976. We just moved out of our home of 33 years; the place where are daughter grew up. Now we are settling into a small country bungalow and getting ready to put the old place on the market. Life is filled with changes. Best wishing with all of your changes.
ReplyDeletecongratulations on the final decision! sounds like a good builder who understands the pride in your place and the history of garden items and the like.
ReplyDeleteGreat the deal is closed. It's the place your children will always call "home" but life moves on. And claw foot bath tubs and Dresden chandeliers.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like it was meant to happen this way. I'm happy for all of you because it will work out for everyone. It's icing on the cake that you are able to take so many meaningful reminders with you. It hasn't been easy but the reward is worth all the work ~
ReplyDeleteoff with the old and on with the new.
ReplyDeleteAfter all these years you’l miss the old place but you’ll probably be too busy to fret a lot.
I find it strange that old places are pulled down to build new. As you probably know, old places are preserved at all cost over here and in many places in Europe.
I know the feeling of anxiousness to get it over with. Once you're made the decision to move on it's time to get it on.
ReplyDeleteBravo and mazel tov. I hope you will be gentle with yourself for the next little while because even though it was time and you're ready, it's still a really big thing. A milestone.
ReplyDeleteOnwards and upwards.
Time for new beginnings! You'll miss somethings; but, overall, new beginnings clear the mind and the imagination for things never attempted before. Bon voyage!
ReplyDelete(I became a writer after our move/retirement, something I had hoped would happen.)
Tough moving memories left behind.That tub will be a hard one.
ReplyDeleteCongragulations on the sell and the best of luck!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the sale. Real estate deals are always unsettling but it sounds like you're more than ready to move on. And how great that the buyer is letting you take stuff that you want. If I were you, I'd check out that attic just so you don't wonder years from now what you might have left behind!
ReplyDeleteWow. That's pretty big. I have a similar history in time terms. My wife and I are planning a party to celebrate 40 years of coupledom and twenty years in our current house. Unlike you I think my next beginning will be in a box though there are plenty of years between now and that (I hope). I'm not so much attached as very comfortable but not complacent.
ReplyDeleteNew beginnings at a certain age must be exhilarating (or daunting to some). All the best.
You are amazingly pragmatic about this move, considering the history you have goes back to pre-Mark days. But really, that new space of yours is so perfect. And it's great that you can take some of your favorite plants with you.
ReplyDelete