It was July when we packed
the self drive hired removal
van.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples who are a little worried about His talk of leaving them. This is how He cheers them up: ” If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come and get you, so you will always be with me where I am.”
John 3:16
I knew we were going to have to move from the cottage. Our sons needed space. A shared room for them was not working, but they loved where we were. Why?
Some five bedroomed houses were being built behind our four, two up two down cottages. The builders provided a supply of bent nails and leftover wood, and the children were creating a world of dens in the mature laurel trees.
Listening to Mum Dorothy these were her words: ” Don’t disappoint yourselves. Sell before you look to buy.”
Here it is easy to really want a house but have another buyer replace you if they are more ready to buy.
I remember the first viewing went really badly. I noticed oats or was it flour sprinkled on the stairs as I showed the viewers upstairs, then while talking to them downstairs, there was the awful sound of floorboards creaking. They needless to say showed no interest. I only remember two viewings.
The second viewing was a Friday morning. Our sons were at school. The gentleman, a jockey, came with a portly grey haired man in a significant car, which they managed to just park off the bend. The cottage was as perfect as I could make it:
All surfaces clear.
Minimal personal stuff.
A large bowl of fruit and vegetables ‘carelessly ‘ yet carefully placed in the kitchen.
Windows sparkling with sun coming through.
I smiled, invited them in, and said: ” I’m just taking our dog, Patches, for a walk. Please enjoy looking around and shut the door as you leave.”
That afternoon, we had the exact offer we had asked for. That weekend, we saw three houses and offered on the third.
Listening to Mum Dorothy, we had an easy move. I couldn’t expect to replace the cottage in my affection, but the “new to us ” house was light and big enough.
There is always sadness about packing. I guess you wonder if where you’re going is as good as where you have been.
Unknown to me.
Home is where the heart is, even if you can’t remember which box you packed it in.
Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eye.
Unknown to me.
To those who are new to my blogs, I try to add to my memories some time over the weekend. Thank you for reading this one.
Sandy 😊