This morning we said a final 'goodbye' to our old house. Though it was never 'our house', it was my brother's house.
And, despite its dilapidated state and old-fashioned, impractical design, I rather liked it.
Martha and I had to oversee the pianola move. The pianola gets shifted from one family member to the other. It's now going to my other brother.
Pianolas are impossibly heavy, but these two blokes didn't bat a burly eye-lid.
And then we left some bananas for our lizards. I felt a bit sad.
But on a good note, I haven't seen a bush turkey for weeks!!
Sometimes it can be so hard knowing when to finally leave; do I take one more walk through the house just to make sure I haven't left something behind, check you've locked up just right, turn around just one more time as you walk down the driveway, one last look in the rear vision mirror as you drive away. Don't be surprised if you swing by over the next few weeks just to make sure that the house is alright.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to read that. Sometimes it's easy to think that you're the only person who thinks a certain way, and then you realise that you're not the only one.
DeleteYou are definitely not the only one. I'm as sentimental as they come :)
DeleteI'd be super sad about the lizards.
I still drive by our old house and check on it.
DeleteI've been tempted to phone our old neighbours (we weren't that close) just to see how the new tenants are looking after 'our' house. Will you miss the pianola? What was your favourite scroll? We have a harmonium. An harmonium.
ReplyDeleteI'll sort-of miss the pianola. Noodle liked to wee on it, and Child One would humphily practise her 'piano' on it.
DeleteIt only played rolls backwards so every roll sounded like a 'Song to the Anti-Christ's Zombie Army'. So, I rarely instigated a family sing-a-long.
I've had many houses in my almost-64 years, and moving is always bittersweet. Despite the excitement of having a new home to decorate, you're always leaving behind important memories, so it's a little sad. I still occasionally drive by some of my old homes where some of my life's milestones took place...where my daughter was born, where I last lived with my late husband. Important memories.
ReplyDeleteThe nice thing is that you'll be making new, wonderful memories in your new home. Enjoy it!
Thank you Dana. If I were in Texas I'd swing-on-by and purchase some 'new decorating' pieces from you!
DeleteOne door closes, another opens. The end of an era indeed. I remember Baby Martha; now a little girl in Converse shoes. Wow! Kenny was recently in Brisbane for work, and drove past both our(old)houses.
ReplyDeleteWhere does the Swan now reside?
Coconuts, the swan is at the front door. I'll do an Anon Annie vinaigrette for you.
DeleteHow long had you been there, Carmel? No doubt you've witnessed many of the children's milestones occur there. My Mum has our family pianola - it took 4 men to lift it! J x
ReplyDeleteJane, we were there for a bit-over two years. I thought two men were a bit wishful this morning when they turned up. I had to help them a bit. Only a bit though. I couldn't believe they moved it so easily. I should start referring them to people.
DeleteI cried buckets of tears when we moved out of our child rearing house and son #3 filled as many buckets. Turns out it was a good thing and it didn't take long for us to realize that.. Can't wait to see the next installment. I do love arranging and rearranging furniture in a new place. Don't work too hard. Keep an open mind. You'll make new memories. Is your brother moving into his house? You'll be able to visit, right? Martha is such a big girl! Love those little sneakers.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you cried. I was crying while I was wiping jammy hand-prints and crayon off the wall.
DeleteThere was a man cleaning the oven at the time, and I kept wishing he'd finish so I could escape!
House sold!
Your dismay at leaving your house is only matched by my dismay at seeing how much Martha has grown! Wishing you well in your new abode.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mrs Chaos. I mustn't have put a picture of her on the blog for a while.
DeleteI kind of feel sad. I don't know why...it's not like we're moving or anything...maybe I'm just overly sentimental as every place we've lived was special in its own way...even the dumps! And the act of taking all of one's possessions and moving them seems so final.
ReplyDeleteI hope your new place will be full of love and happiness. xx
Brismod,
DeleteMade me re-assess my collections of ceramics!
I have the same response as brismod. It reminds me of the book The flame trees of Thicka. Do you know it? The main character leaves her home that she has loved and she kisses the walls. I remember doing this when I was about 11 to a house my family lived in in Victoria, when we moved all the time due to my Dad being in the Army. Good bye Martha's first house, hello new house.xxx
ReplyDeleteOBH,
DeleteI haven't read that book. Sounds like a good one though. Bloody houses.
That's because they left early to get to your new digs. Watch out for them there!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're right. I'm going to start leaving banana about the place.
DeleteBest of luck and happiness in your new place. Very much looking forward to the tour. When we moved from our place in Hebden Bridge to come down south, it was a terrible wrench. I still get flashbacks of hoovering the floor after everything had been packed. Ooh, don't get me started.... Anyway, don't look back -- I'm sure the new place will be fab. x
ReplyDeleteMoving can be bittersweet. Or sweet and sour, as greta says.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the new home and all of the fun decorating that comes with it!
Most people are excited to be moving to a new place. I always found it sad. Of course I find the sadness in everything. Do you mean to say you didn't take your blue tongues with you?? No bush turkeys, that's good news.
ReplyDeleteI do not do moving well. it is about THE hardest thing to go through. ever. but once in the new place, the sadness changes to excitement, and new beginnings become a joy. that's the lesson i always told myself. i hope you find joy in your new home!
ReplyDeleteDear Carmel,
ReplyDeletenow I know how you've managed to clean the lounge room...
Thank you for the chance for us to say good buy to your old house. 'Buy, buy old house! and: Thank you very much!'
Have a nice start in your new house with your huge family... without bush turkeys.
Love, Ariane.
Another episode in the saga of the bouncing pianola.
ReplyDeleteNever look back.
I remember the last day of every move always filled with mixed emotions!
ReplyDeleteMy parents used to drive by all of their old digs in Brisbane, and we couldn't understand it at the time. It was a bit of a family joke.
ReplyDeleteI went and visited the house on Monday too. Must have been after you, as the pianola was gone and the banana was there! It was weird, because that was where G spent her first almost 2 years, so there are so many memories of her growing up and Anna. But little things were already different from when we were there. When we bought it, we thought we would live in that house until retirement etc.
Not to be.
Can't live in the past.
ps look on the bright side - at least you probably don't have the toilet in the dining room anymore!!
Goodbye Mt Coot-tha view
ReplyDeleteGoodbye backyard weeds that were impossible to kill
Goodbye wobbly back deck and sticking up floor nails that defied gravity
Goodbye old kitchen that was almost set alight testing out a camping oven
Goodbye groovy window latches from the 1920s.
Goodbye scratches on the dining room floor from Anna's big entrances from the back yard and scratches on the wall siding from her trying to get the rats.
A small part of our life is gone. Onwards and upwards.
Chris (the brother/landlord)
PS The pianola weighed apparently more like 600kg (it dented the floor of the removal van)!
Goodbye old house.
That's it bouncing away to the next in line.
DeleteOh, Martha, look at you! If your mother ever brings you anywhere close to Norway, I'm afraid you'll be squeezed for hours and days!
ReplyDeleteI used to have an old piano, but I had to give it up because of my frequent moves. Old house, new house - you will do fine in any house! Although, I know how you feel...
Many, many hugs
Lilli