The house echoes now.Built in the late 50s as the model home for a new plat in a newly created city, my family was one of the first to move into the neighborhood. A husband, a wife, two daughters and soon to be a son, the house changed as we changed; carpet over hardwood floors, a bedroom built in the basement, a second garage added, then a second bath. There was music; not that any of us played an instrument, but my mother would jitterbug to 45s on the record player and later came Regina music boxes, player pianos, Nickelodeons, a mechanical violin, a band organ from the carousel of the local amusement park. There was noise; we kids running into the metal support posts in the basement with our skates that clamped onto our Keds, kids singing to the tunes on the player pianos, the clink, clink, clink of coins falling into the basins of antique slot machines, Dad pounding out dents in one of his vintage cars, fights between siblings, doors slammed in teen angst.
The renovations are finished, the house is quiet. A clean slate, waiting for the next generation of children to mark the walls, slam doors, and fill the house with sound and love.
Our job is done.
4 comments:
I know it is bittersweet, but I have to say congrats and job well done.
You brought back a lot of memories for me as we went through the same a few years back after my Dad died and Mom wanted the house sold within weeks of his passing.
We were one of the first in our neighborhood too and our house went through so many incantations it was amazing. When we moved in there were 22 homes. When they finished the neighborhood 20 years later their were over 1,500 homes. Amazing. They just kept adding.
Anyway - thanks for the memories and again nice job.
Congratulations! You have worked so hard to get to this point.
We look forward to seeing you get back on the road, and meeting you one day.
Meanwhile, carry those heartwarming memories with you wherever you go.
Such a lovely post. So many memories hiding in those walls. Not to mention all the hard work that you and Denny have put into it. Some family will be very fortunate to be able to claim it as their new home. Old memories will mix with new.
To me, saying goodbye to a home - especially a home like this one -is sometimes harder than saying goodbye to friends. I'm crazy sentimental like that. I know you must miss your mom terribly, and this house is an extension of her and so many other things.
I feel your pain :) Hugs.
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