On the market!!

June 3/11

The big news I mentioned in the last entry? - now underway!

A million thoughts raced through my mind as I left my OWN place today, heading off to our late Mum's bungalow, knowing this was quite likely to be the long-awaited day it will FINALLY go on the market. It's been over 8 extremely intense, really insane months since Mum passed away, and at long last, we're cleared, ready, willing, able and at liberty to sell it!

So conflicted
Upon seeing this shot (taken by Kate), when I got home, I thought, the expression says it all to me. Anticipatory vs. sadness; ready to jump ahead, yet regretful; - hopeful, but scared. In short? A very bittersweet moment. - And yes, that's exactly how it all turned out by the evening.

After weeks away from "the job," - met Carrie, ("Serenity Sis") in the good old "hidey hole" - (see Hidey Hole blog entry from April 16th - in April archives). All the time off from this ongoing project-at-hand, left us feeling WAY behind, at a bit of a loss, rushed, (because we haven't quite "caught the Spring market"), crazed, since the house is still filled with furniture and all kinds of other stuff; sad, as we KNOW it's the end of an incredible era, and on and on and on.

Mum always told us, if her house was going to be sold, she wanted her neighbour, "Sam", (from directly across the street), to be the agent. She adored watching his two young sons playing basketball outside her window and had a "good feeling" about him - (whose REAL name is Sinisa), as a man, an agent and a father, and wanted HIM to get the commission! So, - yes Mum, - as specially requested, Sam's your man!!

Sam the man! (his real name is Sinisa Paradina)
So, what can I say? What am I thinking? I keep using the word conflicted. It explains how we (Carrie and I) feel. We don't WANT to sell this place. It represents Mum. It represents happiness. It represents love. But, we know we have to step into the future, sell it, make financial gains for ourselves and for our families. We miss you Mum. This isn't the way we expected things to unfold, but somehow, they did. Thank you for EVERYTHING you accomplished as a single Mum, did for us, (and CONTINUE to do)!

The house is now on the market! We'll be "accepting/taking offers" on the evening of Friday June the 10th. No way to predict what could happen. We hope for the best, which is always what you wanted for us.

Carrie & I (sadly/reluctantly), sign the official paperwork to sell our Mum's beloved house
Later, we asked "Sam" to take our pic on the front porch of Mum's place (where she always stood to wave goodbye to us whenever we left), to shake hands after "making the deal". Carrie didn't even want to DO this shot, and I understand why. It's NOT a happy occasion. It's goodbye to this beautiful home. Our memories. But at the same time, we're both trying to make the very best of it, move ahead, do what Mum asked of us and WANTED. In the long run, - making better lives for ourselves - and for her grandchildren, Kate, Max and Lee.

In one of her many many journals, she wrote (years ago), on December 11, 1993.

"The only hope I have is this, that when I die, the girls will inherit a pretty good financial estate, and it SHOULD go to the girls! So when they get to be mature ladies, I hope they will be on top of the money I have and enjoy it, knowing it is THEIRS." Sigh. Choke. Tears.

Adios to the house and to "Hank" - the little chesnut tree (just behind us), whom she named in honour of an old friend, - Hank Chesnut!

Goodbye sweet little place. Bring us a good price, as Mum SO wanted!