4.09.2011

A cottage gal has the last word.......{wink, wink}...

** Good evening from rainy Phoenix Arizona! No worries, we have enjoyed 8 days of sunshine and temperatures in the high 80’s…ahhhh. I am feeling a bit neglectful of this blog so while the family watches a movie I thought I would check in with you. I don’t think I could concentrate on a movie if my life depended on it, I just have too much on my mind.


You see, tomorrow our family boards a plane headed back to Minnesota – which technically really is not home anymore…..cause we have no home there, nor a home anywhere for that matter, we are currently in between closings! Our cottage was packed and loaded before vacation – a process that I survived, just barely, due to the fact that sweet hubby was in meetings in California thus crowning me single parent status for the week, dealing with less than competent movers and then the final (Calgon take me away moment) my big girl’s hamster was murdered by the neighbors dachshund shortly after the moving van pulled away! I spent hours consoling a very distraught little girl while scrubbing my house from top to bottom in preparation for the new owners’ final walk-through the next day……

And on that subject….this is the EIGHTH house that my hubby and I have sold during our twenty years of marriage (which we celebrated on April 6!). It was by far the most difficult sale we have ever been through….I don’t know if it is the real estate market and a case of buyers who expect the moon and more, but boy it was unpleasant. I will say no more. However, in the middle of it, I wrote a post about a tree……with words I really meant, about one thing, out of a million things that will define our time in our Forever*Cottage. I was asked to remove the post and I did. But it has bothered me ever since cause this little ol’ blog is mine, and well, I like to have the last word.


Bear with me, I am not able to post the pictures that accompanied the original post, but the words are there and I feel better that they are back where they belong. A new post will appear on Monday evening – some of my new favorite things – and maybe even some sneek peaks of what I plan to do in our new cottage – and even though our new home is not really a cottage, I am calling it that because I am a cottage-loving gal (who may also sort of like to have the last word too).


Good night from Arizona! Below are my words from the original post, with special thanks to my sweet hubby for saving them for me:


I never considered myself an environmentalist.

I'll even admit to snickering a bit

when the news reported

on people sitting in trees to protest

the cutting down of an old tree.



But if you are wondering where I am this weekend,

I just may be sitting up in this gorgeous

old burl oak tree

in our backyard.



The inspection on our Forever*Cottage took place

this week. This is always the most

stressful part of selling a home.

And while we worried about

some things inside our home {nothing significant}, we

never considered an issue with a tree.

Seems our buyers think this 150-200 year old oak

poses a hazard and danger to the home and

wants US to cut it down prior to closing!



The thought makes me sick.



Don't worry, we have 3 arborists over this week to

inspect the tree. Of course, the owners claim

that their arborist says to take her down.

But the two that came today proclaim her healthy.



Of course she is healthy. She has lovingly provided

the perfect amount of filtered shade that has nutured

both sun and shade loving perennials -

the hydrangea's, day lilies, hostas, black-eyed susans

and coneflowers that make up my

backyard gardens.



On her strongest lower branch has hung my girls'

favorite swing - the one that when daddy gives

a good push allows them to see the roof

of our cottage.



Oh, she is healthy alright! She produces enough

leaves to fill our large yard each fall -all

red and orange and yellow - and three weekends

to rake and bag them!



Maybe it's the lover of all things vintage in me, the things that tell a story,

that have stood the test of time that makes

me feel so protective of our tree. Or perhaps because now

our family is part of this tree's long and special history.



Have a wonderful weekend!



9 comments on "A cottage gal has the last word.......{wink, wink}..."
  1. Oh my goodness that makes me so sad to even think of taking down a beautiful old tree for no reason. Now I'm dying to know what the outcome was. Did you take it down (against your better judgement) or did you leave it alone to continue growing.

    What a difficult time you have been through - may you settle swiftly into your next forever home.

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  2. Take down the tree?? Yikes!! That is awful!! I hope the tree still stands?? But since they were so adamant...probably not!! Sigh!
    Oh well!
    I had a fabulous Japanese garden at our home and sold it. The new owners promptly bull dozed the garden completely and planted grass!!
    Grass?? Water sucking grass?? Talk about shame...sheesh!!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  3. Jill, so sorry to hear that a stressful time was made even more so buy a difficult transaction (and a traveling husband and a very bad dachsund!) I can't believe the buyers wanted YOU to take down that tree...UGH. But glad to hear that you are on the other end of all this and will be starting life in your new forever*"cottage" soon!

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  4. 8 homes? oh my!!!
    what a tender story my friend.
    can't wait to hear all about the settling in!
    xoxoo

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  5. I can only imagine the stress. I feel your pain...no wonder you haven't blogged. I understand the whole having the last word thing. I deleted a post once for someone and I really didn't like it. Made me a bit sad. Anyhoo...I know it's your Birthday so I hope even if you are in mid-flight that somehow it's a very special day craziness and all. Love you girlie...soon it will all be over and you'll be settled once and for all.

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  6. Hello sweet Jill. I'm thinking about you and your family and hoping you will all be settled in soon and feeling like you have been there forever. I can't wait to see more of your next (almost) cottage and to see what you do with it. I feel your pain on many levels as my Sweet Hubby has flown the nest this last week before we finally take possession of our new cottage leaving it all to me. I will make him pay in extra work when he gets home. ;)
    I'm so sorry to hear about your family pet and all the challenges you've had. And who asked you to take that post down? Sheesh! We have been dealing with a very difficult seller. Her irritation with a down market is being directed at us. So anyway, all of this to say, I'm glad you will soon be home again and I was happy to see a new post from you.

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  7. ive dealt with fussy buyers before. its no bueno. its like they think the seller should bend over backwards.. we arent begging them to buy it, shoot, buy it if they love it. dont they get the idea that the home isnt brand new custom for their needs?


    uugghh. my best wishes to you lady and your kiddos!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Jill that is just wrong WRONG W.R.O.N.G....Good on you Lovey for posting your thoughts....Wretched new home owners....If they were to get a dose of heartburn for being so disagreeable it would indeed be a 'shame'....The BUGGERS....!!!

    I hope your daughter recovers quickly from her loss....I don't think I'll ever look at a sweet little dachshund the same way....!!

    Cheers,
    Tamarah :o/

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  9. Jill,
    That sucks. Being from a state that has a very large tree as it's state symbol I understand the importance of our old growth. Good for you for re-posting your original blog and for having the last word. I hope that ol' tree gets his.
    Here's to mother nature and the importance of respecting what was put on earth before us.
    Welcome Home!
    Francisca
    Bee & Mason

    ReplyDelete

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