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While driving north to attend the auction being held at the stone house I experienced a curious phenomenon. Anyone that knows me knows I am hooked on talk radio and it really doesn't matter what I listen to as long as there's talk. While scanning the airways I came across a country western station playing one of those twangy sounding songs that you might hear in an old western movie and without realizing it I was listening to it. I'm not sure now but it seems to me I was trying to whistle along. What? Anyone who knows me knows "I hate country music."
We woke early, I, because I was eager to go to the farm and see everything again. We have over the last several weeks drove by to see it from a distance but this day we get to see it close up and hopefully will get to take some pictures home to go over and show our family. It is a dark, cold, fall morning with the foliage in its colored glory. Dad will stay behind and mom is going, to see another older lady part with her things and also to see what the market will bring.
The reaction over the last several weeks from family and friends has been surprise and in some cases, shock. I think our kids are disappointed but hopefully when they visit our new home they will understand that this is a great place for Ralph and I to spend our dotage.
Over the last month Ralph has been busy, looking into apple farming, checking out wood flooring, kitchen appliances and has accumulated many magazines filled with glorious ideas. Like always, we want to do them all. Restoration is the word, we do not want to change the spirit emanating from the walls and stone of this homestead.
Upon our arrival we found people had already started to arrive to view the offerings and make inspections of the antiques, tools and household goods. An accumulation of a lifetime of raising a family and living a creative life.
I went to the kitchen door to say hello to the owner, Midge, and see how she was holding up and tell her good luck on her sale and hopefully offer her some support for what has to be a very exhausting and emotional day. To give up the things that have surrounded you for your life and offered you memories and warmth has to be very sorrowful.
I found the owner there in the kitchen with red eyes and maybe a little confused with all the commotion around her. Not all of this was due to the day pending but she had come down with a cold and I don't think she was feeling physically all that well. She told me it was very hard to watch and that she would be leaving and would not stay for the sale. This did not take place though, she was given great support from her daughter and a flock of friends. it became a very festive day with her friends reminiscing about old times and offering her the kind of support someone would receive being a cherished part of a community. I tried to reassure her that we wanted her to take part in the renovations with suggestions and the knowledge she possesses of the property. I also told her whenever she wanted to come back, feel wanted and welcomed, there will always be a place for her. She and her daughter have expressed how great it was that someone with new enthusiasm would be taking on this ancient dwelling.
After sharing hugs and tears with her I went back outside to wander and started the daydreaming that was inevitable. On my first couple of visits I was looking at the house, as just a house, this visit was a little different. I was looking at it as a soon to be farmer. Farmer? I am a very suburban person, but her I was thinking about, chickens in the chicken coop, goats in a garage, whoops, barn. Dare I dream of owning a horse for Ian? Part of this daydreaming was fixing up my studio in the attic room with the big windows looking over the meadow. Meadow? Miss suburbia would have said yard.
I remember thinking that I hope my family could take from this home the warmth that Midge and all before her will have left behind.
I wandered through the barns and started taking some close up pictures so I could get them out on my website for all to see. I saw broken chairs and scattered remittance of projects unfinished. A feeling of a final move was present and I felt a little guilty for the excitement I was experiencing. But while in the kitchen with Midge I was reassuring her that her presence will always be with this house just like all those spirits that she so enjoys talking about.
People were flooding in and the auctioneer made an announcement that the sale would start in a few minutes. We took our seats and the sale began.
We made our bids and bought a few things that could be left behind with the house. I don't know a lot about the price of antiquity but it seems to me she was getting a fare price for her things and after talking with the daughter she said that her mom was pleased with the prices she got for her settee and piano. This had a lot to do with her improved spirit, after all, she did sell her prized possessions and she was probably glad to see that there are those who appreciate them like she does.
It might be, at this point, nice to remember that mom was with us, the reason being is, she did make a bid and took home a wooden fish net. My mom is 83. She wanted it. You never know when an 83 year old women might need a wooden fish net. I did notice that when we got home she put it aside and didn't choose to show it to dad right away.
After 35 years of having been away from the north country, I did recognize a few faces I remember, hellos were exchanged We are ready to retire and except for when I look in the mirror (Ralph told me once that the solution for this is, "take out the mirrors") I don't feel any different then I did 35 years ago (OK, I have a few aches and pains). What I am trying to say here is, the people I saw were very hard to recognize because some had taken on a look of someones grandparents. Could it be they have taken out their mirrors.
We were the new owners and people were glad to meet us and congratulatory phrases were being expressed.
So, all in all the day was a success, The owner felt relief with this step behind her and we got to experience the house in a less formal setting. Just being able to wander and continue our daydreaming in a very festive atmosphere was a joy.
My mom gave me a great memory. When we were leaving I made our good byes and congratulated Midge on the successful of her sale. When I started across the yard, there was mom, swinging in a swing. She was smiling like a women that just got a prized wooden fish net. I thought of how young she appeared and how I hope that when I am her age I can spend a very long day at an auction, and still be able to walk out without assistance. that alone, swing on a wooden swing which hangs from a tree on a cool fall day.
Midge informed me that the closing could be as soon as the end of the month. We had put in the purchase offer that she could close next spring but I was pleased to hear she was ready now.
Someone asked if we bought anything?"Yes,I said"We bought the farm"
Was that a chicken over there?