I didn’t know whether I should publish this post or not.
I’ve read a number of really personal struggles on some of my favourite blogs
recently and my problems in comparison seemed trivial. However after setting it
aside for a while I decided that this blog, amongst other things, is a record
of the struggles; big and small, that our family goes through and although this
is not the toughest or saddest moment that has faced our little family it is
still one that will leave its mark. So here it is, the story of saying
goodbye to our humble holiday house.
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At our holiday house backdoor |
This decision seems to be one of many that has been
thrown at us lately and although we workshopped a thousand different ways to
keep it, in the end selling our home away from home was the most sensible
decision. Unfortunately like with most ‘sensible’ decisions it is hard to convince
your heart that you are doing the right thing.
It's certainly a first world problem, I know, but we've worked
hard, we are not frivolous with money and this has allowed us to keep our
getaway until now. The house is not luxurious, it's not overlooking white
sands, or rolling hills but our simple brick house is our respite, our place to
unwind and come together as a family.
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Love those pudgy little legs! |
We've put in a lot of time and energy into our 90's abode
and of course now that it's for sale it looks the best it's been. (Isn’t that always the way?). We knew
having kids might force us to make a difficult decision about the house years
down the track but probably not so soon. We affectionately named the house, Rancho Relaxo, partly because husband
loves The Simpsons but also because anyone who has stayed there agrees, you
slow down there, chores are set aside, routines lose importance and we spend
time, quality time as a family. Mornings are spent having breakfast at the
local cafe, afternoons are spent at the beach or on impromptu car trips. Yes,
we will miss this.
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Have to hold back our water baby |
My anxiety levels about this decision are at an all-time
high but it's hitting husband the hardest. It was his house before we were
together and he has memories of his own in the walls of this house. Having a family
holiday home is a common amongst Italians, one that is often handed down
through the generations, a strange concept in my Anglo-self-sufficient upbringing,
but one I can certainly embrace. However our decision that our kids spend more
time with us than in childcare in these early years mean that as a consequence
sacrifices had to be made, yes I am whining amount something very
indulgent, nonetheless it is still sad.
In the meantime we are trying to focus on the positives;
less financial stress, more opportunities to explore the city and state we live
in on weekends now. The most important thing to take away from this difficult
decision? That you don't need a holiday house to step back from your rigid
routines, to focus on the importance of spending time together, to explore and
make memories together. And tomorrow when the hammer falls on the sale of our
house there will be tears shed for the memories we had hoped to make as a
family there but life is what you make it and we can make happy lasting
memories together no matter where we may be.
So sad to say goodbye, because you feel like you're saying goodbye to wonderful memories. I hope, in the very least, you make a bloody fortune on the house! Maybe, to take the edge off, you could make a big deal out of exploring on the weekends... pick a suburb, or a street, or a nearby town and really get to know it. I see blog post opportunities in the thousands!
ReplyDeleteOh, and make sure there's bubbly for the sale... it's hard to be sad with bubbles in your hand x
Thanks Sam! Yes already writing a list of places to explore in the future, got to focus on the positive!
DeleteSure there are worse things, but it doesn't mean this isn't sad or hard! Don't feel guilty about mourning it - it sounds like it was a huge part of your story! All the best for what's to come next. X
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Bridie, it's sad but yes we are looking forward to what's around the corner! x
DeleteOh that is very sad for you, I'm sad reading about it. I hope in time the sadness fades a little and that you are able to appreciate the relief from those stresses you mention.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we realized how much the financial pressure was effecting us so it will be good to move on from that part for sure!!
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