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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

46 Years...Part 2

As I said in the previous post, I have spent a lot of time at my friends' place over the years and have lots of memories. ( P and I have been best friends since we met when I was 25, and we became cousins when I married DH who is her cousin obviously) 
Such as the Christmas gatherings...


The house was actually an old farmhouse originally, and P and G started to completely remodel  it when they moved in in the late 60s early 70s. 
I found this old photo from the mid 1970s, which shows my former husband giving G a hand with building a bathroom on the back of the house...
The house was originally weatherboard but one of the renovations covered much of those boards with shingles, as this photo taken this week shows...
The lower level of the house was bricked in with clinker style bricks at about the same time. The house is apparently going to be demolished and replaced with 2 houses. Too much of the original character had been changed to warrant keeping this Ashgrove pioneer farmhouse. Nowadays people are more aware of retaining the character of old houses. 
So...our walk through the other day...
That enclosed veranda where all those Chritmases were celebrated...boxes,boxes everywhere! 


I just had to get a photo of the little bedroom off the kitchen. This was my room when P and G gave a temporary home to my children and I when we fled from a DV situation. I remember shedding a few tears on many an evening as I snuggled down in the little four poster bed, and wondered how I would ever get our life back on track...

My girls shared a queen sized bed in this room in the next photo...it's so hard when you disrupt your children's lives, you always wonder whether you are doing the right thing...


My lovely SiL has been helping with the packing...as has my BiL but he was doing 'grandpa duty' that day...

Looking out the back door...many many times over the years, I drove over to feed the dogs while P and G were away...and I also watered the plants...
The lounge room and kitchen are almost all packed up by last Tuesday...

We sat in the folding chairs for a cuppa...

I'm so glad my friend is moving to a lovely new home...you see this house has never really been finished. It has been a WiP for all these 46 years...the DYI projects were never ending and the renos from the 1970s1980s were all ready for serious updating. So from Tuesday next week they will be in their new home, just north of Brisbane. I will miss the 10 minute drive to visit...it will now be at least a 40 minute drive up the highway.  

4 comments:

Nanette said...

Lots of memories for you Maria in that old house. Is your friend sad to be leaving/

Susan said...

Lovely to keep those memories - but very exciting I think for your friends.
You'll soon get used to the drive - at least you will usually be against the traffic.

Anonymous said...

Dear Maria. What I think it beautiful about this move is the way the family have chipped in to help with the packing. And what wonderful friends to offer shelter when It was needed. That maybe what they call "a friend in need". I had one too, many years ago. What would we do without them.

Unknown said...

I loved how your blog allowed me to feel the leaving of a much loved home - you are such a gem Maria :)