Perched on my suitcase in the middle of the floor of my old bedroom, I'm fighting back the tears! I have been in this home for like 25 years. Granted, the last few I have been somewhat of a visitor but still all the memories and all of my most sacred and prized possessions fall inside the walls of this house. From the “I heart B.J.B” in the inside of my cupboard to the stained purple skirting from when I went through my passion for lavender and would not accept my bedroom walls any other colour. The skirting in the bathroom where the loose nail got wedged in my knee in a game of “Horsie” with my brother. The back garden where my brother I camped and I smacked him in the nose with the tent pole. The pool where we used to play games and makes big splashes to drive each other crazy.
We have had so many birthday parties and celebrations in this home. From clowns when we were young to sleep overs and eventually co-ed dance parties. Not to mention the parties we had that my parents have no idea about.... Well.. until now that is... :) Broken fingers and broken glass in the pool. Our friends have always referred to our home as their home away from home and as I sit here now and look around I cant believe its almost all over.
This was the place we all gathered when we found out Granny had cancer. The place we all came to mourn when we lost Papu and then gran just a short while later. Its the place my gran lived with us and where our bond just got that much tighter. This is where we had our rabbits, our fish, our hamsters, our birds and all our dogs. Where we used to eat ice cream in the sunshine and play catch in the front garden before we had to put walls up.
Unfortunately there are some dark times here too but no matter what this has always been home. We used to bunk school and come and hide out here. We would have lunch and watch some tv and head back to the hole in the fence again. On Saturdays the girls used to gather round my room and overcrowd my bathroom for girls night out. Clothes strewn across the bed and make up and accessories for as far as the eye can see. We used to come home at ridiculous hours the next morning and all pile on my bed and sleep off the “one too many” tequilas. When Rory moved out and dad turned his old bedroom into a lounge for me n the girls to hang out – in came the inflatable couches and out came the vodka... we would sit and chat and screech for hours on end about boys and work and all sorts of crap we could come with in my new “bachelorette” pad.
My farewell was held here with all my close friends and family and also my 21st. Laughs and jokes and scary stories shared out in the back garden by the fire pit... We have bashed down walls and extended rooms. Not so long ago I was sitting with dad, christening his new bar with some Johnny Walker, now we have to pack up the bottles and take the pictures from the walls. The bathrooms that my parents let me helped pick the tiles and colours for... The Peach tree outside where I used to “run away” too whenever I was in trouble for breaking some thing or doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing (Yup you guessed – I spent a lot of time in that tree)
As I grew older I would sit out by the pool in the moonlight secretly puffing on a ciggie putting pen to paper.
On Sundays as a child - I used to build huge Barbie houses all over my bedroom floor and spend hours in there alone talking to myself and playing with all my dolls. Strapping my “babies” in my moms old escort and taking them “shopping”. LOL – Playing “school School” and building huge road and train tracks in the garage !
Geez this house has so many memories I could go on and on and on but for now I'm just going to sit here on my suitcase and shed a little tear in solitude and say farewell to the place I have called home for 3/4's of my life...
I know change is inevitable and I know change is good but for now I just want to sit here and say good bye to my house.
Farewell Housie!
Trip down memory lane there.....its very sad to have to say goodbye to the home where you've experienced and grown so much, but like you say change is inevitable and always good. i think your mom and dad are going to be very happy in their new home!! You'll always have the memories :)
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