The House on the Lake

 

Last week my mom told me my grandpa's house is now on the market. We all knew this was coming. We've had a year to prepare ourselves. I thought I was fine. It made sense to me. There is no reason to keep it if he's no longer living there. But now that it's become a reality, it's hard to believe. My eyes started to burn the minute I saw the post on the real estate website. I immediately felt a deep sadness wash over me. I practically grew up in that house. It's been around since my mom was born. Maybe even before that. That house is family. The best kind of family because it doesn't judge or argue or have expectations. It's just there, whenever you want to swing by. But soon it won't be, and that's just crazy to me.

At least half of my childhood memories trace back to that house. Swimming in the lake with friends for my birthday every June. Watching fireworks on the dock on July 4th. Having dinner with my grandparents. Thanksgiving. Christmas.  Anniversaries. House sitting with my mom when my grandparents went out of town (which was often). Catching minnows in the lake. Running in the thick, springy grass. Hunkering down in the long hallway during hurricanes. Playing hide and seek with my cousins. Watching The Price is Right and Young in the Restless. Taking photos by the hibiscus bush. Listening to my grandpa play the piano. Helping my grandma bake banana bread muffins from scratch. Discovering old photographs at the top of a closet and looking at every single one of them with my cousin. Keeping my grandma company as she gardened. Helping Marie fold clothes. Walking on the fallen tree in the backyard. Playing dress up. The way it smells; so incredibly welcoming and cozy. Sheet forts. Skating/Rollerblading for the first time. Sneaking cookies from my grandma's strawberry shaped cookie jar. Talking to my friends via AIM (because my grandparents had a computer AND internet and I didn't). Coloring on the kitchen table. The cookie and the bass. Skinning my knees multiple times in the drive way. The trundle bed. Feeding the ducks stale bread. The little green bananas fresh from the tree. "My room." Being afraid of the attic. Looking out the back windows toward the lake during rainstorms. Powder toothpaste. OUR WEDDING. Etc. Etc. ETC.

When I stopped by there last weekend, I took photos. I mean, I always take pictures when I'm there but this time I wanted to really remember the things I loved so much. The details.

Guest bath wallpaper/Oven

Dining room wallpaper/Light fixture

Kitchen wallpaper/Pantry (I just love the curve of the shelving. Pantries were better back then. Also, there is a little cubby for milk deliveries. It used to go through the pantry but has since been covered up. The cubby still opens from the outside and is used for storing other things like cat food! Ha.


75% of all my childhood photos were taken on that property.
My 'Dear Photograph' post back in 2011.
And then there are these:

OUTSIDE

INSIDE

   

Some of my fondest memories were made here.
Thank you.
I will always remember and miss you.