For Sale
As I arrived at Mum’s today I saw the for-sale sign. I shouldn’t have been shocked; I knew it was coming; however, it did make me draw a deep breath as I pulled down the drive. It has only been a few weeks since we mooted the idea of mum building a granny flat in our backyard, she jumped on the idea nearly without a second thought. We could see a change in her over the last few months, she got rid of her ducks not wanting to impose on anyone to feed them if she was away. Then the bore up and died, well run out of water as the summer was so dry, this meant she had to water by hand. The garden is large full of natives, citrus trees, frangipanis and geraniums all of which she is very proud. The front looks glorious every shade of pink to red as it flowers, added to this palette of colours is an amazing show of sweet peas in late May. Maybe if she was not so meticulous in her efforts, it wouldn’t have mattered. No matter the weather she is in the garden early watering, weeding and trimming then sweeping up the mess. Time goes by and before she knows it, 9.30 has arrived and breakfast is yet to be had. Next of course comes housework, my son said of her floors “doesn’t matter if you drop food on granny’s floor, it’s so clean you can still eat it." You can imagine how everything sparkles. Add to these mundane often tiring and back breaking chores, sewing, craft, red hat outings, spending time with family, trips to Fremantle on the train and going to see the Dockers play; she is pretty busy. Some nights she crashes into bed literally exhausted, particularly as she leaves home at 5.10 am four days a week travels to Pinjarra to spend an hour in the pool.
Given all of this it was not hard for her to make the decision. Though she has been asked why by her siblings, she is very adamant in her reply “I have had enough of working from morning till night to keep it all going." As she hopped into the car, I asked her how she felt, ok was the reply a bit daunted about what I have to do now, packing and the like. Though she has been going through draws and cupboards throwing things away since she made her decision.
I felt a little strange knowing that it won’t be long before I'm not pulling into this driveway, bobbing in on the way home from work every day and heading off for our Saturday morning shopping trips. Not that these things will change, but it won’t be from here.
This home has been a haven, a place full of love with many memories over the last forty years. I remember countless good times and of course not so good. Dad spent his last week in their bedroom with one of us by his side, passing away in that room, that home they had shared for so long. Though he is gone, he is somehow still there, how will we leave him behind? I’m not sure if this has occurred to mum yet, or maybe it has and she has decided it is time to move and take all her memories down the road to ours.
Where she will have her own home, her independence and more time to do as she pleases without being tied to the ¼ acre block.