Greetings from the Red Cardinal nest..
Four months have flown by since we returned from our gorgeous Musical tour in Europe...
Four months during which we made a decision to downsize from our beloved home of 21 years, high on a hill on the Western fringe of Brisbane.
It is a large home, and we have filled every corner of it with our collections of books, art, collectibles, and memories of our lives, our family and our travels.
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The 'Garden of Neglect' has always been a particular pleasure and challenge, but the time has come to find a less challenging place.
We have gradually worked our way through every part of our house, and via the usual downsizing methods, have donated, sold, given away or otherwise disposed of a large portion of our possessions.
I have had to cull, then pack, my collections of fabric and general haberdashery, and sold off a couple of sewing machines. My art and journal supplies and all my sheet music have been edited considerably in size, and are packed in moving boxes. We still have too many photos, but we are working on that.
About 50 boxes have been packed to come with us, and there will be many more.
We have worked at it every waking moment that we can, while maintaining our normal commitments in the community.
As well, we have been searching for a suitable new home.
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I have taken hardly any photos over the months: too busy! These views were taken by a professional photographer.
Half of our furniture has now gone into storage, and what remains has been professionally styled for sale. It no longer looks like our old Red Cardinal nest. It is chic, but impersonal, as is the requirement for sale these days.
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Everything personal has been secreted away...
And this weekend, we had our first Open House as our property went onto the market for sale.
A lot of people came, and we are looking forward to feedback from our agent.
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Every day since May I have spent 30-40 minutes going through real estate websites of houses for sale in our preferred areas. It is a soul-destroying exercise after a few months...
Most weekends we have been to several carefully chosen Open Houses, only to find some insurmountable obstacle when we see them.
Nothing seemed to beckon us as suitable.
But we did eventually find out about a special house, which was being prepared for sale.
Finally, last week, we were able to see it.
It was The One!
Perfect on the important levels, charming and inviting, and within walking distance of my church, local shops, and many friends in the area.
Reader, we made an offer immediately!
And after a bit of negotiation, our offer was accepted.
Legals have been worked on this week, and all is well.
We just need to find a keen buyer for our lovely old house.
Hope you are all well, and I hope I can get back to more blogging when the pressure is off a bit.
Love from The Red Cardinal
Oh, how I wish you could come to Georgia and help me and my husband! We also need to do the same, sort through everything abd sell our house! So happy you found a new home, perfect for you. Look forward ti hearing all about it. Blessings on you!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun it would be to go to Georgia! I found it difficult to start and a good friend came and packed up my good china for me. After that I seemed to be able to make the leap and have been steaming along ever since. Will try to post and later show the new house.
DeleteLeaving the large family home when you need to downsize is never easy. Children's memories, special family events, books, loved pets and garden treasures will always remain there, even if you find a perfect smaller home.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.. I hope it goes well! I have been ready to down size ever since the children moved out. But the spouse is perfectly happy where we are.
Hello Hels, you are right, it is not easy, and I guess there will be tears when we leave. This house has been very good for us, and one long ago doggie lies at peace in a garden here. We have stayed here as long as possible to provide a place for visiting kids, but I am glad we started the process this year. Good luck to you too.
DeleteI hope you get into the home that you desire, Patricia, and that you find a good buyer for your old house. I've been in this situation many times, and it's not a pleasant experience at all. I wish you well. It can be overwhelming for sure. It's good that you gave away so many of your belongings you no longer need or want. I think you will be more suited to a smaller place since it's just the two of you. I have lived in large homes, and appreciate the simplicity of a smaller home. The white bird sitting on your porch is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHappy September!
~Sheri
Hi Sheri, Thank you for your good wishes. Moving many times sounds very stressful but you always manage so beautifully. There have been a couple of times I have been completely overwhelmed, but having found a destination home, it is easier now. The cockatoo flew in on the deck and surprised our photographer. I think he caught a great photo.
DeleteSo exciting and also stressful, Trish! I can’t imagine how it must feel to pack up your home like that and turn it into a show house for sale. Still, good luck with the new house! I hope everything goes through smoothly. Keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteHello Val, it has been stressful, so true, but hopefully smooth sailing for the next month or two. We certainly needed the team of girls who came in with all those artefacts and whipped our house into shape. I will try to do a few more posts to record the process now the stress of trying to find a new place has abated.
DeleteA big shift, Patricia! I hope it goes well and that you are very happy in the new place.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thank you Amalia. It has all worked out so far, and now we just have to sell up and finish packing. Easy! Our friends are happy we are coming to live closer. xo
DeleteI’m happy to see you back, Trish. What an astonishing about of work you accomplished in your time way. I’m happy you find your new house! I am dreading eventually going through my senior Mom’s years of things, which is in my future. I’m trying to help her live to her 100th birthday partly to postpone all the work it will take. Since I am her full-time caregiver, I can’t get much of it done. I need blocks of time I don’t have. Also your finding the new house was another daunting job. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThank you Debra. We haven't worked so hard in years! I feel stronger but have a lot of sore muscles.. It was a treat to find the new house. Hope your Mom makes it to 100; many people do these days, and all credit to their carers. Cleaning out a lifetime of memories is not for the faint-hearted, but we are glad we are able to do it ourselves and not outsource to strangers. Look forward to sharing the next part of our big adventure.
DeleteI wish you all the best! Your photos are beautiful and heartwarming. Warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my blog Linda. I love that you are in beautiful Montreal. We have a big connection with Canada, our daughter married a Canadian and lives in Ontario with kinfolk in Montreal which we have visited. Hopefully we will go over again next year after settling in the new house.
DeleteHello dear Trish!
ReplyDeleteI'm so grateful for our correspondence and all that you've shared. You know how much I find your new home stunning! And I'm continuing prayers for a fast sell on your current property. It's so beautiful too and I have no doubt someone will buy it soon and make it as loving and cozy as you have all through the years. Blessings to you always. xo
Thank you dear Carrie and it is lovely to correspond with you too. Special prayers are a gift, thank you so much. We have a couple more hurdles to jump over, and then it will be packing and off we go :) Blessings to you all. xoxox
DeleteOh wow, congratulations! 🎉🏡 It sounds absolutely perfect, and being so close to your community makes it even more special. Wishing you all the joy and excitement as you start this new chapter! ✨
ReplyDeleteThank you, and thanks for dropping by.
DeleteThat’s fantastic news! 🥳 It sounds like the perfect fit in every way, and I love that it’s so close to your friends and favorite spots. Excited for all the wonderful memories you’ll make there! 🏡💛
ReplyDeleteThank you, we look forward to it.
DeleteWhat an absolute gorgeous house you leave behind, but you take all the years of wonderful memories with you forever!
ReplyDeleteYes, it tugs at the heart-strings to leave, but it is definitely time. We will take as much of our special things with us as we can.
DeleteOh my BIG changes are really happening for you!!! Downsizing, Moving and a NEW HOME!!!! How exciting...I look forward to seeing more as you move into your new abode.
ReplyDeleteXO
Leslie
Hello Leslie, yes, it is a big step but it is time. The new home is beautiful and we will adjust to the situation. Thank you for coming by. xo P.
DeleteYou have been very busy! I hope your home sells quickly so that you can move into the one you've chosen. It's a big adjustment and you are wise to downsize when you can do it on your own terms.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lorrie. We are a little bit anxious as no firm offer has come in yet, but another Open House on Saturday might do the trick. It is a bigger adjustment than we actually knew in advance, and I am so glad we did not leave it any longer. I was very keen to have autonomy about my sewing, art and craft, and memorabilia and have kept enough to carry on in my new studio.
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