Grandma

A big old redbud, lilacs, bridal veil, peonies,lily of the valley, hostas, ferns like you would not believe, evergreens-  it seems that the new garden will be a springtime wonderland of beauty and splendor. Then in summer there are grapes,  a few lilies and about a billion tons of a couple kind of ground cover.  I will bring echinacea, bee balm, live forever, black eyed susan, rue, sweet pea, white sage.  Hopefully I'll bring a start of the Louisa Flowering Crab, as well as starts of the Lilac in my yard and the Forsythia.  I'm going to need to cut down some trees.  I think our christmas tree is growing in the back yard, and next summer that spot will be raised beds. 

Today I went over to the house and met Sylvia who is the daughter of the current owner and has lived in the house since she was 3.  I have been a little worried about this and I dreamed about it last night.  It began with a pond in the dining room in which many cats and dogs were bathing.  The cats and dogs were all members of the household, and it seemed like they were used to this happening.  Everyone was on board with getting clean and paddling about.    The house was filled with ladies of all ages and a baby,  one room contained costume jewelry, vintage fashions and accessories, and the most beautiful furniture and display cases.  This was the room of the most important old lady, and she reclined in a bed and recieved people.  Later she was up and about and moving around, and being very lovely.  I climbed into her bed and someone handed me the baby, which of course I nursed. Stay with me readers.

Then John came in, and we went into another room, which was clearly the man's room, but he was no longer there.  The room was filled with amazing things, tool boxes, a beautiful tandem bike, suits and coats and racks of shoes, two cookie cutter displays from a long closed store.  right, I know.  The room was a gorgeous shade of dark pale green.  John was as delighted as I was, and we walked around the room choosing the things that we would keep in the house.

So, yes,  today I went over to the house and met Sylvia, the daughter of the current owner of the house who has lived there since she was three.  Sylvia and her mother are moving to a garden condo in Elmwood Park.  I liked Sylvia, and she is very happy that we are buying the house.   We are very happy we are buying the house.  She and I walked around today and went all through the house.  There are some items there that we are interested in keeping, but most of it needs to go.  There is a giant stack of Latvian books which are about to go to the alley if anyone needs to know about Latvian.  I think Sylvia and her mom and brother are very happy to be passing on this house to us.  I would like meet the mom, but even more than that I would like to have met the Grandma.

There are paintings all over the house that she made.  One of them makes up the ceiling of what will be Win's bedroom and one inexplicably covers the passway through the kitchen into the dining room, I will be glad to have them both.  The garden is all grandma.   Clearly This whole situation is sort of a cross between Gray Gardens and Spirited Away.  I am feeling like we should allow them to leave the piano.