It was the turn of a blue tit to investigate the crab apples on this very overcast morning. This one found the fruit a little large for its beak, and didn’t stay long.
This afternoon, Elizabeth collected the keys for her new home. Naturally we were there to see her over the threshold, clutching thoughtful presents from Caldwell’s Estate Agents.
Also left for her on the surface of the utility room was a personalised welcome card featuring the house.
Jackie here stands between the utility room and
the kitchen with its induction hob.
The bathroom downstairs contains a corner bath
and matching suite;
Elizabeth examined the walk-in larder cupboard.
Upstairs there is a well appointed shower room,
and three good sized bedrooms, some with wardrobe cupboards,
and views of the gardens
with their shrubberies,
and a nicely weathered The Three Graces bird bath.
There is a solid garden shed
and garage in the grounds which
are fronted by a bank of ‘assiduous and carnivorous trees’ – at least that is what the spell-checked brochure claimed.
The house and gardens were immaculately presented. It is well worth remembering that this solid, well designed, home is one of 2,400 presented in 1948 to the British by the Swedish government in recognition of our forebears’ support during the Second World War.
Elizabeth has been staying with Mum since she left hospital. She will return there this evening. Jacqueline will arrive tomorrow to take her place so our sister will be able to spend the next few days moving in while she stays with us.
Mr Chan at Hordle Chinese Take Away provided tonight’s dinner for Jackie and me. I drank Patrick Chodot Brouilly 2016, while Jackie chose Hoegaarden.
Well, should Elizabeth ever mysteriously disappear – look no further than those hungry trees! I’m sure Mr Le Pard would have a field day with that sentence…….. It looks like a lovely comfortable home and I send wishes to Elizabeth for a most happy life there.
Many thanks, Pauline. Will pass on good wishes
Thank you Pauline. It has been so lovely to receive so many good wishes on my new home from Derrick’s “blogging” friends”
What an interesting history this house has. And a very interesting colour! I hope she’ll be very happy there🌺
Many thanks, Marina
Thank you Marina. I am sure I will be.
Thank you for the tour and history of the house. Will there one day be a garden on these premises that we’ll be witness to, as we did with your garden?
Thanks very much, GP. We’ll see what Elizabeth makes of it. (She will be able to call on Aaron)
Aaron’s a good man.
Hello GP . I am sure Derrick will be posting updates as work starts in my garden from early spring. The head gardener will be a hard act to follow but then they have allowed me to borrow the lovely Aaron.
Elizabeth
Well…. I don’t think I’d ever try to compete with the Head Gardener (that would be futile! haha), but you can make one uniquely your own when you finish with the inside. After seeing some of Aaron’s work – I KNOW he’ll be a big help!
I wish you all the very best with this new chapter of your life!!
GP Cox
Congratulations to Elizabeth! Wishing her many years of happiness in her new home!
Thanks very much, Jill. Good wishes will be passed on
Thank you so much for your kind wishes Jill.
Elizabeth
Congrats to Elizabeth, Derrick on her new home. I had no idea about the Swedes’ gift of the homes to Britain. Might have learned in history class but forgot. That’s wonderful.
Many thanks, Cynthia. I hadn’t know it either. Have a look at this post: https://derrickjknight.com/2018/07/28/two-historic-houses/
Thank you Cynthia. It is great to have some of the history on these houses so readily available.
‘Tis so, indeed, Elizabeth. We have always sought out the history of the houses we’ve owned, and sometimes it’s taken a lot of digging. Any factual information that we can find is always valued.
Funny, about the types of trees, but the house sure is cute!
Thanks very much, Becky
Hello Becky
Thank you for your comment. Yes I love the look and the colour – always like to go for something that is a little bit different !
Elizabeth
Happy new home day, Elizabeth.
x
Many thanks, Melanie. I will pass it on X
Thank you For your good wishes Melanie
Elizabeth
Most welcome.
Enjoy your new home. x
Congratulations to Elizabeth! That was kind of the real estate agents to leave her welcome gifts. The house looks lovely and comfortable–well, all except for those carnivorous trees. I suppose she better keep them well fed.
Thank you for reminding us of the history of the house. I hope your mom is doing well.
Thanks a lot, Merril. Mum having good and bad days
Thank you Merrill. Yes I did ask the agent how much it would cost per annum to feed them! They enjoyed the joke and their gift was a really nice touch. Also very happy to help with anything I need after moving in. Caldwells of Lymington – I would highly recommend them .
I live in New Jersey, so I’m probably not going to need them, but thank you. :)Younger daughter and son-in-law actually won a house a couple of years ago (part of a program for veterans). The various people involved also left them gifts. I wish you much joy in your new home!
So interesting about the house! And the trees haha!
Thanks very much Luanne
Many thanks Luanne . This story will keep us amused for much time to come
Elizabeth
Elizabeth has bought a house populated by diligent man-eaters? Perhaps they should also have left her a copy of Day of the Triffids.
Nice one, Gwen 🙂 Many thanks
Thank you Gwen- a nice take on the theme to keep
It going
Elizabeth
All very neat; don’t be bullied into trying to create the garden it never was, What’s this about support from the British by the Swedish government “in recognition of our forebears’ support during the Second World War.”
Thanks very much. The story is told here, Mike: https://derrickjknight.com/2018/07/28/two-historic-houses/
Thanks for the thought Mike. Though I am looking forward to creating my own garden from a blank canvas
Elizabeth
PS Sorry for being a little AWOL. And sorry you had a problem commenting over on ABAB. Email me if the problem continues.
Thanks very much, Mike. I will
I love renovations—but only when they are done (or happen to other people)! This looks like a lovely one. Hope Elizabeth is happy in her new home!
Thanks very much, Diana. The wooden construction is as good as new. Obviously the fittings and heating facilities have kept pace with the times
Thank you Diana – it will be an exciting project – and the basic construction makes it a manageable one . Hoping to keep with the original character with a bit of a twist.
Elizabeth
The house appears to have worn its grace with ease over the passage of time. I am sure you are all proud of Elizabeth’s acquisition. You have used your photographic equipment with a deftness found in professional interior photographers. I hope the carnivorous trees are not man-eaters though!
Many thanks, Uma. Elizabeth did ask the agent how much it cost to feed them 🙂
Thank you Uma for your so apt description of my house’s character
Elizabeth
A beautiful home, our best wishes to Elizabeth.
Thank you very much, Lakshmi
Thank you Lackshmi
Elizabeth
Congrats to Elizabeth! She will turn that beautiful house into a warm, loving home!
I love seeing the inside of houses! And her new house has an interesting history.
I love trees and I’ve known a lot of them in my lifetime…I’ve hugged some and talked to most…and none of them were mean.
I hope the trees there will behave themselves! Ha! 😉 😀
HUGS for you, Jackie, Elizabeth, and your Mum! 🙂
Very many thanks, Carolyn X
Thank you for the lovely comments Carolyn. I do hope that I and the trees will live up to expectations .
Elizabeth
What a lovely house! But watch out for triffids!!
Thanks a lot, John
Thank you John. I have now closed all the gates so hope that will keep them where they belong!
Elizabeth
Congrats to Elizabeth. Always exciting to take posession of one’s new home and to be able to put one’s footprint on it. Welcome home Elizabeth. Wishing you the very best.
Many thanks, Gary. Elizabeth will like reading this
Many thanks Gary. I am very nich looking forward to all my new home has to offer .
Elizabeth
A lovely house. I am sure Jackie will help Elizabeth with garden.
Thanks very much, Rupali. You are right
Thank you Rupali- as expected she already has. The planning stage has now started.
Elizabeth
I especially like the shed!
Thanks a lot, Andrew
Thank you Andrew
Elizabeth
It’s lovely Derrick. A home to be enjoyed.
Many thanks, Arlene
Thank you Arlene. It certainly has plenty of scope for that.
Elizabeth
The shed is cool – and the look out of the window.
Many thanks, Rabirius
Thank you Rabirius . The shed is lovely and strangely sited in a prominent position within garden just asking to be at the heart of a feature aspect.
Elizabeth
What a lovely home with so many possibilities to decorate and make it cozy. Congrats to Elizabeth.
Many thanks, Eugenia
Thank you Eugenia – it does have lots of options to choose and enjoy
Y
I too thought of triffids. 😀 … many congratulations to Elizabeth for the Commencement of the Keys. 😀
Thanks very much, Widders
Thank you Widders . It is nice to have the keys to my home at last
Assiduous and Carnivorous???
Proofreading is most definitely a ‘lost’ art these days. 🙁
I hope the house is of better quality than the Agent! 😉
Thanks a lot, Love
Thank you
Both house and agent are of great quality – so I can forgive the proof reading just this once.
Elizabeth
You are far more forgiving than me – to my eternal undoing. 😉
Actually, the curious phrasing in the description of the trees has been bugging me for 2 days now, off and on, but i have just this minute figured it out! ( I like to understand the reasons for things – i can usually find them given time).
Assiduous and Carniverous are the homonyms for Deciduous and Coniferous (Evergreens) trees!
I’m not willing to believe that autoprompt or predictive text and their human user would get those so mixed up but i can easily imagine a spoken word-to-text translator doing it.
Artificial intelligence ‘assistants’ such as Siri and Google Home may be found to have the odd voice recognition glitch if this is an example of it’s communicative ability at present? 🙂
LWBUT (or ‘love’ for short… or Bob if you prefer.) 🙂
Many thanks, Bob. I am sure you are right. One more reason for not using spoken technology
We can hang out as long as possible, but i am afraid the ‘writing’ is on the wall! 😉
Taking ownership and moving into your own new place is so exciting. I could use that garden shed for storage … very nice and cozy looking home. Congratulations to the new owner.
Thanks very much, Steve
Thank you Steve for your warm comments. I think I’ll need all
the storage I can get once my belongings arrive!
Elizabeth
Just keep in mind, ‘less is more’. We’ve collected enough and now we’re (more precisely, my wife, I have a hard time discarding my ‘stuff’) on a mission to pare back, rid ourselves of the unnecessary stuff (isn’t all ‘stuff’ necessary 😂). Enjoy the organizing! All my best, Steve
Congratulations to Elizabeth on the new and interesting house. My she adore it for many years to come.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
Elizabeth
Thanks very much, Drew
Such a nice house and so interesting about its history. Congrats, Elizabeth. From across the pond, I’ve been following your adventures in moving. So satisfying to see the happy ending.
Many thanks, Laurie. The main furniture move is currently taking place
Congratulations to Elizabeth on moving into her new home!
Thanks very much, Clare
Interesting house, but the trees are clearly the best bit. I look forward to more tree reports…
Many thanks, Quercus
Home again!
Thanks very much, Micheline