Not official yet......but closer.....
Our big semi-sekrit is pretty much open knowledge now. We told the boss-man. We're telling general island acquaintances and now I'm telling you....if you didn't know already. We've agreed on a price and are going over to Mayne Island on Saturday to meet with the family and talk about the logistics and lawyering bit. I think it's going to happen. I think we're going to buy the most lovely place on the islands!
What's it like you ask? It's a three point seven acre property. There's the main house which is board and batten...an old cabin that was enlarged. It has one main room downstairs that flows from kitchen with pantry nook thru dining and living areas with a library alcove. There is a small room that opens off this which will likely be Mani's office. There's also a mudroom/laundry as you come in the door off the fenced garden and a dear three part bathroom. The shower is in the hall/entry area then the toilet is next in a little room adjoining a room with the bath/sink. Upstairs is a sort of loft with slanting ceilings and a tiny balcony. The fenced yard has a garden area, lots of perennial plantings, an apple tree (Transparent), a huge old rose, a plum tree, a grape arbor, rhubarb, currant bushes, blackberries, rasberries. I think there's a pear tree too. And there's a peach. The rest of the property has an orchard of King apple trees, a golden plum tree, a small pond, a rambling barn/horse stable/garage/workshop that adjoins the grape arbor. Then there's the cob cottage on a little knoll above the house and yard. It's all gorgeous and just perfect.....blessed.
We're feeling anxious and busy and overwhelmed and very excited. The first set of photos here is of where we may be living as early as September! The deal is likely not to be finalized until the current owner gets her visa to move to England sometime in December but the woman who has been living in the cob cottage is leaving and we'll be moving in. The owner is relocating to be near her family in England for medical reasons and needs to have someone around the place to help out until she goes. So, we'll likely be moving in somewhere around a month from now. We could perhaps be in the main house for the New Year. I'm feeling pretty glad that we'll be able to live in the cob for a while first.
In other news, Mani's folks came out to the island for a visit today. I've been processing a bunch of early apples, beautiful gold Transparents. They make fantastic apple butter...still working on some applesauce. I've got the time to write now because I'm soaking my foot. I'm soaking my foot because, this morning when I was making the bed, I poked a nice deep hole in the ball of my foot with an errant knitting needle lurking on the floor. It is a 4.5 mm diameter hole, something like a half inch deep. Other recent mild injury includes a nice long scrape and bruise on my underarm from climbing out of a plum tree while fruit picking a couple of days ago. Otherwise, we are all doing well and having a busy but wet island summer.
It's so lovely here we sometimes think we are mad to be thinking of leaving--particularly when we are doing things like watching the sunset over the water from the hammock or a meteor shower from the hot tub. We're hoping a couple of friends will take over our current position so we can still come and visit.
Best wishes to all as we come into the end of summer and the changes the shifting seasons will bring.
What's it like you ask? It's a three point seven acre property. There's the main house which is board and batten...an old cabin that was enlarged. It has one main room downstairs that flows from kitchen with pantry nook thru dining and living areas with a library alcove. There is a small room that opens off this which will likely be Mani's office. There's also a mudroom/laundry as you come in the door off the fenced garden and a dear three part bathroom. The shower is in the hall/entry area then the toilet is next in a little room adjoining a room with the bath/sink. Upstairs is a sort of loft with slanting ceilings and a tiny balcony. The fenced yard has a garden area, lots of perennial plantings, an apple tree (Transparent), a huge old rose, a plum tree, a grape arbor, rhubarb, currant bushes, blackberries, rasberries. I think there's a pear tree too. And there's a peach. The rest of the property has an orchard of King apple trees, a golden plum tree, a small pond, a rambling barn/horse stable/garage/workshop that adjoins the grape arbor. Then there's the cob cottage on a little knoll above the house and yard. It's all gorgeous and just perfect.....blessed.
We're feeling anxious and busy and overwhelmed and very excited. The first set of photos here is of where we may be living as early as September! The deal is likely not to be finalized until the current owner gets her visa to move to England sometime in December but the woman who has been living in the cob cottage is leaving and we'll be moving in. The owner is relocating to be near her family in England for medical reasons and needs to have someone around the place to help out until she goes. So, we'll likely be moving in somewhere around a month from now. We could perhaps be in the main house for the New Year. I'm feeling pretty glad that we'll be able to live in the cob for a while first.
In other news, Mani's folks came out to the island for a visit today. I've been processing a bunch of early apples, beautiful gold Transparents. They make fantastic apple butter...still working on some applesauce. I've got the time to write now because I'm soaking my foot. I'm soaking my foot because, this morning when I was making the bed, I poked a nice deep hole in the ball of my foot with an errant knitting needle lurking on the floor. It is a 4.5 mm diameter hole, something like a half inch deep. Other recent mild injury includes a nice long scrape and bruise on my underarm from climbing out of a plum tree while fruit picking a couple of days ago. Otherwise, we are all doing well and having a busy but wet island summer.
It's so lovely here we sometimes think we are mad to be thinking of leaving--particularly when we are doing things like watching the sunset over the water from the hammock or a meteor shower from the hot tub. We're hoping a couple of friends will take over our current position so we can still come and visit.
Best wishes to all as we come into the end of summer and the changes the shifting seasons will bring.