Traveling again, for the first time in a very long while. This time I had one main reason for going to Sweden; to start the procedure of selling my summer house. Because I had had constructions going on at my home for several weeks, it felt good to go away for a little while and get my mind off that.
The trip started out with a visit with Gary to his holiday home to harvest the grapes. Yes, unbelievalbe, I know. But he actually grows grapes there, on these northern latitudes and harvests them almost at the same time as the grape harvest in Portugal. And also makes wine, to our delight.
Then it was time to deal with my Swedish house. My parents bought this in 1976, before they left Sweden for good, and passed it on to me in 2011.
It has taken a long time to come around to this decision. This house is filled with so many memories and every time I visit it feels like time-travel. Many of the visitors to this house aren’t with us anymore, and the little children that once ran around the garden are all grown up now, with kids of their own. I should not turn this house into some kind of museum for the Linnell family, but move on and make new memories.
And then there is the maintenance…. (sigh) which I’m not really able to do myself. Plus; some major renovations are actually due. Both kitchen and bathroom need a serious overhaul, and that is quite costly. I’ve taken care of the outside, done some repairs here and there, but I had to face the facts: I don’t spend as much time there as I should, and nobody else in the family has any interest either. Better to let someone else take over, spend a lot of time there and really appreciate all that it has to offer.
Said and done, I contacted a real estate agent, and put the house on the market. Next I’m looking for a place closer to the girls and the grandkids (and an airport).
Livet på landet - och i utlandet 