Most of what we own has been thrifted, handed down or made by either ourselves or people we love. These personal touches have made it easier living in other people's houses and helped make attractive even the ugliest and most unfortunate of homes. The 29th house, for example, where maggots fell from the ceiling one night, or mice ran rampantly through the kitchen or the toilet sat on a sloping angle because the house needed re-stumping. We rationalised that it was a roof over our heads, it was cheap (only $100 per week!) and it was a start for us when we arrived back from our disastrous few years living in Ireland as newlyweds. And some weeks we didn't even have to pay rent if Joe checked the cattle and sheep or helped out in the shed during shearing.
It's slightly Monty Pythonesque looking back at that time - oooh when I were young - and I thank god we've moved the miles emotionally and physically to get to where we are now. The night of the maggots certainly spurred us on to think that enough was enough and seek out our own place in the world.
Because sometimes, even being comforted by all things made with love can't quite remove the sheer horror of small, white wriggly critters landing in the sink when you're trying to wash the dishes...
Hard to erase a memory like that. I still have a horror of a memory of a school lunch, when I was probably 9 or10, a meat sandwich crawling with those unmentionable white things, uuugggghhhh, love Mrs A
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you never gave us lamb sandwiches for lunch!
DeleteStop it now!!!
ReplyDeleteSoz!
DeleteUgh. I would have slept in my car! What a gorgeous photo - I love other people's stuff.
ReplyDeleteKimberley, thankfully our bedroom was way down the other end of the house!! We did move out for a couple of days though after that and completely sprayed the whole house, never again had the same problem... yuck!
DeleteUgh - maggots are what my nightmares are made of!
ReplyDeleteThankfully I never dreamed of the moment, but sometimes I remember it and just think ... argh, can't believe it still!
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