GRANDMOTHER OLIVE TELLS OF THE COTTAGE THEY ARE STAYING IN

Thought I would tell of the little cottage we are staying in.  It is a nice one.  I couldn't have picked out a better one myself and that made Albert very happy.

As you walk up there is a small front porch.  It is big enough for two chairs, a little table and the front door.  It is nice to sit out there with ice tea watching the others go by.

When you walk in the door on the right is the living room.  As you turn right when you enter there is a large window straight ahead and another on the right (which is the front).  In the living room is a sofa, coffee table and three chairs.  Nice cushion chairs. Also, there is a table underneath the front window with a television on it.  In the corner, on the left is a small bathroom.  I guess Elmer calls in a powder room.  It has a toilet and sink with a mirror.

Back to the door and straight ahead is the kitchen.  It is a lot smaller kitchen than Jean has in her house.  As you walk in on the left is the kitchen counter with a window over the kitchen sink.  There is a stove, refrigerator, and on the counter is a microwave.  On the right is a kitchen table with chairs that could sit four people.  There are a few cupboards on around the kitchen there.

Past the kitchen table is the hall for the two bedrooms.  There is one bedroom on the right, next a full bathroom in the center and on the left is the master bedroom with it's own bathroom.  The bedroom on the right is smaller and has two single beds, one night stand and a small dresser There is a small clothes closet. The master bedroom has a queen size bed, with a night stand on either side, one large dresser and of course a full bathroom.  There is also a good size closet in there.  In each bedroom is a television.

If you walk straight through the kitchen as you come in, there is a sliding glass door that opens on to the backyard.  There are a couple of trees back there and a flower garden around the edge of the house.  It is very nice back there.

The whole place is very nice.  Only thing I don't like is the place is all painted white.  Told Albert it looks like hospital white.  Albert says that is a Florida color.  I said even an off white would be better. The floors are hardwood floors in all the rooms but the kitchen which is a nice tile.

The house also has central heat and air, which takes a little getting use too, but I think with Bishop Eli's parents help, we have it down now.  Also in the cupboards were pots, pans, dishes, glasses, silverware, etc.  Eli's parents had also gone and purchased some food for us before we got there.  \

Albert and I went to an auction of one of the cottages at Pinecraft.  I guess when people at Pinecraft want to sell their place, they don't all go to real estate people.  They auction it off.  Place was packed. A lot of people were, like us, just curious.  Some were interested in buying.  The cottage sold.

The cottage we are in, is up going to go up for sale or maybe it won't.  The evening after the auction, Albert asked me what I would think of buying the cottage we are in.  At first, I thought he was kidding, but when I got a look at him, he was serious.  He doesn't want to spend anymore winters in the snow and ice.  This is a place not only for us, but the whole family could come to in shifts.  Albert did something that he very seldom does to me - he shocked me.

At first, I thought it was a bad idea.  A waste of money.  I think I hurt Albert's feelings.  Albert said all our lives we had worked. I was 15 years old when we got married almost 65 years ago.  We worked together and now it was time to relax together.  After I thought about what he said, he was right.

We called a couple of our children to get their thoughts.  The one that surprised me the most was Jean's Father.  I love him and he loves me, but we have the same personality.  He thinks and acts like I do.  That's why we live at Jean's.  Two bosses don't work out.  He said we should pray about it and if we feel that it is what the Lord wants - buy it.  We deserve it.  It shocked me because I thought he would give us a hundred and one reasons not to buy it like I do.  He also said to make sure we were getting a good deal.

Jean and David were shocked.  They thought we were going to move down here full time.  Albert said maybe at sometime, but we want it now just for the winters.   Michael, Edward and Thomas were wondering how they would fit all eight of them in here if they came.  We said they would have to come when we weren't here.  We would put two sets of bunk beds in the front bedroom.  David and Jean in the master bedroom..  Get a pull out couch and or chair for the living room.  That would hold eight people.

We also felt that when our time comes to go to the Lord, we would leave it to the family.  We would have to figure out who to leave it too.  Kind of thinking of leaving it to Jean and David as they have taken care of us the most, but they would have to allow all to use it - in shifts.  We talked with Bishop Eli's parents as they have the same thing.  They said they are leaving there's to Bishop Eli because he is the one that bought it - they didn't.  They just have the right to live there.  He also owns the cottage that is next door to them which John and Sarah are living in right now and Elmer and Anna will when they get here. Eli is trying to get Elmer and Anna to buy that one from him.

I told Albert if we buy this, some of the walls have to change color.  He said they would, he would see to it.  He has spoken to the lady that wants to sell it.  She was delighted that we are considering it. Albert said he was told that her and her husband had many great years there.  The only reason she is selling it is that her husband passed and she was going to stay north near her children.  After all the years they had been there she felt it needed remodeling and she had it done.  She had a beautiful job done.

She would like to handle this matter through the mail as she doesn't want to have to come down and see the place again.  Too many memories here she said.  We told her we would be great owners and it would be passed down in our family.

So right now, we are at a thinking, praying.  Albert checked around to see what cottages like ours are going for and she is offering a fair price.  Maybe she would come down a little.  At least we don't have to do any remodeling except painting and getting rid of those televisions.  Albert said maybe we should keep one of the televisions in the master bedroom in case of hurricane coming or alike.

Be with God,
Olive