More house thoughts
Yesterday I was up in Washington Depot, Connecticut, picking up Biscuit from the dog trainer. Biscuit now realises she is a dog, which is an extraordinary accomplishment, as up until very recently, she, and all the Smalls, thought she was a fluffy, live teddy bear. She has stopped leaping around like a fluffy, live teddy bear on Adderall, and is now sitting, lying down, and staying on command, waiting for us to give her directions. Magnificent.
But while I was up there, close to where I used to live, I passed beautiful houses. Through the main drag of Woodbury where each house is more beautiful than the last, on to Washington, and Bethlehem, where the older antique houses are prized, restored, sell, on occasion, for many millions of dollars.
And I wondered how it is that my town is an hour away, and yet the sensibilities are so different. Here the old seems to no longer be prized, restored, with only a few exceptions dotted around town. Here it seems each house is bigger than the next, builder interpretations of shingle houses, or colonial mansions, that are too large to have any charm.
I love my town. Although I have not loved it in the past, that had less to do with the town, and far more to do with my own unhappiness. I feel blessed every day to live here, to be able to send the Smalls to extraordinary schools, to be by the beach, to have all that I have in such a beautiful place.
But I don’t understand how it is that one town can cherish the old, history, a past that is worth preserving, and others cannot wait to get rid of it to make way for bigger, better, more, more, more…
Just an observation. And a shame, it seems.
October 14th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
We need to take a long walk around Southport one day!
October 15th, 2008 at 12:21 am
Such familiar names…..Is there still that quaint little bookshop in Washington Depot I wonder? Occasionally out here I will see a house in a style that will take me back to my CT years (but the really old houses not the builders’ modern versions).
Interesting aside. Hubby’s old company was based in Waterbury and a few folk lived in Roxbury/Woodbury area. ‘George’ left Woodbury 5 years ago and moved out here to Colorado. ‘Ed’ left Woodbury 6 years ago and moved to Atlanta - all with same company. Now ‘Ed’ has left Atlanta (and the company) - wanted to move back to CT where his family live and happened to buy George’s old house in Woodbury ( a couple of owners later). That may make absolutely no sense but anyhow…..shows it’s a small world despite the States etc.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:53 am
They’re doing the same thing here in England too, it seems. Out with the old and in with the new?! In my town they have knocked down most of the old historic town centre shopping area, started to clear it out, stopped work for (6 months, 2 years?) who knows now long and started to build “Luxury” town centre living apartments that should be worth £250,000!! Who, with that kind of money, would live in BLackburn town centre overlooking a bunch of grotty pubs?!! They’ve stopped builiding work on that now too, due to “an unstable financial climate!” It’s a complete mess!!! Grrr! Doesn’t it make you mad? x
October 15th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
On the way to and from celebrating a girlfriend’s 40th in your town on Sunday, I was driven passed what can only be described as a monstrosity under construction, given that the structure is apparently being passed off as a “home.” Perhaps, it is the biggest house in Westport, but when people think that is the same as a home, it is just a puzzle (hint, hint) to me! Looking forward to seeing you on the 21st. Love, A Boston Terrier Owning PTA/Brownie/Hockey Mom, who is married to a Republican, but who votes Democrat, and someone who wears lots of diamonds (everyday) not to show how much $ we have, but because they are sparkly and pretty!