A Good Adoption

It was this time last year that we were in the process of clearing out our home in Houston and turning it over to its new owners. We still feel really good about having made the decision to live full time in San Miguel so we haven't felt any anxiety about letting go of a really wonderful, unique house. The reasons we let it go are still valid...it is too hard and too expensive to keep up two houses and would you believe that just last week the New York Times published the article, The Tyranny of the 2nd Home.

When we planned to see our former next-door neighbors, Pat and Susan, they said that the new owners wanted us to stop in for a drink. Mmmmm....I wasn't sure I wanted to do that. It was fine to drive by the house but did I really want to go in and see what they had done. I had worked so closely with the architect. It was, in my opinion, a real collaboration. What if they had taken something out or painted a strange color or what if they wanted to complain about something in the house. But we went for a drink.

The house was still wonderful. Their furniture fit it perfectly and they had even put some similar pieces in the same places that I had furniture. They love the house like we did. They recognized the spirit of the house, the way the light changes it through the day and they love the lighting in the house and that the dining room doesn't have a chandlier. The house is very contemporary but their furniture, like ours, makes it feel like a place where you can sink into a sofa and read.

One of the most upsetting things to me before we sold the house and one of the reasons that I could let go of the house was that the garden was getting overgrown and out of shape. They have found a landscape person to help with the gardens and they are bringing them back into shape. One area near the front door that had become very overgrown they had taken out the plants and put in some slate with a bench on it. I had thought of putting in a pond or fountain there but something really needed to be done and what they did highlighted their wonderful Indonesian pieces on the front porch.

We're happy living in San Miguel full time and they love the house. This was a good adoption and I'm glad I had a visitation.