They Sold The Farm…Literally.

We moved quite a bit as kids.  I was at three different schools in three different cities before I finished the eighth grade.  Because of that, I never really developed attachments to houses.  In the tenth grade, we moved to Toronto.  The house we moved into…I loved.  To me, it was MY house – where I grew up, where I had roots.  A number of years ago, someone approached my parents to sell it.  They named a big price and the buyer agreed.  My dad and the buyer made a gentleman’s agreement that the house wouldn’t be torn down.  Well, a few months later I stood crying in the street, along with my former neighbours, when the asswipe tore it down and chopped down all the trees.  I still get emotional walking past it.

 

(Go to the 0:52 second mark…that’s my house!!!  Yup a Platinum Blonde video…holy hell they have big hair!)

After my mom died and my father remarried, he and my step-mother announced that they were buying a farm.  My initial reaction was not positive.  At all.  I thought it was insane.  They both seem to be the big-city types and I couldn’t understand the decision,  I never thought I’d spend any time there.  At the time I was still mourning my mother and while my dad had moved in the city, there was still a presence of my mom at his house.  The farm was my step-mothers turf.  And what a beautiful turf it turned out to be – all thanks to her.

This summer, they sold the farm.  This weekend, I went up there for the last time and driving away, I felt the same desperate loss as when I saw the pit in the ground where our house used to be.  I may not have a lifetime of memories from there – but what amazing memories I do have. 

What will I miss?

* The farmer and his family from next door who have have become a part of our family.  I’ll miss mocking the crap out of my dad and his city ways with Tom (and he told me he’ll miss the same).  Case in point, my dad’s tractor had 6km on it – mainly from taking the grandkids for rides.

* Our annual girls weekend.  Every January, my girls and I head up there and drink wine, straighten each other out, shed a few tears, read every trashy magazine in the planet and just be.  Together.  We’ve decided we’ll stake out my dad and step-mom’s house in TO when they’re travelling for a weekend!

* Taking Will to the Northwood Animal Reserve.  Greatest.  Zoo.  Ever.

* Main Street of Port Perry.  The second hand kids store, Stockholm Inside and just the vibe of the whole place.

* The cabana bar at our pool.  I’ll miss looking up and remembering the ridiculous iPod battles, mounds of food and interpretive dances….

Mostly, I’ll just missing knowing that there was this place…this amazing place that everyone (well except some people bordering on insanity) thought was like Eden.  I had friends up for a goodbye weekend awhile ago, as Molly was driving down the road, her two kids were yelling ‘Bye Farm, Bye Farm’ and she said she had trouble holding it together.

Me too….Bye Farm.  I know you’re just a building and home is where the heart is….but I’ll miss you.  Here are a few shots to give you the flavour (and if someone can tell me where my pre-kid pictures are … I’d love it…)

 

There is the farm in the background.  Please don’t mock my child for his speedo type outfit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

It’s really ALL about the food at the farm.  I do think that my friend Brian and Suzanne may have outdid them all with this breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OOOH Molly just sent me this!  About covers it – Cabana Bar, dancing, booze, food (notice me shovelling it in) and tunes!

 

 

 

 

It’s not just a summer place.  Truth be told, I probably loved it more in the winter than in the summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will had his first birthday at the farm with all of his buddies.  At least we’ll always have the pictures from that one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will and I had one of our worst nights ever at the farm.  He cried the WHOLE night and by the time my dad got up in the morning, I was hysterical.  All I remember is my dad saying, ‘I hope those are happy tears.’  I think my response could be classified as slightly disrespectful  But we’ve enjoyed many moments like this.  OH and the chair and bookshelf…they’re coming with me.