We’re moved to be closer to our kids and deal with health issues I talked about in the post “…the yet-to-be-disabled”(click here).
Tom\’s Garden with memory rocks
For the last 10 years, we’ve loved everything about our condo: our neighbors, the location, the resort setting, watching the morning mist on the golf course, and the fact Tom no longer had to rake leaves, cut grass or shovel snow. Tom did choose to nurture his gardens. Pictured is the smaller garden in the front of our condo, there is a much larger one with tomatoes (with old golf clubs as stakes) in the back yard.
In many ways, Realtors are like the professionals in “special needs” and “Disability World.” (click here) Like most professionals, it is all about “being objective,” utilizing “best practice” and “scientific research.”
They would look at this garden for its curb appeal. Since I will NEVER be objective, I want to give you an unscientific tour of Tom’s garden.
Over the past ten years, he has fertilized, tilled, and built up the soil until it is now rich and hearty. In Ohio, it’s been a dust bowl kind of summer, but Tom’s kept the flowers alive with his devotion and a lot of watering. He grew most of the marigolds and petunias from seed. He’s brought the impatiens back from death several times. He agonized over whether the white flowers would be better positioned between the pink and purple, or the red and pink. The golf flag was a Christmas present from Aaron. We bought the log on a Sunday drive in the country. The rocks are special: each camping trip Tommy and Aaron got to pick a rock to bring back for the garden. There is one from Chief Crazy Horse’s Monument (we bought it-don’t worry). There is one from outside Yellowstone National Park that has the yellow flecks in it. There is one from my sister’s yard in Colorado that caused the bomb squad to detain our luggage. Our neighbor even brought us two rocks from the coast of Maine on his last trip. You get the idea.
This might be “just some flowers” to an objective professional, but every flower, every rock is special. No one will even know a maple tree used to be out front, or we had to advocate with the home owner’s association to place the street light on the street (duh) instead of in the middle of the garden. Who would know a lawnmower propelled one of the rocks through a neighbor’s window? Rather than lose the view of the garden, she chose to redesign her window. Who would ever think the garden has a history and touched so many lives?
Though we can take the rocks and some planters with us, this little garden carries 10 years of memories. Like everything else in our move, it’s never objective–it’s very much personal.
Tomorrow I’ll be blogging about, “Turning it over to the professionals” a phrase which turns the blood of parents of kids with disabilities to ice.
Your Turn
What are your experiences? We are all on this life journey together. There are some adventures that just make us human. Share?
Keep Climbing: Onward and Upward.
All the best,
Mary
Alison and I are starting a Twitter hashtag #CB/BC Join us.
In case you missed it:
Day 1: “Every Day for 30 Days” Blogging Challenge or “IBP” (Individual Blogging Plan) Day 1 of the 30-Day-Every-Day Blogging challenge. (click here)
Check out what my challenge partner Alison Golden of The Secret Life of a Warrior Woman is blogging about today at http://alisongolden.com/