South Nicolet Road

October 2010 my parents moved out of our family home of 25 years.  It was an emotional transition, as it was also the same time I had made the big move across the continent to Alberta.  On my recent trip back to Michigan my mom and I took a detour and I got a little choked up when we drove by that house on Augusta Street, someone else is living there now, but I still have such strong memories of that house.  It was a great little house on a great little corner in the best neighborhood in town.  Although my sister and I were ready to leave the nest so to speak, my parents and their only child left at the time, our 5 year old golden retriever Hannah, had outgrown that house and it was time to move on.  My mother had nursed this brainchild for years, this dream home of hers.  They had searched around town for a perfect match with no success.  It became obvious in order for my mom to get everything she ever wanted in a home they would have to start fresh, take on a brand new build…and they did.

They purchased a 10 acre plot of land out in the country a couple years back which started the whole process.  The following year, they took the next step and built a giant two-storey garage which would double as a storage unit for all of their belongings during the build.  They started building the new home on Nicolet before they were out of the old house.  With the failing housing market, my mom assumed it would take a while for them to sell the old house, she was always planning ahead.  Without a realtor, she put a “For Sale” sign up in the front yard and within 18 days of that…the house was sold, paperwork completed.  We thought it was a miracle how quickly it sold, but really we had just forgotten how much of a goldmine that house was.

Selling the house so fast though it was a blessing, had its downfall.  Where would they live while the new house was being built?  Well, they packed up and shacked up at the Honkanen Katu, our grandparent’s home.  They are snow-birds and head south for the winter so their summer home lies empty.   All seemed to fall into place, until the construction slowed to a snail’s pace.  Long story a little bit shorter and 3 months past their move-in date, they are finally settled in their dream home.  I really just wanted to devote this post to all the hard work my parents put in to the brand new house.  These photos will not do it any justice, but here are a few that I'm not entirely ashamed of.  More to come after my next visit home.

Wood burning fireplace, with a Kevin Fabry original mantel.

My mom loves little black tables.

Pretty poinsettia...

From the kitchen.

The wall of windows.

The bath.