I've known ever since I bought the Chatette more than 20 years ago now, that I would have to do something about what I came to call the "addition." The addition had been separating from the Chatette even before I bought it.
It always looked to me like it had been slapped onto the house and didn't really fit.
Back in the early days of here, it was on my list of things that needed to be done, but was not at the top of the list. That was the list that began in 2002 and was thrown to the wind when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. The former friend/contractor who was working for me here, was also working on Columbus Street after the storm.
To make a very long story short, he walked off the job in New Orleans in 2007.
Every time I looked at the addition, I was reminded of being left high and dry, friendship betrayal, and almost financial ruin.
It hurt too much.
The projected plans for the addition were set aside.
Since then, I avoided dealing with the addition at all. I used it for storage only.
In the meantime, it separated more and the roof was beginning to cave in.
By the end of 2019, it was serious. It had separated further, the roof caved in more and the floor was destablized.
It was dangerous.
You may be wondering what took me so long: my Dad passed; COVID hit; and, Hurricane Ida hit New Orleans. Any money I'd set aside for this from Mom and Dad, had gone to cover roof damage on Columbus Street during Ida and to paint Columbus Street. It took me finally selling Columbus Street during July of 2022, to have enough money to make these decisions and do some other work around here.
When the demolition began on Tuesday, I was a little weird.
It was such a long time in coming.
I knew the barn would be more visible.
But, there was no way to know just how truly "opened up" we would become.
By going back, we were going forward.
I was also letting go of the negative energy that swirled around this brick and mortar.
I was elated.
I knew we had done just the right thing.
I had paid attention to the communication with "our" place.
When I'm still in the silence, I listen and the stone speaks.
I've learned that even in the most heart wrenching and breaking times, the soul and magic of the centuries of this place never let me down.
Patience is required.
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