I suppose it's inevitable really that once you return to a house that you left 12 years earlier, things may be in need of repair, but we've actually been really lucky in that respect. There's hardly been anything broken or badly damaged I'm happy to say.
There was however one particular item that was beyond repair.
But it was a tough decision to let it go.
It was the children's play /cubby or Wendy house, or whatever you like to call it depending on where you are in the world.
I'm going to call it the 'Blue Shed' just because it happens to be Happy Blue Monday today!
As you can see it is was in pretty bad shape!
We actually inherited the shed when we moved into the house and I suppose that played a part at tugging at the heart strings.
Hours of endless fun, giggles galore, picnics and hideouts...even a rabbit hutch of the highest spec and Batman's cave too no doubt.
Enjoyed and treasured not only by my own children but by all the children that came to know it over the years.
But sadly the wood had rotted...the roof lost all its covering and surprisingly enough wasps had been feeding on the paintwork!
Don't ask me why but they carefully worked their way along the wood panels stripping the paint away.
It was fascinating to watch and then look what I found when looking inside...
There were about 5 of these nests all in various different stages.
I've never seen one before so found them fascinating.
Anyway there was nothing for it but the shed had to go!
So who to call on for such a delicate heart wrenching demolition job?
Why my son of course!
I've never seen him so keen to take on a chore.
No sentiment here obviously...let's just get stuck in!
Full PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) was a must of course.
Don't forget Captain Safe lives here ;D
Crash..Bang...Wallop!
It didn't stand a chance...although I did hear that it put up a fight!
Don't worry I saved the little red table and chair...now that I couldn't part with.
When I think of all the hours of devoted play times and meals, drawing, reading and colouring sessions enjoyed whilst sitting comfy.
(well for some maybe...my knees would be near my ears but that's beside the point)
I just couldn't let it go. I'm a little sad because it appears the second chair has disappeared :(
Maybe some other child loves it now?
I hope so...anyway back to the shed...
It appears my son is a demolition expert and extremely quick too, but not very good on the clearing aspect. That's clearly something we'll have to work on.
Now why not pop across to see Sally and the other Blue Monday posts?
I'm sure you'll have a very happy Monday if you do.
Happy Blue Monday to you all.
I hope you have a great week whatever you have planned!
Have fun...
Hi Nessie,
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful memories you had from that blue shed. I'm so glad you took photos. Thanks for sharing your blues.
Happy Blue Monday!
I'm glad I caught it before it crashed too Sally,
DeleteThanks for hosting and popping over to my place ;D
Happy Blue Monday!
Looks like he had a nice sunny day for demolition. It's a gloomy Monday here so ill pop over and see what's happening at Blue Monday. Have a wonderful day. Hugs
ReplyDeleteI don't think he'd have minded any weather Nan...he just had fun and was oblivious to everything else ;D
DeleteI hope the sun shines for you soon
Happy Blue Monday and thanks for stopping by :D
It is hard to let go of things/places that hold memories isn't it? Glad you were able to save the red table and chair. Interesting blue wasps nest.
ReplyDeleteDarla
I have had to be tough over so many things over the years with moving around so much. It doesn't make it any easier though.
DeleteGreat to see you. I hope you have a great week.
Chat soon xoxo
Were you able to save any of the blue wood for future art projects? :)
ReplyDeleteI did but I never thought about art projects...hmm...food for thought there cjsrq ;D
DeleteThanks for the idea.
Happy Blue Monday to you!
aww, its always the way, some things that we would think are cherished by our children just don`t have the same meaning, lol, and the little boy in your son loved the demo job as well!! Men never grow up!What wonderful memories you have, sad to see this go but the memories will always be there for you.
ReplyDeleteI know Laurie, I've been so surprised when questioned both my children "Do you want to keep that?" referring to some particular treasure (well in my eyes they were special and to be treasured) but they would just say "you keep it"!
DeleteIt puts a lot of pressure on whether or not to throw, give away or keep.
Yeah my son had a great time. I've never seen him so focused on a task before!
You're right...men never grow up! Oh that'll infuriate any men reading this (hehe)
I hope your Monday has started well and the rest of the week just gets better and better ;D
xoxo
Aw, bye bye wendy house!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I had a little red table and chairs too...
x
Sniff sniff...yep it's well and truly gone now Laura :$
DeleteI think quite a few people will relate to that red table and chair. I know everyone in my family who had children had one.
Have a great week whatever you have planned ;D
Glad you got pictures before it was demolished. The memories are yours forever. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope the little red chair found another home, too.
We have lots of photographs so the shed will always be on hand if we need it ;D
DeleteI hope the same for that little red chair Rita.
Have a wonderful week and thanks for popping by once again!
xoxo
Love the blue roof of the 'shed' ~ glad your son could help ~ happy week to you ~ carol ^_^
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting ~ loved having you !
It was my pleasure Carol ;D
DeleteThanks for nipping over here and I hope you have a happy week too!
So, who's cleaning the mess :D
ReplyDeleteInteresting shots of the demolishing!
Thanks for your visit :)
Have a guess Lina? Yep you guessed right :$
DeleteHappy Blue Monday to you and thanks for stopping by!
I hope you saved a piece of the wood. You could paint on it!!
ReplyDeleteWHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT Boo! D-oh!
DeleteHaving said that I think there are a few pieces left...so I'll nab them quickly.
Thanks for the idea.
Have a great week xoxo
Hi! Very interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure Minoru,
DeleteThanks for visiting and I hope you are having a Happy Blue Monday! ;D
Tough decision :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, we need to take at some point in time....
There wasn't any choice...the poor wood was rotten :(
DeleteThanks for visiting and leaving a comment. I appreciate it.
Have a great week!
Oh oh oh...I've just noticed you are my latest new follower.
DeleteThank you so much :D
That pain of house ...! With how beautiful it was ...!
ReplyDeleteHi Leovi,
DeleteThanks for visiting and leaving your comment ;D
I hope you have a wonderful week whatever you have planned ~ enjoy!
I wonder how it would feel to return to a house after 12 years... I have the same thought as Boo - saving a piece of the wood. I wonder what the flowers were saying to each other at the final shot :) Have a great week, Nessie.
ReplyDeleteHazel
It's very surreal Hazel, sometimes I feel we haven't been away at all but then sometimes it feels like we haven't ever lived here!
DeleteI had to go back to check on the flowers...they are probably saying 'yay...more space for us'! ;D
I hope you have a great week too!
There it goes...what a lovely little cabin! But your son seemed to have had a ball demolishing it.
ReplyDeleteAnd Boo is right: Keep some of the wood - great tp paint on!
Hi there,
DeleteYes I think he really enjoyed the demolishing...it kept him quiet all afternoon (well sort of other than the hammer banging, and the crashing noises) ;D
I have got a few pieces of the blue wood left so will give the painting project some thought.
Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment.
I hope you have a great week!
I called out "Nooo," when I saw the demo. But you're right, parents sometimes hang onto things that our adult kids have no use for anymore. Good you have a nice pic of it, as a keepsake:)
ReplyDeleteWell I must explain Jesh that I wouldn't just pull it down because the kids had outgrown it. I had other plans for it initially (a hen house for one) but when we inspected it, it really was rotten and needed to go.
DeleteWho knows I may put a chicken coop on its base after all? ;D
Thanks for stopping by...Have a brilliant week whatever you have on your plan!
What a shame to see something like that go! We had one of those sets of red plastic table and chairs too, for our kids. Very durable they were too!
ReplyDeleteWill there be a new shed / Summer-house coming along?
It was a shame Mark, but it would have fallen down if we hadn't have taken it down first.
DeleteI think everyone I know had a set of those little red table and chairs. They were ideal and so sturdy.
I am contemplating perhaps a chicken coop on the shed's base or perhaps a seating area. At the moment I'm not rushing any major plans because I'm wanting to see what the garden has to offer in our first year back. I'm going to sit back and watch...isn't that what the experts recommend? Sounds good to me ;D
Then I'll do my thing!!! It'll be hard work but as you know so rewarding (hopefully)!
Have a great week and thanks for stopping by :D
O, that must have been heartbreaking... Happy Blue Monday :) At least you have lots of memories!! Spring greetings from Australia♥ ~Pernilla
ReplyDeleteThanks for your understanding Pernilla, but I really didn't have any choice. It really was rotting away. If we'd have been in the house we could have saved it by treating and painting it when necessary, but with being away, it was just left.
DeleteNever mind...these things happen and we do have our memories plus photographs so all is not lost. ;D
Autumn greetings to you from...(hmm)...not a bad day in Scotland! :D
Oh no! The blue wood is so beautiful! You could make something out of it, something creative, just put a mirror on it and hang it on a wall or some hooks on it, or ... I can think of loads and loads of things to do!
ReplyDeleteWe actually moved our well used playing house just a couple of weeks ago (Oh no, I'm not going to link again! Not again!) as I hope to have grandchildren one day. It has a new home in our garden now and it looks as if it has been there all the time.
Take care! xxx
Steady Anni, I've still got some of the wood, so all is not lost!
DeleteThanks for all of your ideas for what can be done to give it some life once more ;D
I like the idea of a mirror. I'm thinking about a blue bathroom and it might look like a piece from a boat! Keeping a nautical feel might be good as we live near the sea!
I might even replace the shed with something similar...or even a chicken coop. There's lots to plan and think about.
It's nice to think that your playing house has been relocated to a new home to be appreciated all over again.
Have a great week :D
I can imagine how hard it was to see that go, Neesie. It must have been so much fun to play in there....Christine
ReplyDeleteIt was a great place to play and as the children got older developed into all sorts of things. A potting shed and rabbit hutch to name but two! ;D
DeleteThanks for your visit and understanding Xinex.
I hope you are having a great week with lots of fun :D
What a brill afternoon of demolition your son must have had - slightly akin to smashing plates in a Greek restaurant and let's face it you are never asked to tidy up afterwards either are you?
ReplyDeleteI think I'd have been choking at the sight of your son, now Man, tearing down all his childhood memories, oops I don't suppose I'm helping here am I?!!
Ok stiff upper lip and all that....
Ermm life moves on....
Good job done and all the rest...!!
Hugs for a good week:)
Wrenx
I have to tell you Wren...I stood well back! He was so enthusiastic and went at it with such enthusiasum. I just wish he'd attack his academic projects with such gusto! ;D
DeleteNote to self...never take him to a Greek restaurant!
Keeping my stiff upper lip firmly in place I have to tell you the shed would have fallen down if we hadn't have taken it down. Unfortunately it was well beyond repair.
One of the penalties for leaving the house I suppose.
Thanks for trying to cheer me up...you did a sterling job old gal :D
Waving Hi from Sunny Scotland (Ha! I had to get that in!)
xoxo
happy blogging
ReplyDeleteYou too ;D
DeleteOh neesie the sheds über home but you still have the memories.
ReplyDeleteSounds like your son enjoyed himself, maybe a bit too much. We have a similar shed my handyman build ( hence his nick name ) a long time ago before we had children it was an aviary for canaries then we converted it as a play house and now it is loved by GD Erin too I would hate for it it go
Anytime soon
Janet
He did indeed Janet, I just wish I could get him as enthusiastic with his college work! ;D
DeleteThere was nothing else for it..the shed had to go. It had been neglected for all the time we were away so the wood was just crumbling. Sad but nothing I could do about it.
I think they're fantastic and so versatile for lots of uses, so we will rethink and replace soon (maybe?) :D
Just remember to keep painting and protecting your play house and your GD will be able to have treasured memories for years to come!
Have a wonderful Wednesday with lots of creativity and fun packed in!
xoxo
Your travels sound wonderful, I would love to see New Zealand, etc, Scotland too for that matter, my ancestors came from Scotland and Ireland. Your playhouse was such a lovely of blue, I can imagine some wood as a picture frame if any is still sound. We left our children's playhouse when we moved but gave it to another family so perhaps it is still in use. It is such fun to tear things down, but the piles afterward are staggeriing, I hope the clean-up is going well. I've seen some really cute potting sheds that I would love to have....
ReplyDeleteOops I'm awfully late replying to your lovely comment Hannah. Please forgive me ;D
DeleteIt's nice to think of passing the playhouse on for more children to find treasured memories but unfortunately ours was completely rotten. It would have fallen if we hadn't have taken it down. Sad but true. One of the penalties of travelling and leaving it to someone else's care I suppose.
The clean up has been done and other than the base you wouldn't even know it had been there.
We haven't decided what to do in that space yet but no doubt it'll be blogged when we do.
If you would like to see some of New Zealand then just type that into my search bar and you'll see our adventures in both the North and the South Island.
Here's a starter link:
http://neesienatters.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/our-trip-to-south-island-new-zealand.html
I hope you enjoy your virtual trip! ;D