Monday, July 21, 2008

I'll Tell You Why I Live Where I Live

I love memes. So because I love them, I thought, for once, I’d actually start one!

I’m going to tell you why I live where I live. I’m going to show you a photo. And I’m going to tag seven people to explain why they live where THEY live and post a photo of their house (and garden) – or flat, or yurt, or caravan or whatever!

I’m interested in what takes us to certain places – what makes us want to live there – what makes our hearts sing about them and what they would miss if they were somewhere else.

I know, sometimes you don’t love where you live. Sometimes you’re there when you don’t want to be. But something keeps you there. What is it?

If you really hate your living place – how about posting about a place that does make your heart sing and your eyes light up and the photo album come out.

This is my house.

I love it! Having moved from Tasmania to Sydney when I was 4, I grew up on the North West coast – out in the country. Everyone knew everyone else and everyone knew each other’s business. Being Tasmania, many people were related. As a child, I adored it – I wandered far and wide, through the bush accompanied by our family Lab and, later, riding my horse.

As I became a teenager, I couldn’t wait to leave. The city was exotic and romantic, there was so much more happening – music, art theatre, bands, clubs – everything! At 18, I left and went to university in Hobart.

Then followed a succession of student houses shared with others and all the usual detritus of city living. I bought a house and lived in an inner city suburb – then got a dream job in another city – so I moved to Launceston – and back into shared houses! Launceston was fun – more fun than Hobart in some ways and I still lived in the inner city. I met the Accountant and off we went to Hong Kong.

There we lived on the 12th floor of an apartment block in mid-levels, in a 600 square foot flat. Hong Kong was lots of fun and we made some great friends and lived the expat life. Then we travelled and ended up in Queensland. Eight years of heat and humidity, no proper seasons (just hot and wet, cooler, jacaranda and mango). I pined for Tasmania, for four proper seasons and for proper spuds (sold by name!) and apples and berries and winter and port and fires and dry summers. My father had a stroke and that decided it.

We would move back to Tasmania, and get to spend some time with our families. In Queensland we had been burgled and I no longer felt safe there. We decided we would try and find a lovely old house. Every trip down we’d look at houses. There was no real estate boom then. That came later. People would move to the west coast of Tassie and have to return part of the Federal Government’s $7,000 grant – because the house they bought cost less than that!

We looked and looked and found this house. It was equidistant between both our families. It was near the ferry and the airport. It was just outside a beautiful little town. It had 7 acres and beautiful gardens (they are no longer quite so beautiful). We could afford it. I had seen it and the Accountant had not – photos only! We bought it and I had nightmares for weeks (what it he hated it? We’d be stuck in a house he hated!). Luckily he loved it.

We all love it. It’s cold in winter and hard to heat. But it’s a lovely happy house and it’s ours!

OK. Now for tags. Zephyrama, Bells, Taphophile, Madmad, 2Paw, Rosered, Knightly Knitter, Tell me why you live where you live – flash a photo and tell me what you love about it!

23 comments:

JustJess said...

WOW. What a beautiful home. It's just beautiful! Do you know its history? I aspire to something that incredible. Thanks for sharing your story - great meme.

elizabirthdaycake said...

wow tinkingbell you're home is beautiful, its the kind of home I've always wanted to buy (when I get old enough and rich enough to buy one) But it is absolutely fabulous, I'm so jealous!

Lynne said...

Wow! If I had a house like that I'd start a meme like yours too! Lovely!!

Not that there's anything wrong with my house but yours has such character! Not to mention room[s] for stash! LOL

MadMad said...

What a gorgeous home - and what a great story and a great idea for a meme. It's funny, I was just taking pics of the area near our beach house and thinking about why we come here, and how neat it would be to see where everyone lived!

Five Ferns Fibreholic said...

What a fabulous home, it's easy to see why you fell in love with it. Great meme!!

Alwen said...

I love your house, too.

I love where I live, but I think two stories with porches/balconies is just too cool!

Amy Lane said...

That is a gorgeous home! And a lovely story! It was like traveling from my kitchen table--thank you!

Rose Red said...

OMG I LOVE YOUR HOUSE!!! (I mean, YOUR CASTLE!) Do I really have to show you mine??!! Can I have your house/castle instead!?!

Heh! I will do this though. Hopefully I'll have nice sunny weather on the weekend to take some good pics of my favourite bits.

(PS - if I had your house/castle, the turrety bit would be my stash domain!)

Bells said...

I want your house.

I love my house but it's not even remotely picture friendly. Just a little suburban home. But I will try and do something befitting this meme.

I want your house. I'm so coming to visit.

DrK said...

that house is SO beautifully tasmanian, im with rosered, can we please be bad knitting girls and get locked up in the stash turret?!

OSA said...

Wow your house is like a castle, so cool!
I have to giggle every time I read "meme" because that word means breasts in Turkish. I would start a meme in my blog but I don't think my poor mom's heart can handle it! She was scandalised enough when I bought the Stitch and Bitch --Happy Hooker book!

Donna Lee said...

I love the colors of your house. I have a plain, 50's style suburban tract house that I love because of the people that live in it. It's a pale blue right now and I'm thinking the shutters should all be different colors. I'm tired of white ones. Now I just have to convince the rest of the family it's a good idea!

Donyale said...

So THAT"s why you stash so much yarn - cause you have space to STASH!

MY GAWD - that house is glorious, wonderful and and and I am SURE that you could host a lot of us there for the weekend of knitting camp - couldn't you?

zephyrama said...

wow.

I'm moving into the belfry. I'm sure you can fit me. Don't worry I won't bring the kids.

what a seriously awsome house.

amanda j said...

How could your husband refuse - his house really is his castle!

Great idea, I look forward to seeing this go around.

TrampledbyGeese said...

What a gorgeous house (can i move in with you?) and it has such a wonderful story: yours.

Tasmania sounds like the perfect place.

knightlyknitter.wordpress.com said...

Now I can do the smug dance because I've been to yours (and yes folks it is HUGE - that walk-in stash er linen cupboard? You could fit my linen cupboard in there three times)
So, now you want pics? Hmm, I'm thinking montage here, because ratty weatherboard and orange/brown stripy awnings are not exactly picturesque! I'll see what I can come up with.

Georgie said...

Oh wow, what a stunning home. We have long dreamed of such a place, but they are non-existent in
Canberra (of course!). We are *so* coming to visit!

But darn it, now Ive got bloody Macca in my head! Curses!

Nora said...

Absolutely beautiful!!

Nora

jp said...

Oh how beautiful.

blackie said...

Something about your house reminds me of Dodie Smith's novel I Capture the Castle, which is as a matter of fact, my favourite book. I think it's the turrety bits. I know what it is like living in the great yet freezing Tasmanian houses..but, Tink my dear, that is why we KNIT! In the words of my mother "If you're cold PUT ANOTHER JUMPER ON"!

Unknown said...

Man. That's some house!

I like how you've been very modest and only posted a tiny picture.

But, please, post some MORE pictures of it soon, inside ones too, it's amazing!

TLCknits said...

It's truly beautiful! and the story behind it makes it more so!