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Un Hommage À Ma Maison

Un Hommage À Ma Maison

“The balance we approve of in architecture, and which we anoint with the word ‘beautiful’, alludes to a state that, on a psychological level, we can describe as mental health or happiness.”

Alain de Botton, ‘The Architecture of Happiness’

We first met you when we were in the first heady days of our beautiful partnership. We were giddy with the excitement of being together, seeking together and setting up a life together. You were just around the corner, waiting for us.

It was like you were always waiting for us, our kidney coloured, sash-windowed, high-ceilinged beauty. You were the blank canvas on which we drew the first wonderful days of our marriage. Your walls gave us the inspiration we needed to turn our love into a beautiful place for all to visit. We fell in love again and again behind your doors. We found true happiness ensconced within your confines. We thought we’d be together for ever.

Unfortunately, others outside our sphere had different plans, concerns unrelated to the emotional content we’d installed within. We don’t want to leave but we must. If we could move with you, we would, but this is not possible.

We won’t cry. We will pack and clean and wash and leave you better than how we found you. It is the least we can do. You were much more than a home, a flat, an address or an apartment. You were part of us, a friend, and a static companion, reliable, beautiful but ultimately, never ours to start with. We hope if your walls could talk, you’d speak of us fondly, as we will of you. We shall miss you dearly.

Goodbye Number 2 of 102.
10,458 views 28 replies
Reply #26 Top
Digs,

Good question, mate. I definitely agree with you and say it had a lot to do with the wonderful memories we'd shared there but part of it is because it IS a beautiful apartment. The building is a 1920's Art Deco styled building. The window sills are wide and the windows are wooden sash windows. The ceilings are high, with picture rails around most of the walls. The ceilings are also pressed ceilings and covered in beautiful designs. All in all, an absolutely lovely home.

I bet the new house will be just as good if not better.


I have no doubt it will be. The new place has killer water views from a lovely big balcony of the living room and is of a similar vintage. We're so looking forward to moving in and getting settled.

your wife is going with you, right?


Absolutely...
Reply #27 Top

Interesting article Maso.

I wonder if, because I married relatively young and have moved a number of times (needed a bigger place, moving for school, moving for residency, etc.) that perhaps that is why I don't have a real strong attachment to any one of our flats. 

Our first was very small, snug, and a little rundown.  But it was cheap and close to campus.  Perfect for a newly wed couple who were both still in school.  We moved to a 2 bedroom townhouse, and loved it.  But it was shortlived as well (about 18 months I believe), until we moved for school. 

Now we are, once again, in a snug apartment, trying to save up and see if we can actually purchase a house.  That one will be a big deal.

Reply #28 Top
Interesting article Maso


Thanks mate.

I've lived in lots of different sorts of places over the years. Never actually owned a single one of them, either. But I'm the sort of person who likes to make sure I'm comfortable where ever I live. I don't mean creature comforts either. I mean I like the place to look good, even if I've only got second-hand furnishings. I like the place to feel good, so I take pains to make sure the arrangement of items is aesthetically pleasing. I like people visiting me to feel the same too. I guess, in a lot of respects, I'm a bit of a homebody.

The difference between all those places and the one we're about to leave is the particularly wonderful memories I have of it. As I said, it was the first place my wife and I lived in together and we've had so many excellent times there. Sure, we've had a few bad ones too, as to expected, but the good far outweigh the bad, for sure.

I hope you and yours do find a wonderful place you can truly call your own. Have a great weekend, mate, and it is always good to 'see' you.