I Can't Wrap My Head Around It . . .

The days pass so quickly and I am overwhelmed when I look around the house and know I MUST get rid of almost everything within the next year and a half. I know we will do it, but it's painful and scary and impossible at the moment. After nearly 39 years together and all the homes we've enjoyed this one ends up being the last one. My friend told me tonight when she looked in my craft closet, "you can't move, look at all this stuff. Where will you put it?" And I just don't know. See - I don't intend on giving up my crafting hobbies at all, and I need all that 'stuff'. And I'll miss our lovely veggie garden so much, not to mention all the bulbs, bushes and flowers. My roses, oh my lovely roses. Oh - and the fruit trees that have provided shade, beauty and delicious fruits. I think I am beginning the mourning phase of the great loss that not living here will bring. I know we can be happy anywhere we are as long as we're together, but that's not the point. This home has sheltered so many people. Not just our family and grandchildren, but friends and acquaintances. Famous folks and regular every day people. I truly regret that it has become a burden to us now. I can only pray a nice family will be able to move here and have lots of fun with their children and grandchildren, just like us. Did I mention I'll miss George? Oh, you don't know him. He's our very fine and well-mannered ghost. I named him George years ago until I found out who he was. He is Marceline Eyraud, the man who built this home for his family more than a hundred years ago. He was born in 1869 in France. He came to the United States in the 1880's knowing the wine producing business. He didn't become a vintner though, he opened two large saloons in the old old city of Los Angeles, near 7th and Alameda. He and his wife built this house for their family and enjoyed it until they passed away in the 1940's. Their influence is all throughout this house. From the fabulous French kitchen to the spacious third floor great room. Mrs. Eyraud was a very religious woman, a devout Catholic. She had all the cupboards in the house built with a cross motif in each one. When we first moved here the children named the linen closets on the mezzanine 'the confessional'. They are crafted to look like the doors on a confessional, this theme is repeated in the big kitchen and the butler's pantry. I have felt the influence of this remarkable, strong and valiant woman who crossed the pond to rear her children in the greatest country in all the world. Her two youngest daughters lived together here until their deaths. The other children all moved out and built their own homes. There are no living descendants of the Eyraud family that are known. I have researched them all and have not found any. I truly wish some of them were still around. I'd have lots of questions for them. Perhaps in another time and place we will join with them and discuss "our home".