Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Rachel's house.



?


One of my dearest friends, Rachel, recently moved a little closer to home.
She is living out in the sticks, in a house that was very close to being just a pile of sticks itself.
At its last valuation the house was valued at nil (!?) and it hasn't been inhabited for about 15 years. There were/are plants growing through the floor boards, holes in the walls and rats in the walls.
It is so, so beautiful.
We went out to visit yesterday afternoon and I was blown away by how envious I felt. I mean, really, I love my little warm house to pieces but she lives out in the middle of nowhere in this huge house filled to the brim with amazing arty treasures, and she an do whatever she likes with it! No landlords concerned about pin marks, no stress about children pulling the wallpaper off their walls (ta, Aesop!) and free rule of the garden too. It makes me pine for my own home.
But that wasn't the only reason I left feeling a slightly greener shade of pink. Rachie is a jeweller and an artisan in the true sense. She is finishing up her studies with a masters in making objects (you can read about it here because I definitely can't explain it! ha) and while she spends a lot of time writing as part of her course, she spends the rest of her time growing things, fixing her house, knitting, spinning, crocheting.. basically Rachel is seems to have more hours in her day than I, and more talent to fill them.
Granted having two fewer children than me (and one less husband) would free up a few hours and being without the internet at home and television would free up a few more... but unfortunately those are things (aside from the tv) that I just wouldn't be without.
Isn't it always the same? The grass is always greener in someone elses paddock. I have a sneaking suspicion Rachel would trade it all for a nice husband and a few littlies running around. I guess I just need to work on being happier where I'm at! Although I do think I'll steal a few decor ideas..

(more pictures on Rachies house in my flickr stream..)

6 comments:

  1. her house looks so sweet- love the lampshade and the enamel coffee pot :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. enjoyed this post - love peeking into others homes

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow, her house looks fantastic... reminds me alot of the little 100 year old, 2bdrm villa Luke and I used to rent in Napier... peeling wall paper, stained glass windows, white painted timber interior walls....... no door handles, cobwebs all over the ceilings, a shower that didn't work, out-house that we were convinced was haunted (yeah rent was pretty cheap!. While it's nice to be living in a modern house with insulation, heating and non-flea infested carpet, there is no character and we really do miss our little old house sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This post makes me miss my cold, damp Churchill Street whare! I wanna be friends with Rachel too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm looking the giant Bialetti! :) Thank you so much Rhiannon for linking to the site! Hope you are enjoying it, I'll definitely be back to your blog, love it. xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. hehe...

    i'm feeling totally shamoes reading all of that...

    much love raho, see you soon. xx

    ReplyDelete