…that someone clearly loved. When we moved to this area of the suburbs, we found a route off the beaten path to get out to more traveled roads. And toward the end of this route there was a wonderful, old-fashioned house with green shutters, and mature trees, and a family of ceramic deer in the center of the lawn.
\nThe yard was always faultlessly maintained. The house looked as though it had been painted fairly recently, and the gutters and roof had been maintained. I suspect that the house had been in place for a number of years when a correctional facility was plunked down across from it. That didn’t keep the owners from giving their home loving care. I suspect the facility wasn’t a bad neighbor except for an abundance of lights at night.
\nTwo, or perhaps three years ago, the house took on an abandoned look. We speculated on the situation. Perhaps one of the owners had passed away, or needed to move to assisted living, and the house was too much for the remaining owner to manage. Perhaps a woman had been living there for years with her children to help with the gardening, and now, she couldn’t maintain the grounds.
\nFor whatever reason, the house was put on the market, where it languished. The lawn wasn’t mowed frequently enough, and no one trimmed around the feet of the family of deer. It became shabby, as those things lacking attention do. One of the tree trunks broke off and a huge portion of it crashed through the roof of an outbuilding.
\nThis week as we passed by, the change was glaring. All but two of the old trees had been cut down and turned into a pile of mulch. The evergreens that had lined a sweeping driveway were gone. Landscaping around the house had been ripped out. The house looks naked, and unprotected. It looks as though it’s waiting it’s final sentence.
\nThat’s when I realized that the fire department is going to be allowed to burn it to the ground. It makes my heart ache to think of all the memories that house has held going up in smoke. I’m sure that the family has had to make the decision to raze the home because they can’t afford the annual property taxes, and couldn’t sell it.
\nI hate that our government forces people into decisions like this because of the property tax laws. I haven’t worked my way through a solution to this situation, but it’s one more reason we need to alter how we finance our schools. The current plan is inequitable both to homeowners AND students! It won’t be long before the middle class can’t afford to support our government, as it is. It’s possible we have already reached that point. Certainly, the owners of this house have said, “I give!”
\nI know that we’ll be passing that lot in our travels in the coming weeks, and despite knowing what’s likely to happen, I won’t be prepared to see the hole in the ground where the house once sat. It was a good house, and I’ll remember it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
…that someone clearly loved. When we moved to this area of the suburbs, we found a route off the beaten path to get out to more traveled roads. And toward the end of this route there was a wonderful, old-fashioned … Continue reading