So long Millfall...

I've calculated, and it has been about 19 years that I've had a home here in Almonte, Ontario. This is where my mother moved after my parents separated. And what a lovely home she has created. It has housed graduations and proms, bridal showers and wedding days, and of course the umpteen Christmases and other holidays.

My oldest daughter, A, loves coming to Grammy's where the walls are colourful and the artwork is plentiful. There is so much to look at here and the scenery from every window is fabulous. What do you expect when you have a huge waterfall in your backyard? It is a very special home. I don't know anyone one else as lucky as we, to have lived in such a unique and special place! The building was an old woolen mill that was converted into condominiums where each one was designed differently. Every condo has HUGE inset windows that are set into 21" thick stone walls. We happen to have a double corner unit with 9 of those HUGE windows! Windows that saw disco dancing and a bride standing in her wedding dress, and then sat while she waited for her groom to arrive. If these windows could talk they'd talk about the homework sessions they held and the deep and meaningful conversations between mother and daughter as she grew up-before she moved out West. They'd talk about great friendships that were made here in this building. They'd talk about the morning gazing with a cup of coffee at the river below. They'd also talk about how they held the mommy with the new baby as they snuggled watching the clouds roll down the river just before a thunderstorm.

We knew the last couple of visits when my sister was here from out West could have been the last visit. Today was the last All Girls Sleepover visit that we would enjoy here. There were daughters of 3 generations sharing 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. Well, the condo has 2 bathrooms but where else would you put a baby in a playpen? The ensuite bathroom of course!It was certainly bitter sweet as we capped off the visit with an impromptu photo shoot by my photographer Sarah Lethbridge who patiently waited as 5 very late girls got themselves ready for shots by the falls. It was perfect. A mother and her girls, a daughter and her girls, 2 sets of sisters, an Aunty, and a Grammy. This is home for us, where we 5 girls are together. Millfall is the backdrop to our memories, but home truly is where the heart is.

xo