22/01/2014
Who's afraid of the big backyard?
These days lots of people. With urban sprawl being contained by compressing the population into more and more high rise unit blocks and the rise of cafe culture that keeps the hipsters close to the city the suburban family home on a full size 1/4 acre block (or more) is becoming a rarity. Add a bit of wilderness factor with the bush reserve at the back and most modern young couples with small children run a mile. "It's not safe for toddlers" I heard one smartly dressed young woman say at the open for inspection. Well I've got news for you lady - he won't be a toddler for long.
I've brought up 3 kids, 1 largish dog, 2 cats and a husband in this place and they've all survived so far.
At 1187m2 with an extra 600m2 of adjoining council land for free our home is apparently just too big for Gen X and Y parents. Built in 1950 by some ex-army engineers it is also too old and too solid. Built directly onto the Turramurra bedrock with more bricks in the foundations than most houses have in the entire building it is indeed solid. The cypress pine joists and floorboards are distasteful to the termites so they have ignored us too.
You would think that a 30ish couple with 2.5 children under 10 would just love it. We have for 14 years. I was 7 months pregnant with our youngest plus a 12 and 4 year old when we moved in and the kids considered it their own private adventure park. Paths meander through the various shrubs and blue gum forest down to the mulberry tree and chook palace at the bottom of the garden. Hundreds of bulbs bloom in the spring along with wisteria, may bush, azaleas, fruit trees, camellias, jasmine and jacarandas to name a few.
Swing sets, Cubby houses and trampolines have all been loved and passed on and said youngest is more into hair straighteners, mascara and boys than crashing through the bush with the dog hunting imaginary wild things. This year it is boarding school while the older two are working, independent and at uni down south so the place is now also too big for us. Our nest is empty and it is time to downsize to something a little easier on the maintenance staff (ie me).
Modern layouts may be more open plan BUT they don't have the character of our house. Wide wooden windows with wonderful outlooks from everyone, huge bedrooms with cypress pine floor boards, decent sized cornices, and real timber joinery (not chipboard and laminate).
This is a wonderful place to call home. Sense of adventure a definite advantage. Wusses need not apply.
