A very special bungalow features on Window Wednesday today.
It was early in the year when we saw the bungalow for the first time on Rightmove. Despite it being slightly over budget the estate agent had assured us that it ticked all the boxes we had set and the vendors may be open to an offer since we were keen to move fast and it had been on the market for over a year. The idea was to find a bungalow for my granny, approaching her 80s, so she could move “down south”. My granny, affectionately known as GG, was living in a gorgeous three bedroom property in the north of England but it was on the third floor of a block that didn’t have a lift. It felt like the right time to do a bit of a future proofing, moving her down to not only be closer to us but in a property where she wouldn’t struggle to get out to the shops.
Having found this special bungalow we set about renovating it because, to put it mildly, it needed it. It had potential in buckets but it also had revolting carpets, a split loo and bathroom and a kitchen that was falling to bits. So as is the style with my family, we drew up an action plan and set to work creating the home of GG dreams.
It took just six weeks and over the May bank holiday weekend GG moved in. To say she had quite a bit of stuff to cram in would be an understatement. In the words of the removal company “we have never seen so much stuff come out of a single person’s home”. The loft was full, the garage rammed, the shed overflowing, but GG was in and as she set about learning to live down south, we set about unpacking and making her as comfortable as possible.
GG loved her little haven and would happily spend hours in the garden whenever she could and when my parents came to visit she would stand in that window and wave them off until they had turned the corner at the end of the road. On more than one occasion having been berated for sweeping up leaves in the freezing cold GG would just shrug her shoulders and say “it’s exercise dear, I can’t sit around on my backside all day”.
She also couldn’t resist shouting at the pigeons from her favourite spot in the back room. When we added the extension it was designed with a large picture window to make the most of the view. Squirrels were safe, she loved them, but woe betide any pigeons that came into view. “Flying sacks of shit” called them, the only time we ever heard her swear. In fact her reactions to pigeons were so legendary Ellie had one tattooed on her arm in GG’s honour when she passed away.
As time went on, even with daily carers, being in the bungalow was too much for GG. She fell too many times for our liking and despite having a panic alarm around her neck she was spending too many afternoons waiting for an ambulance so we sat down and suggested that moving into a home would be the best place for her. Meals brought to her room and people keeping an eye on her it made total sense if in all honesty it did take a while for her to come round to the idea.
Which means the bungalow is now being readied for it’s next lease of life. For Shirley to be its custodian and to keep the pigeons in check.