Tea for two

Gorgeous day - bright, breezy and warm. The walking bus powered into school - 93 foxgloves counted.

Back home and I could feel a series coming over me - back down to the abandoned house.  I parked the car then walked through fields and over stiles. For once I had on a floaty skirt and it all felt very Laura Ashley circa 1975. The house is in a little hamlet of half a dozen houses plus outbuildings, three of which are derelict! The trespass was fairly quick as I could hear tractors and, rather unexpectedly, saw a man in full bee keeping gear. This house is mesmerising.

Several of you have wondered about who could have lived there and how it could have been seemingly abandoned still full of stuff. I have been thinking. Here's a possible scenario - are you sitting comfortably??
it was once the home of John Joe and Mary Bridget. They lived there all their married lives, Mary Bridget moving in as a young bride in the 1920s. John Joe had thirty acres of land, a small herd of dairy cattle and a pig for the winter. He also grew spuds and Mary Bridget looked after the vegetable garden and the hens.  Mary Bridget was a devout woman and walked to mass every Sunday. She kept a clean and welcoming house and liked her 'bits'.  She was particularly fond of her 'oriental' tea service, used only on special occasions. The front parlour was used for guests and contained the best table and interesting knick knacks but the roomy kitchen, warmed by the big fireplace, was where  the family lived.  They raised 8 children here. Five emigrated, two to America and three to England. The eldest son, John, built his own home near to his parents and helped out with the farm as they got older and the two younger daughters married local men. Mary Bridget was the first to go and John Joe struggled on on his own, helped by his family. When he eventually died. the eldest son intended to modernise the old house and do it up for his own son but somehow it never happened. He did have a clearout but some things just had to remain, it wouldn't have been right to remove them. Today the old house is useful for storing the odd bale of hay and he likes to wander in now and again just to feel the presence of his parents. His mother would be appalled at the mess but glad that the holy statues are still in their right place over the mantlepiece.

Think I've been reading too much William Trevor!! Reality may be far different but who knows? Food for thought :)