We're home again, back to the serenity of my own peaceful home, after three weeks of stress while trying to undo the damage of difficult tenants in my mother's little house in East Hampton. The first week, we stayed with my daughter and her family. Beggars can't be choosers, they say, and we were grateful for the warm space to be as we waited for the tenant to vacate and return the keys so we could begin the work ahead of us. But, accommodations left something to be desired, as my daughter and her housemate were having some real difficulties, so even when the drama was not being played out, the air was thick with tension and uncomfortable to be in the middle of.
The second week found us purchasing a blow up bed so we could 'camp out' at the rental house. We borrowed a few pots and pans, brought in some food, and used the kitchen table and chairs the tenant had abandoned. It was peaceful there, and we gathered our strength and energy in order to tackle the repairs and cleanup and get a new tenant.
By the third week, confusion was at its height. We had little response from three classified ads for the rental. Out of nine responses, only one was a good match for us, but as it turned out, it was not for the potential tenant. So, the house was about to be shut down until the warmer weather, and placed into the hands of a housewatcher. It hadn't been painted inside, as planned, because it would be best to delay that job if the heat was to be shut off. The walls had been prepared and patched. The holes in the doors were repaired. The debris in the yard had been removed, the gutters cleaned, the tenant trash in the garage and basement carted off. The house was as clean as it could be and smelled of Mr. Clean. We couldn't stay much longer but Mom was hesitant to shut the place down and leave it empty for an unknown period of time.
Enter an unhappy daughter. She'd decided to part company with the roommate, but didn't know where she could afford to live on her own. The idea was presented to Mom that she might want to consider her granddaughter as a tenant. Never being a fan of 'doing business with family', she hesitated in her decision. I told her that it seemed she had two options, take my daughter or shut it down. Neither appealed to Mom, but in the end, she took the granddaughter as tenant at a reduced rent. It made sense to me, and my daughter was a very grateful woman.
We stayed in our new confusion for about three days, and then packed up and left for home. I've never been so glad to see my front door! I'm so blessed to be here, in my own environment, with my own work to do, with my holiday preparations to plan and carry out. I'm home and it's a new day....thank you, Lord!
