[Earl]

Well it's finally happened. My parents are selling the home I've known since the age of 10 and my favorite place on earth.

They are in Arizona from October to May and Wisconsin during the summer. I never thought they would sell the house, and my sister and I would inherit it one day. This is very sad for me. I am very nostalgic and this place means the world to me.

Washington Island Wisconsin is north of Milwaukee and Green Bay off the tip of Door County. The island is about 45 miles around with a year round population of 250 and summer pop. of 3000. It's against town laws to have any "chain" business on it. No McDonalds or Burger Kings. no chain grocery stores, the one grocery store is mom and pop owned for 100 years. No stop lights, a grass runway airport for prop planes. truly Mayberry. Truly paradise. It truly can't be described to do it justice. Soon, it will be a memory.

Mom says the house won't sell soon as it's a higher priced house for the island. I think it will. It's the most desirable home on the island and is in the home tour ever year. Some rich dude from Chicago will find out and by it and take away my childhood.

Their plans are to sell it and buy something in Idaho or Colorado. they want to be closer to AZ. To get to the island (meaning when friends want to come and visit) it's a flight to Chicago (4 1/2 hours) then a 5 hour drive, then a 45 min ferry ride, to get there. they want to be able to zip to the airport to get visitors.

This GENUINELY upsets me as I never saw them selling it. I always imagined it would go eventually to our children and keep it in the family. Oh well. Nothing they buy in Colorado or Idaho will be anything like "Koo-Ka-Lure" Which means "Do-Nothing" in Norwegian, that's the name of the home.

If you want to see it, (DON'T tell anyone who can buy it!!!) here's the listing under the realtor with ok pictures:

http://northstar-realty.com/?page_id...ent_page_id=32

And Here's the ad from Realtor.com, this one has better pic's:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...ex=WI529998043

Pray with me it doesn't sell- EVER! Thanks.

[SallyC]

Nice little shack..

[Dejibo]

im sorry. i know it hurts to lose peices of your childhood.

[DizzyLizzy]

I can see why you would love this lovely home! It is just beautiful, and it sounds like a gigantic lake! To put it into perspective, our little family cabin is on Lake Minnie Belle, in Litchfield MN and the shore line is @ 4 miles around! We can't get lost on our lake and we can practically see the whole lake from our beach.

I am hoping that my father's lake home gets passed down to us kids as well, like you...I never imagined that I wouldn't be going there for the rest of my life. I might have to see if he has any plans to move? I really don't think so, but it doesn't hurt to inquire every once in a while, right?

You have an abundance of wonderful memories that you will never forget....keep those near and dear to your heart.
(((((Earl)))))

[doydie]

They need to rent it out for short periods so the family can still have their time in it also

[SallyC]

It's time for a new family to build some great lasting memories there. ((((Earl))))

[Earl]

Closing is on October 15th. It's sold. I am REALLY upset. I have SO many memories and I just can't seem to be a grown up and deal with it.

I know it's my parents money/home and they want to make it more convenient and get a summer place in Colorado that it would be a quick flight or drive to go visit them, but NOTHING will be anywhere near that place.

Thanks for your kind words everyone. BTW, it's on Lake Michigan, north of Milwaukee and Green Bay at the tip of Door County in Wisconsin.

M+D said Laura and I will be able to come for one last visit in September but I'm not sure if I even can, knowing I won't ever be back.

[Erin524]

I still have really strong memories of and a big attachment to the house I grew up in. We moved when I was 18 because my mom was jealous of a relative who got a new house and insisted that we move too.

That house is 5 miles away from me, and whenever I'm in that area, I drive by it to see if anything has changed. The woman who bought it from us apparently died recently, because the house has gone way downhill in the last couple of years. Needs a new roof, the yard looks like no one has trimmed the bushes since we moved in '87.

We're pretty sure it's become Section 8 house (housing for low income people) or just a rental house, because it looks horrible and unkempt. The owner is now some guy who lives in CA.

I keep thinking that if it ever goes up for sale, I'm going to go over to see it on open house days.

The last house we lived in before we moved to where we're at now, looks even worse than my childhood house, and for some reason, that doesnt bother me as much as seeing my childhood house looking like whoever lives there doesnt care about it. (the guy who bought our last house, apparently doesnt care about it. That roof has shingles that are curling, and he hasnt trimmed any of the bushes or trees since he moved in, because everything is so overgrown)

I thought when we moved from my childhood house, that it would be taken care of as well as we took care of it. It's sad to see the house mistreated and allowed to go all to hell. If it ever does go on sale, I'm kind of afraid to go check it out. Little worried that might have become a hoarders house or something.

[Earl]

"dirty word" I figured it out!!!!

I figured out one reason, probably the top reason I am having SUCH a hard time with this.

I always expected to inherit the house. My parents have two homes, one in Scottsdale, AZ and the island home. I have 1 sister and she was due to inherit the house in Scottsdale and I was going to inherit the island. Dad said one of the reasons they were selling was it costs 12,000 per year before even opening a door, that's the taxes, insurance and maintenance of the home. He said I could never afford to pay that.

WHY? Why can't I afford it? BECAUSE I HAVE M.S.!!!

It's another thing MS has taken away from me. HAD I not been diagnosed with MS I would be a working professional and have the money to maybe say "you want to sell? Ok I'll buy it off you".

I always, since I was a pre-teen boy thought my grandkid's would grow up fishing off the dock at that house. Another dream crushed.

I know, I know, I'm just a 42 year old nut case!

I'll get over it, one day.

[SallyC]

Awwwww, Earl, that's just not fair. Poohy!