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Fuchsia's On The Patio

When looking to buy a home there is the saying "Location, Location, Location". The locations we wanted to purchase in were so out of our price range that we had to adjust our wants and go with what we could get. Little did we know that buying what we could get would give us more than what we could have dreamed.

The purchasing process was horrendous, so much stress. Even though it was 13 yrs. ago I remember like it was yesterday. When we had the deal signed and sealed we thought that was the best part. But the true best part was meeting our neighbors. And one particular neighbor comes to mind today, our honorary Grandma-Next-Door, Eleanor.

Eleanor lived alone but was never lonely. If her friends weren't visiting (partying was more like it ;-> ), or taking her to Bunco or lunch, my young Katie was at her house, eating cookies or playing games. She became a member of our family quickly. We loved her.

Time passed and Eleanor felt living in her house was too difficult and choose to move to an assisted living facility. We did everything we could to have her stay, but she wanted to live (and party!) with her friends that lived in the facility as well. We couldn't blame her.

A large part of our hearts broke when, after living in her new "home" for over a year, Eleanor passed. I still cry. A very selfish part of me thinks that if she would have stayed in her house she would still be with us.

A few months ago a young couple chose Eleanor's home to be their first home. It seemed perfect. The couple had an Open House and our neighborhood came together to welcome them.

Spring is here and that means more time in the garden. Eleanor loved her garden. One thing she always did was put hanging fuchsia baskets on her patio. Every year. And guess what the new neighbors just did for their patio? Fuchsia baskets, hanging from their patio.

Eleanor is still watching over her garden.

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