The ladies were just gossiping about the price of perfume at a local shop when Mrs Buckley caught sight of something over a particularly bushy hedge.
"Blossom," she said, "Have you ever noticed that house?"
"What house? Oh, you mean the one over there? Why it's been empty for years. No one lives there... Although I think Bob Blackberry owns it..." Mrs Hawthorn said, knowing everyone's gossip.
"See, here's the garden gate. Bob obviosly forgot he owns the old place or isn't too keen on being a tidy gardener!"
Sure enough, Mrs Hawthorn led her along the hedge to a very overgrown garden gate. The whole place certainly seemed deserted. You couldn't even see the lawn!
"I can't believe I never noticed it before..." Mrs Buckley said. She'd lived in Bluebell Oaks a long time, but had never encountered this house.
At that moment, who should come clip clopping down the road but Bob Blackberry and his horse Blacksocks, on their way to the Saturday Farmer's Market.
"Good morning ladies! Everything alright?" He called cheerily.
"Splendid, thank you Bob," Mrs Hawthorn said, "We were just talking about you. You own this old house in here, don't you?"
"Aaah, yes," Bob jumped off the cart. "I haven't been in here for a long time... Inherited the place from some great uncle or rather..." He mused, "Although we've got the farm so we could never live there."
He leaned on the garden gate."Yes, perhaps I did let it get abit overgrown... I've been trying to get rid of the place for years-I've got enough on my paws looking after Blackberry Farm!"
"Anyway, I must be on my way. See you around!" He jumped on the cart and trotted away.
They continued on their walk, but Mrs Buckley couldn't stop thinking about the secluded house and its overgrown garden. There was something about the place that seemed to draw her in, she just couldn't quite put her finger on what it was...
Later that evening in her own home, Meadow told her husband about her discovery that morning.
"Do you mean that old overgrown place?" Heath asked, "What's so special about it?"
"We could live there Heath!" Meadow said excitedly, "You said yourself just last week that this house is too small for us. We've got five children, and the babies can't go on using the attic as a nursery!"
"I don't know darling," he said, "It would be alot of work!"
"I'm not scared of hard work." Meadow said defiantly.
"Alright," Heath smiled, "Give Bob a call to arrange a day to check it out."
A few days later, the entire (almost) Buckley family headed out to meet Bob and look at the house. Meadow had left the twins at a friend's house, knowing that they wouldn't be easy to cart around, especially if the garden was as overgrown as it looked.
Bob greeted them cheerfully. "Come in, come in. I'll get this gate open and we'll try and find our way through this jungle, shall we?" He winked at the children.
Bob gave the gate a jiggle. Nothing happened. He tugged it a little harder. "It's just a little stiff," he said to them. Bob pulled and pulled, but still the gate stood fast.
Then he stood back to scratch his head. "Perhaps the latch was on the other side,"he said thoughtfully, pulling on it. The gate swung open.
"Aaah, here we are."
There was nothing else for it but to bash their way through the bushes. The children were obviously finding it a great adventure, but Mrs Buckley was a little more reluctant. She tried her hardest to put her lady likeness aside as she scrambled rather un-daintily through the bushes.
At last, when they emerged from the undergrowth, the family found themselves in a large but very overgrown garden, with a pretty blue roofed house in front of them.
"Come on inside," Bob was already up at the house, holding the door open for them and smiling.
"Oh!" Mrs Buckley exclaimed when she stepped inside, "It's beautiful!"
"A little dusty," Bob said, "But yes, it is quite a nice house."
Mr Buckley especially liked the big opening doors at the front of the house that opened to the veranda.
"This would be perfect for dining in summer evenings." he said.
Upstairs was just as nice, and much more spacious than their current home.
Maria likes the views from upstairs. This would be a lovely place to put a bed... She thought.
"Look Mummy and Daddy!" It seems that Oscar has found the nursery.
He's overjoyed to have his very own baby-sized balcony to look at the pretty views!
This house was obviously built for a family with babies, having such a large nursery. The walls of it are also adorned with pretty pictures.
Meadow loved everything about the house until she found a little gate in the nursery that opened straight into mid-air!
"Oh my goodness Heath! Look how dangerous this is! Whatever could it be for?!"
"Don't worry love, I can board it up." He soothed.
Mr and Mrs Buckley decided to look out the proper balcony.
"Oh Heath, isn't this amazing? I've always dreamed of living in a house with a balcony!"
They listened to the children laughing inside.
"What do you think?" Meadow said softly.
Heath was silent for a long time. "I think the children sound happy and they really like it. This house is way more spacious than our own one, and I think I like it too. Sure, the garden will need abit of work, but it might be fun, doing it as a family."
"So?"
"I think we should buy the place!"
They found Bob down in the garden. After a short discussion and negotiation (Bob wanted to rip himself off and sell it to them far too cheap!) the deal was sealed.
"Congratulations! I'll send you the paperwork tomorrow."
And that is how the Buckleys came to be the proud owners of this pretty little blue roofed house. They can't wait to move in!
To be continued...
Apologies for not posting in a long time!
Hillcrest Home (although I'm going to rename it) is the result of my recent birthday, where I got some lovely presents as well as some money, which I used to buy the adorable Splashy Otters-they're just so cute!
When this house was first released in New Zealand early this year, I wasn't very fond of it. Now, however, I love it! It's got so many cute details and I'm happy to give it to the Buckleys, who were actually my first family, and have been without their very own home for seven years, the poor things!
The only thing I don't really like about this hosue is the name, but I have another one up my sleeve, although it's a suprise!
I hope you are having a wonderful and joyful July!