History Pt I: For Sale ..."Maison de Pêcheur"

We saw the ad in the window of a real estate agent in town. There we're pictures. It looked interesting enough. The price seemed reasonable for the region. "Needs Work." Hmmm...how bad could it be? We decided to take a walk down to the village and see if we could find it based on the pictures. We found it right away. Its craggly wood steps, elevated front porch, sculptured stone windows.

Love at first sight.

We walked back to the agent's office and camped by their door, impatient for them to open up for the afternoon so we could go and tour the house.

-Okay, it has no electricity.

-Yes, okay (us smiling)

-And it has no bathroom,

-Okay (us still smiling)

- ... and look there's no heat.

-Okay, yeah.

-and its a real wreck...it needs ALOT of work.

-Okay, that's fine.

-So you still want to see it?

-Yes, we'd like to see it now. I mean today. I mean now, really.

-Oh, well that's impossible because we're technically closed until after Christmas. I'm just here today straightening up. I'm just the secretary and I could give you an appointment for next ...

-No! we have to see it today... we have to (frantically) we leave tomorrow!

And so we dragged the poor secretary, six months pregnant out to look at a ramshackle house that she had no right to show and no desire to show. It was everything she said it was and more. We had our renovation glasses on. Where she saw disaster we saw potential. We told her we'd call in our bid.

-There's really no rush. No one has even looked at this place in like six months.

-We'll call tomorrow.

-You'll have to call after the holidays. No one will even be back until next week.

-Umm, okay we'll call Tuesday then...first thing.

-Uh ...Oh... Okay, but like talk it over okay. Think about it. You have time.

A house for sale that the agency doesn't really want to sell. Hmmm, it must be a goldmine. Why else would they divert people from buying it!

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the quarter. The lake was right across the street. All of the houses were historic and full of character. There was a lavoir at the end of the street. There was a black cat sitting on an old stone wall. There was a fresh breeze and the smell of the sea.

And the price was right.