Our Rosslyn romance spans 2 decades. And our Rosslyn reality? Almost as long. We purchased our home in the summer of 2006, so our reality as homeowners and stewards of this heritage homestead just recently surpassed 18 years. But we’d begun falling in love with this property a couple of years before we made an offer. Let’s consider this home romance (homance?) and home reality duality.
Inspiration can come from unexpected, even peculiar places. Today’s Rosslyn Redux episode was prompted by an article written by Alice Hines for Vanity Fair about Betty Grafstein and José Castelo Branco.
“All romance starts with a dose of pdelusion: We fall in love with the idea of someone until, over time, our fantasy of the other person either buckles under the strain of reality or carries on forever, eclipsing whatever reality may have once existed.” — Alice Hines (Source: “The Twisted True Love Story of Lady Betty Grafstein and José Castelo Branco”, August 13, 2024 )
The assertion that romance is born of delusion intrigues me. Certainly that is true *some* of the time. And while I’m not comfortable with the notion that *all* romance is founded on fantasy, it’s reasonable to suggest that Susan and my Rosslyn rapture was zero-drafted on daydreams and creative conjuring far more than rational planning.
Delusion? I’m not keen to claim that our NYC exit and start-anew-in-an-Adirondack-tumbledown were delusional decisions (though plenty of family and friends thought so). Misguided, half-baked, or wildly ambitious? Perhaps.
But the idea of falling in love with the *idea* Rosslyn makes sense. Susan and I were head over heels in love with the IDEA of transforming this old house into our new home. And rebooting our realities in the process. A fresh start.
We packed a lot into our expectations and hopes. Buying a home became reimagining ourselves and our future. Rehabilitating a near derelict property became rehabbing our own aching, confused selves.
But what about the second part of the quotation? Failed fantasy? Or fantasy eclipsing reality?
Instead of answering this question, I’ll pause and abbreviate this post with another question…
Last night, while entertaining friends for an end-of-summer evening of lawn games and laughter, various friends asked what has been a recurring question this summer. How could we possibly pass Rosslyn on to new owners?
These questions, and their answers, are related. But they’ll wait for another day. Thanks for your patience!
I am waiting for your first book, but perhaps you have already done that. Your expressions of all your feelings about your house and the surrounding area are so what I have learned to hope to hear from you. I just saw your listing of your house. Having never been in your house, it lived up to all my expectations and so so much more. Quiet and profoundly tasteful and calming. We will miss your presence and the extremely positive effect the town has had from your presence.
You are ever kind. Thank you.