The things you learn

We have the coolest house next door. You can tell these things about it just by looking. It has a fabulous view of Lake Washington, it is old, the owners loved Rhododendrons, no one lives there now. We have been like cats. Slowly, every day or so, we step in a little closer to that house. Sometimes there is lots of activity over there, so you never know. We have been watching for a few days now for signs of life and saw none. Bob, Sid and I finally got brave enough and walked over there yesterday. We looked in the windows even. Aren't we brave? I kept thinking some old scary looking person would be peering back at me when I looked inside. Here are the facts that I have learned from being online. The house is old. It was built in 1954. It was owned by a couple that were born around 1913. She is or was until recently still alive. She fell in 2006 at the house and went to a group home after that. She was VERY into Rhodys. There are two large green houses on the property. I learned that she invented a new hybrid rhododendron and it was named after her and you can buy it at a nursery. She has a daughter who I think I have seen over there. The house is like looking into a time capsule. Nothing has been changed since the 50's. It is so very retro and so very very charming. Do I feel guilty looking in it or at it? No. I will tell you why. It is more than likely going to be sold soon. If we hadn't looked at it now we would never have known the charm as it stands. Most likely it will get either torn down or "re-muddled" and lose it's perfect 50's charm. I felt privileged to walk around the grounds and admire Rhody's that I have never ever seen before and probably never will unless I go to the Rhododendron Gardens down south. It was a treat to see the view that they enjoyed for so many years. I had or have nothing but respect for the beauty of the house and the park like grounds. This women belonged to several Rhody clubs and there are people that come over and look at them in her yard, that is pretty neat in my book. The picture above is her special namesake Rhody. I have some pics of the house on my slideshow and a lot of the Rhody's are hers that I have on there as well.
It is amazing what you can find out by doing a little research. I hope the house stays the way it is, but if it doesn't, at least I got to see it before it changed...