Last summer I stumbled upon a West Vancouver yard sale of a couple who were moving out of their home they'd lived in for 40 years. By the look of the goodies I was viewing for sale on the front lawn, I knew I needed to see inside the home, so I asked. The home owner took me in. They were the second owners of the Lewis built home. Her husband, Howie, added a workshop sometime in the 70s - the room with the white fireplace - and they upgraded the kitchen, in the 80s. She loved their river stone fence and terraced back yard, as did the many song birds she'd fed over the years. Just before Christmas each year she oiled the wood paneled walls and made sure her grandmother's porcelain was ready for its place on the table. All of their Danish teak furniture was purchased at a 'high end' shop in Kitsilano when they moved in - 40 years ago. Does the table look familiar? I bought most of the teak pieces off them, (and the hallway runner) the day before they were to move. She didn't know who had bought the home, and didn't want to, because she had a feeling it was going to be torn down.
On New Year's Day we took a walk up to the home. Orange contractor's sign were stapled into the old growth trees out front. I went around the back of the house and pushed on the dining room French doors, they opened. Blurry photos were hastily snapped as I tried not to let my emotions take over. I don't know if the home is destined to be flattened or if the new owners are simply gutting it. After all, when I tried to buy the ceiling lamps off the previous owner she told me they had to stay as they were a condition of the sale.
One day I'll venture up there again to see what's going on.