Thanks for the fleeting image this tweet has inspired but I can only dream ArchieluvsAnnie... Will I ever see the Yank's house lit up for Christmas? Ever fire lit, a big Christmas tree in the parlour window and the smell of Christmas baking coming from the basement kitchen. The truth is that the Yank's house sits in the dark and cold yet again this year.
Ireland is such a different place now compared to when we started this project. There was so much hope back then. Everyone could aspire to having something. I guess the Yank's house was our something. Ireland was prosperous and we all felt for the first time in our history that we were all entitled to share in this good fortune. But we were wrong.
Over night it seemed everything changed. For those of us lucky enough to keep our jobs, pay-cuts hit hard. The value of our assets halved while our depth became a burden to pay from shrinking resources. Yank's house was no exception.
But we have been the lucky ones - we are both still working and still able to meet the repayment on the Yank's house and so not worried it will have to be sold. But that little financial cushion we had during the boom is gone. And while we are so very close to finishing the house we will have to wait till the tide turns in our favour for that final push to completion.
We had hoped to sell our current home which would have freed up some of our assets to finish the job but after sitting on the market for two years and only achieving three viewings we decided to take it off the market for the time being. These are just the times we have in Ireland at the moment. We will try again in a few years time.
So for now Christmas in the Yank's house is on hold. But the dream remains and one day it will happen. For now - Christmas goes on. We have nine this year for dinner. Today is Christmas Eve. My favourite day of the year. So I have to end my rambling on and get to work if I am to be ready for tomorrow. Thank you all for following our story over the last few years. We wish you a very happy and holy Christmas and every good wish for 2014
