Visitors!
Beverly (R) and her sister-in-law, Sandy (L).
Beverly, for her birthday, booked the full tour! She drove up from Texas and, after she stepped into the entry hall…she cried. And cried!
Sandy smiled at me, and I wasn’t quite sure what was happening.
“Oh, Ross! I’m soooooo sorry! I’ve read every blog post! And to suddenly be IN the Cross House feels like a miracle! I can’t believe I’m here! Really here!”
Ahhh, I understood now. Many, many years previous, I stepped into the living room of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh house in Glasgow. I had studied Mackintosh for well over a decade. Now, I was all alone in the famous White Room and, to my surprise, tears poured from my eyes.
I hugged Beverly. A kindred spirit.
Almost five hours later we had toured the first floor, basement, second floor, third floor, and carriage house. We all ached a little bit but Beverly and Sandy never wavered as we went from room to room and floor to floor. Beverly’s knowledge of the house was impressive. She really had read every blog post!
So, let’s all give a happy birthday shoutout to Beverly!
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Happy Birthday Bev. Best Birthday Gift Ever!
Happy birthday Beverly!
Happy Birthday Beverly!!! I am so happy for you.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh can do no wrong.
Love this story! Made me tear up. Happy Birthday dear Beverly. From Vancouver, B.C Canada 🇨🇦
What an awesome day we had!! Thanks Ross for your passion for this beautiful home and thanks for making Beverly’s birthday so special!!! Can’t wait for the follow-up visit!
Happy Birthday, Beverly! I hope to come see the Cross House for my birthday, too!
How far of a drive is it to your place from TX?
Wouldn’t that depend on from where in TX? E.g., somewhere far north in the panhandle could be 6 hours, whereas deep is South Texas could be upwards of 12..? Food for thought.
Happy Birthday Beverly! What a great story. Love!
This is great, happy birthday Beverly! I started to type something about how the Cross House reaches out to so many people, all over the world; then I realized that, while the house may get their attention, it is the man who is restoring it that keeps our interest. I think that is because Ross gives us hope; we see a lone man tackling a seemingly insurmountable task, chipping away at it and daily winning small victories that in time will transform a wreck back into a masterpiece. If Ross can fix this one baby step at a time, then maybe we can fix our problems one at a time too…
Well written, Mike.
Happy birthday Beverly. Nice of Sandy to be with you.
Such an amazing gift that Ross shares with the world.
Golly, Mike!
I need you to write the intro to my next book! BIG hug!
Happy Birthday Beverly!!! What a wonderful day you must have had!!
Thank you, Ross, for the wonderful tour, sweet gift, and rainbow kitty gif! Mike is right, what Ross is doing inspires and reminds us that restoration of relationships, antiques, and old houses is always worth the excruciating effort and cost. Ross is incredibly kind, which I already knew from reading the blog.
Props to my fabulous sister-in-love, Sandy, for taking time to join me in this adventure, even though it’s not her jam. She’s a gift to me and so many others.
This is my favorite blog, with OldHouseDreams a close second. How very sweet of many of you to also write birthday greetings. Your kindness made me smile. I’m so grateful for all of you who sacrifice to help save these architectural treasures for future generations. May your day be filled with blessings!