This weekend was the long awaited "return to the beach house" in the Baker family. My dad, brother, uncle, cousin, and grandfather all went down to the beach for Saturday and Sunday. Nice to see the old house and get out of Portland for a while. Unfortunately is was windy and rainy most of the time. I did venture down to the beach at least once just to say I went.

There were some significant changes (decor wise) to the house. My grandfather's now dead wife was pretty controlling and changed a lot of the furniture and what not. Otherwise it was still the same old house, a little nicer in some places, a little worse in others. It was nice just to be at the beach. My grandfather however is getting older, as is the house, as is everything. Sometimes it's hard to watch things change. My grandfather won't be around a whole lot longer, and things will never be the same as they were. You can never go home again I guess.

Sounds like my grandfather may still be a little controlling about the beach house, but that remains to be seen. My father was talking all about buying it when the time comes. None of the family members will probably be able to pay the upkeep so we'll see. It could come into my family in a couple of years. I'm sure in 30 years Dan and I will be fighting over who gets that house. $6000 a year to maintain that house my grandfather says. $2400 for taxes and the rest for utilities. Assuming of course you don't have a mortgage on it.

Bought the house for $12,500 in 1967 and it's worth more than $300k now! Also found out this weekend he had the opportunity to buy the surrounding two houses as well (they were all owned by the same lady) for $25,000 total. Wow! Pretty crazy to think you could have owned that much expensive real estate 35 years ago.