Lake House Diaries 14

     Paul, the third eldest in the family, had recently been showing more of an interest in the affairs of the family and of the Lake House. This was the first meeting where there seemed to be an official MC or facilitator of the meeting. He took charge of the discussion in a manner of speaking, and indicated that they would go around the circle and get each couple's dream for the future. Nothing written in stone, only an idea for the future and perhaps a guideline for further developments and actions. Just talk, mind you.

    As the couples were voicing their ideas and opinions, it was becoming evident that they were dealing with a heritage and a legacy, and the property would be there forever for future generation to come. Perhaps one of the couples would live there in the future, like Greg and Ethel did now. But who that might be was left unsaid. The main thing was to help Greg and Ethel run things smoothly, and let the future take care of itself. 

    And then it was Tod and Em's turn. Tod had been brainstorming with Kris and they both saw the possibilities, agreeing on the principle, but not the details of what Tod was about to say. Tod began by laying out the math. A sentence or two in, the room fell silent. Undeterred, Tod continued. His premise was that if they sold the property, as a family, and of course after Greg and Ethel were gone, and if the assessed value held, the revenue would be around $US1.8 million. Divided by six couples that would be $300,000.00 per couple. At that time, the interest rate was around 10%. Simply put in the bank by each couple, that money would generate $30,000.00 per year. They would no longer have the Lake House to vacation at, but imagine the vacation they take each year with that kind of money. And, Tod emphasized, it would be a real vacation, not one where you had to mow lawns, pull weeds, trim hedges, prune trees, clean up after spiders, etc, etc. 

    Kris was sitting next to Tod and it was his turn, after the silence became uncomfortable. Kris said that he agreed in principle with Tod's idea, but would not expand on it. He sensed it was not being taken well. And indeed it was not. 

     The meeting ended shortly thereafter and everyone went their own way. There was a sense of foreboding and Tod and Em talked about it on the way home. It was only an idea thrown out there, and yet there was something deeper. Tod expressed the idea that he was an in-law, a "married in" and perhaps what right did he have to any opinion at all, let alone the opinion to sell the family legacy. Tod learned something, that night, about the family he had married into and had a sense that things were going to get rough. And he was right.