Eleanor didn’t waste any time.  She started putting a team together to bring her vision, and Clara’s ideas, to life.  She hired a handyman, to start working on repairs to the main home.  She also hired a plumber to fix leaks.  She and Howard worked on furniture repairs that she felt were cost-effective and started replacing some of the linens that had seen better days. 

The home’s 7 bedrooms, and 8 bathrooms, were updated and deep cleaned.  Eleanor thought about how dirty some of the rooms were and shivered at some of the things she found under beds and in corners.  The bathrooms were sparkling and the bedrooms were looking much better.  Eleanor started shifting to common areas, including the kitchen and living rooms. 

The house was getting painted inside and out.  Eleanor stood outside the front of the house watching the painters master their trade.  The gardens were being tamed by a company that Eleanor hired to help Howard get things back in order.  Things were starting to look presentable again, and Eleanor started thinking about her next goal.

Her grandmother always talked about sharing the estate with others.  When Clara was younger, she always had company over for parties and gatherings.  Eleanor remembered Clara and her grandfather hosting community parties that included most of the town.  There were a few family gatherings with extended family but not many.  Most of Clara’s world was the community. 

Those gatherings ended years ago when Clara got older and couldn’t manage all that was needed to host large events.    Eleanor felt that the estate was ready to be the center of the community again.  She wanted to look into hosting weddings and events and was also considering turning the estate into a bed and breakfast.  The house was too big, and too stately, to be empty.  It needed people and life.

As the house and the grounds started looking alive again, Eleanor started doing research into what was possible for the future.  She talked with city hall and local businesses about her thoughts related to the estate’s future.  She met with local business leaders and found support for her vision.  She would partner with local growers to source ingredients and foods for events.  She was developing ideas and resources already available in town, so she could keep costs down to help protect the income of the estate.

Eleanor often met with Alice and Howard about her ideas.  They were supportive and encouraged her to continue.  They often talked about what Clara wanted for the estate and felt that Eleanor was using Clara’s ideas well.  They remember how alive the home used to be, and missed the laughing and love that used to fill the rooms.

As planning continued, Eleanor got excited about the future.  She missed Clara every day but she felt that she was keeping her promise to her grandmother.  She wished that Clara was still there to share the progress, but she knew that Clara was watching.  She felt her grandmother pushing her forward and cheering her toward the future.  Eleanor’s grief was subsiding, replaced by hope and joy.  She was ready to bring the community back together and make her grandmother proud.