It’s been a busy month for me as I’ve managed to turn 31 and get onto the property ladder! As I prepare to move into my new home and take on the responsibilities of being a homeowner, I’ve been thinking a lot about the process of moving and starting anew in a different space. It’s a mix of excitement and nostalgia, leaving behind a place filled with memories and creating new ones in a different location. In the spirit of this transition, I wanted to share a heart-warming story about Mildred the Mouse and her decision to pass on her beloved home and garden to her great-niece, Mim. Although the story is about mice, the message is universal: that the act of passing on a home can be a beautiful and meaningful process that allows new beginnings for both the giver and the receiver.

Mildred the Mouse had lived in her large, spacious home for many years. It had been the perfect size for her when she was younger and she had loved baking cakes in the kitchen with her nieces and nephews when they were mere pinkies. However, now that she was slower on her paws and more crooked in her tail, the house had become too big and difficult for her to maintain. The walls were tall, and the rooms were vast, making it a struggle for her to climb up and down the stairs or move around easily. Mildred had been exploring a few doors down the skirting board and came across a smaller home that she knew would be much easier to keep.

One day, Mildred decided to visit her great-niece, Mim the Mouse. Mim had always admired Mildred’s home, and Mildred knew that it was time to pass it on to someone who could get just as much joy out of it as she had. She suggested that Mim move into her old home and take over the garden that she had lovingly tended to for so many years. Mim was thrilled at the offer and jumped at the chance to live in such a beautiful home. The house was charmingly cosy, with a lovely kitchen that was perfect for entertaining guests, a spacious larder to fill with delicious morsels of food and a large window that let in the sunlight, giving the place a warm and inviting feel. The garden was a magical place filled with colourful flowers and luscious fruits and vegetables and it was clear to Mim that Mildred had poured her heart and soul into it.

As Mim settled into her new home, she quickly realised how much work it would be to maintain the garden that Mildred had left behind. However, with Mildred’s guidance, Mim became a skilled gardener and tended to the flowers with the same love and care that Mildred had.  She watered the plants every day and spent hours pruning and weeding to ensure that everything was just perfect.

Whilst watching Mim work in the garden, Mildred smiled to herself, content in the knowledge that her home and her garden were in good paws. She knew that down-sizing had been the right decision, and she was happy to see her great-niece thriving in her new home. Mim felt a sense of pride, knowing that she was carrying on Mildred’s legacy. The garden was now the most beautiful in the whole village, and other mice would often stop by to admire the flowers and fruits that grew there. Mildred was happy to see that her old home and garden had found a new life with Mim. She knew that the little mouse was the perfect caretaker, and she was proud to have passed it on to someone who would cherish it as much as she had.