I lie in bed this morning recalling the times I was homeless. The first time was when my father went on a work strike and I was sent to live with grandmother Mary in Westwood. In recalling the other times, I began to feel sorry for myself, until I remembered I lived in a tent with Rena Christiansen for six weeks. In my opinion, Rena is one of the most beautiful women that has walked the earth, and to be homeless with her, to have her be by your side during tough times, is the acme of human attainment that rivals the homelessness we encounter in Genesis. For, there were many mansions that many rich men own in the world, and she could have been there, by their side. Instead, Rena chose to be with me, in paradise. Why? Why me?

I have been asking this question almost every day for three years after learning Rena had married a Commander and borne him two children on the Isle of Wight. Upon learning this I began to frantically search the net, thinking any day I would find her. But, this beauty has vanished without a trace, leaving me in the world all alone, to pour through my books, looking for just the home that would capture her, and bring her home to me…….forever.

When Rena was five she was sent to live with her grandmother in Grand Island Nebraska. Her three older sisters continued to live with their parent, or parents, whom Rena refused to talk about. She did not like her sisters that modeled, and got along somewhat with the sister that was Robert Vesco’s mistress. We lived in a tent on a beautiful mountain. We were naked. We held each other as we fell asleep. We went on a jouney. We went home.

Almost every evening I day dream. I bring out my books on floor-plans and begin my remodeling on graph paper. I have over a hundred pieces of paper that my pencil has worked, I intent on getting the lay-out of the rooms, just right. This is like what knitting is to women. It calms my restless soul. I find myself biting my lower lip as I wonder if I have enough closet space. Rena will own a lot of clothes. We will go to the opera, and then to dinner. Will we need a three car garage?

“No! No! This will not do!” I say to myself. And then I recall our view from the mountain top as the stars come out after our long summer day. Here is Kathy and Heathcliff, the homeless ones, who make a dream together. It is the childish dream of home. And, it does not matter that they take everything from me, the family scapegoat, because, at the end of their taking, when I own nothing….there she be.

Jon Presco

http://www.hose-rhodes-dickson.co.uk/isle-of-wight-property-details.asp?prop=8525&type=country

Over the last 100 years the house has had many owners and we name but a few;
As stated above estate was created for Edwin Carnt and his wife Annie around 1910.
Unfortunately he did not enjoy the house for long as he died in 1915, on the death of Mrs Carnt in 1927, her niece Katherine M. Mitchell and her husband Eng. Lt. Commander Rowland A.C. Mitchell inherited the estate. They lived there until the outbreak of the Second World War, when it is report that the Commander was recalled by the navy to active service and based at Scapa Flow, Scotland.