DOWNSIZING IN AUSTRALIA
Colin and Therese had been married for nearly 30 years. Colin
was a VFL footballer and Therese had worked all her life at a
law firm in the city. Simply put, Therese wanted to downsize
into an apartment complex close by and Colin wasn’t having
a bar of it. He had a large home with a sports room and bar, a
four-car garage where he kept two family cars and his two rare
collectable cars. Then there was the large outdoor alfresco area
and the stunning in-ground swimming pool.
Colin was very happy with his lifestyle and it was only when we
started discussing Therese’s wishes that I realised I had walked
into a minefield.
What I didn’t know was that Therese had had enough of the
parties and barbeques, and of cleaning and maintaining a large
home. She wanted to do different things with the rest of her life.
I felt like the referee. Therese wanted to travel. She wanted to
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