Midwest Minute – August 29, 2022 - "The Stone Chimney"

It was a phone conversation which afterwards seemed a little odd to me.

The caller had identified herself as the British Columbia based daughter, and estate executor, of a recently deceased owner of an acreage located within the forest fringe of northwest Saskatchewan.

She had never seen the property in person but needed an estimated value to transfer the title, and when that was accomplished, would be giving it to me to sell.?

Nothing unusual about that; Realtors get those type of requests all the time.

But I sensed there was more to the story, and after researching the current title, I noted her father had owned the property for almost six years.

Six years, and she had never seen where he was living?

The daughter had given me permission to break into the home, if necessary, as she believed it to be under construction with him temporarily occupying a former wooden grain bin next door.?

So, before I ventured to the site, I phoned an acquaintance who lived a couple of miles south of it and asked if he had known the gentleman.

“John was a tough old bird”, was the response. “He only ventured into town for groceries and mail.?We always wondered how he made it through in the cold weather, but I would plow him out when I went by to where we winter cattle.?Never did invite me in for coffee and my thanks was often just a wave through the window.?I guess he wanted to be left alone!”

It was early winter when I got to the site, with just a skiff of snow on the ground.

The main house was under construction as she had said, at a stage where the weather could be kept out but not wired or insulated.

However, there was one feature completed: a beautiful stone fireplace positioned center stage in the living room between windows overlooking the small lake to the north.

And out those windows on that crisp day, was a black wolf trotting across the ice, looking back in my direction, having obviously had his hunting trip disrupted by an unexpected stranger on site.?

The shack next door was one big room, with a wood stove, table, two chairs, bed, and radio.?Talk about living rough!

The daughter didn’t seem surprised at my valuation and rather pessimistic view on marketing the site.?Essentially, I believed it was worth the value of the land, and not much else. Honestly, she just didn’t seem interested.?

It was then she told me her father had been a stone mason in Vancouver with a reputation for quality work and had done custom installations in many higher end mansions.

Unfortunately, he would frequently stop by the local pub on the way home to wash the stone dust out of his throat.

The family never knew what to expect when he came through the door.?“I did not have a happy childhood” she said, “until the day he packed up his tools and clothes in his truck then left Mom, my sister, and I to make out on our own.”?

Months went by after my report to her and frankly I had forgot about the property until I bumped into the gentleman I had consulted with in a hardware store one day.

He asked me if I heard the latest on the acreage I had called him on???

Earlier in the spring another neighbour had noticed smoke coming out of the trees.?As he drove up the graveled RM road, a car with B.C. plates turned out of the driveway in front of him and sped off back towards town.?

Concerned about the smoke, he drove into the yard.?The house under construction was burnt to the ground.?

All that was left was the stone fireplace and chimney.

Vern McClelland is an associate broker with RE/MAX of Lloydminster and an active partner in his family’s livestock operation.?Comments on this article are welcome either by emailing [email protected] ?or calling (306) 821-0611.