Under One Roof: Lessons I Learned from a Tough Old Woman in a Little Old House {Edith Wilson Macefield}

Sometimes People Aren't Who You Think They Are. Everyone Knew What Was Going On In Ballard, Washington: Developers Were Building A Giant Shopping Mall, But A House Belonging To A Feisty Octogenarian Named Edith Wilson Macefield Was In The Way. They Offered Her A Million Dollars. She Told Them To Take A Hike. Everyone Knew That Barry Martin, Head Of The Construction Project, Was Involved In The Push To Get Her Out Of The House So That The Project Could Proceed Without Further Delay. Everyone Was Wrong. When Barry Took The Job As Construction Supervisor For The Shopping Mall That Was Being Erected Around Edith's Little House, He Determined To Make Things As Easy For Her As He Could. He Didn't Expect That She'd Ask Him To Drive Her To A Hair Appointment—but He Did Offer To Help, After All. And It Was In That One Small Gesture That An Unlikely Friendship Was Sparked, One That Changed Them Both Forever. The Story Of Barry Martin And Edith Macefield Is A Tale Of Balance And Compassion, Of Giving Enough Without Giving Too Much, Of Helping Our Elderly Loved Ones Through The Tough Times Without Taking Away Their Dignity. In The End, Under One Roof Is A Tale Of Grace, And One From Which All Of Us Can Take Solace And Strength. From Barry And Edith We Have Much To Learn About Love And Letting Go And, Just Possibly, About Seeing Through Fading Light To Find Great Joy. Sometimes people aren't who you think they are. Everyone knew what was going on in Ballard, Washington: developers were building a giant shopping mall, but a house belonging to a feisty octogenarian named Edith Wilson Macefield was in the way. They offered her a million dollars. She told them to take a hike. Everyone knew that Barry Martin, head of the construction project, was involved in the push to get her out of the house so that the project could proceed without further delay. Everyone was wrong. When Barry took the job as construction supervisor for the shopping mall that was being erected around Edith's little house, he determined to make things as easy for her as he could. He didn't expect that she'd ask him to drive her to a hair appointment?but he did offer to help, after all. And it was in that one small gesture that an unlikely friendship was sparked, one that changed them both forever. The story of Barry Martin and Edith Macefield is a tale of balance and compassion, of giving enough without giving too much, of helping our elderly loved ones through the tough times without taking away their dignity. In the end, it is a tale of grace, and one from which all of us can take solace and strength. From Barry and Edith we have much to learn about love and letting go and, just possibly, about seeing through fading light to find great joy The Inspiring True Story Of The Bond Between A Feisty Octogenarian And The Man In Charge Of Building An Enormous Shopping Mall Around Her Home. Edith Macefield Achieved Folk Hero Status In 2006 When She Turned Down $1 Million To Sell Her Home To Make Way For A Commercial Development In The Ballard Neighborhood Of Seattle. It Didn't Matter That Her Tiny House Was Surrounded By Rubble And Graffiti. It Was Home. Barry Martin Respected That, And When He Took The Job As Construction Supervisor For The Shopping Mall That Was Being Erected Around Edith's Little House, He Determined To Make Things As Easy As He Could For Edith. He Gave Her His Cell Number And Told Her To Call If She Needed Anything. And She Did. The Day Edith Asked Barry To Drive Her To A Hair Appointment, An Unlikely Friendship Was Sparked, One That Changed Them Both Forever. As Barry Helps Edith Through The Last Days Of Her Life, She Helps Him Deal With The Effects Of The Alzheimer's That Is Diminishing His Beloved Father. She Learns To Laugh And Let Go. He Learns About Compassion And Grace--and The Comparable Joys Of Walker's Shortbread Cookies-- Barry Martin With Philip Lerman. "The inspiring true story of the bond between a feisty octogenarian and the man in charge of building an enormous shopping mall around her home. Edith Macefield achieved folk hero status in 2006 when she turned down $1 million to sell her home to make way for a commercial development in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. It didn't matter that her tiny house was surrounded by rubble and graffiti. It was home. Barry Martin respected that, and when he took the job as construction supervisor for the shopping mall that was being erected around Edith's little house, he determined to make things as easy as he could for Edith. He gave her his cell number and told her to call if she needed anything. And she did. The day Edith asked Barry to drive her to a hair appointment, an unlikely friendship was sparked, one that changed them both forever. As Barry helps Edith through the last days of her life, she helps him deal with the effects of the Alzheimer's that is diminishing his beloved father. She learns to laugh and let go. He learns about compassion and grace--and the comparable joys of Walker's shortbread cookies"-- Provided by publisher