Sharon Cairns Mann:  award-winning author
  • Home
  • Fiction
  • Nonfiction
  • Awards
  • Blog: A Good Read
  • FOR SALE: Aflac Duck Collection
  • Contact & Sign Up
  • Product

Blog Post #9:  The Thing that Was Said that Changed Everything

7/27/2016

0 Comments

 
“You should put it all in conservation easements,” Ken says.   
 
I don’t understand a word of that sentence.  The earth tilts on its axis when Ken says those words, but I don’t yet know it.  My life will never be the same, but I don’t know it.    
 
It is July 4, 2005, and the top of my head might blow off.  It has only been seven weeks since the deputy sheriff showed up on my doorstep, and we are now in the middle of a hopeless legal muddle about T.C. and living with turmoil and anxiety. We have found an attorney to represent us and our partners and are plodding forward on the lawsuit, digging through files to answer interrogatories by day, and going to bed with white knuckles at night.
 
We decide to spend the 4th of July in Denver, and we attend the picnic sponsored by our church.  Ken and Sharon host the picnic on their spacious horse property in northwest Arvada. Stan and I sit on a blanket beneath a tree, chatting with friends.  I put myself on social auto-pilot, smiling, nodding, and joking while wondering if I’m the only one who feels the world may end soon. 
 
Ken strolls by, stops, and asks how our development is coming along.  He is kind and interested.  Stan tells him our woes about the lawsuit.  Ken listens and asks good, probing questions.  Then he says, “You should put the land in conservation easements.”  We stare at him.  Even Stan, who is an attorney, doesn’t know what a conservation easement is.  “You get to keep the land and use it.  This piece that we’re on right now is in a conservation easement.  I can’t explain it very well.  It’s complicated.  Just call my attorney.  He lives right there….” Ken points to a large home surrounded by luxurious horse property.  He pulls a tiny notebook and pen from his pocket and scribbles his attorney’s name: Todd. “Really.  You need to talk to Todd.  We’re so happy we did it – best decision we ever made,” Ken says.
 
On our way home I ask Stan, “What is a conservation easement?” 
 
“I’m not really sure,” he says.  “But it won’t hurt to find out.”  
© Sharon Cairns Mann
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Hi! Welcome to this blog!   I'm a professional writer and award-winning author. I didn't really want to write this blog, but I also believe that the story of the huge conservation easement fiasco in Colorado has not yet been adequately told. So here it is!

    It's so long, I've had to serialize it, so please note that you have to START with Blog Post #1 (June 28, 2016) for the story to make sense!  So, if you're new to the blog, please go back to the beginning and start there.   

    New Post Notifications 
    ​The best way to hear about each my new blog posts on Swindled is to just go to my Public Facebook Page at
    Sharon Cairns Mann Writer
    and hit the "Like" button in the cover photo at the top. Every time I do a new blog post here, I'll announce it there, so it should keep you up-to-date. 

    But if you are interested in free writing tips and coaching, please subscribe to "Writerly News" by clicking the button below.

    Subscribe to "Writerly News"

    Archives

    April 2018
    April 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.