Build your mall around my house.

I'm not sure why I find this story as uplifting as I do. Maybe because it's so absurd. Maybe because the house has a balloon hat. Probably because it's a nice reminder that maybe, if you have a 108-year old farmhouse in a major city and you're happy, you don't actually need a million dollars.

Good for you, Edith. I hope you're resting in peace in an equally lovely place.

Have you heard of Edith Macefield? This old lady turned down a million
dollar offer to sell her home to make way for a shopping mall in
Seattle, Washington. Without Edith’s land, the developer had to alter
the building’s plan so that it would meander around the small, two-story
house. At 84 years old, Edith become a folk hero. And if you think her
house looks familiar, it’s probably because it looks amazingly similar
to (and could be the inspiration for) the famous flying house in Pixar’s animated film UP.

Edith Macefield: The Old Lady that Refused a Million Dollars and Forced a Shopping Mall to Meander Around Her House | Inhabitat