Lockwood’s Winter Retreat: the Abbey Hill Cottage
by Burbie52, HSM team writer
Ah, winter: that time of year that brings us a wonderland of snow and cold. That time that brings us inside and makes us wish we didn’t have to leave the warmth of our beds in the morning to trudge off to work. That time that some look forward to — especially skiers — and others wish would never arrive. Winter is both beautiful and harsh; it represents both death and new beginnings, and brings with it the reminder that we are human and subject to our environments. We have to deal with the cold and the snow if we live in a place that subjects us to them, and grin and bear it no matter whether we like it or not.
Winter is something I could truly do without if I had my choice in the matter; but, being in a cold place like Michigan, I have become accustomed to it. And though I don’t relish driving in the snow each year, I can still see the beauty in the season. Now I can truly enjoy winter without going outside at all, and I can decorate for Christmas — something I haven’t really done in many years now, as I don’t have grandchildren yet and my son is long gone from home.
Welcome!
When Abbey Hill came to Home a couple of weeks ago, I loved it. I loved not only the idea of having an English countryside space but also just having something from a different era come to Home. The place is beautifully done and I appreciate the love they put into it.
But I didn’t buy it.
Why? Because I knew that this one was coming soon: the Abbey Hill Winter Retreat Cottage.
I held off because I didn’t own a winter space in Home yet. I am so glad I waited! Not only is the place beautiful, it has a skating rink built on the river area, and now I have my perfect permanent Christmas getaway. It will be available to everyone next week, and I think many will love this one. It’s wonderful to be able to enjoy winter without feeling the cold and shoveling the walks.
Upon arrival, my first impression was that it felt real. There was a nice wind sound effect, and the snow crunched beneath my feet as I walked about the front yard. The outside is exactly like the earlier version, as expected, with a small country church off in the distance and the river meandering nearby under a bridge . But this time there is a big difference: the river is frozen and there is a built-in game where you can skate on it.
Skating with friends is great fun!
Not only can you skate, but you can use your buttons to do a variety of fancy moves like spins and jumps in combinations with your friends. You can actually see your friends playing the game even if you aren’t in it with them. This adds a great deal of authenticity to the game and makes the space feel all that more real. This is a wonderful added feature which adds a great deal of value to the space in my estimation. Skating is a lot of fun, something I always liked as a child, though I wasn’t any good at it.
You get seven daily rewards, as it says in the description; I got my first one when I arrived, a nice Christmas themed place-mat for my table. I am hoping that some of the other ones will allow me more latitude in my decorating, as the house is rather large and that always makes for a challenging time, especially when I want to make it my Christmas hideaway and use a lot of ornamentation. The second was a poinsettia plant, third a mailbox and the fourth was a retro decorated Christmas tree.
If you want to, you can buy a bundled pack with either female or male clothing to fit the period; they seem to be for the 1940’s or so, and I love my red coat and boots. All of the clothing separately would cost a lot more than a dollar, so paying $8.99 instead of $7.99 for the space was a no-brainer for me.
Merry Christmas everyone!
With all of the new spaces coming out in Home I have found myself being very choosey in my expenditures, but I am glad I spent the money on this one. I have had a few friends over to skate and throw snowballs and we had a blast. I hope that Lockwood considers giving us a furniture line to add to the authenticity of the era that Abbey Hill represents. Some retro bedroom and kitchen and bath stuff would be a welcome addition.
All in all, I am very pleased with the space, as are those others I have talked to who own it. Lockwood has a reputation for quality, and it’s well represented here.
- Wonderful winter feel
- Skating game is a hoot!
- Lots of space for snowball fights
- Nice rewards
- Clothing to fit the mood
- Not enough period piece furniture makes it hard to decorate.
December 10th, 2013 by Burbie52 | 2 comments
Burbie52 is a 62 year-old published author and founder of the Grey Gamers group within Home. Born and raised in Michigan, she has lived there her entire life, with the exception of a twelve-year residency on the Big Island of Hawaii. She enjoys reading and writing, as well as video games, especially RPG's. She has one son in his twenties.
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Nice review of this one Burbie.
The space is a treat! I love the space and can’t help being in it a long time. You hit the nail on the head when you said it felt real, it has such charm and familiarity to it as to make it feel like a home, somewhere you want to be. Great Job Lockwood! Nice article Burbie!
Woww! The ice skating shot turned out great! That was soooo much fun! Thanx again burbie for letting me come visit and see the space! It’s gorgeous!