in 1885, tchaikovsky wrote to his friend and patron: "these days i dream of settling in a village not far from moscow. i can't wander any longer, and i'm anxious to come and stay at a place where i can feel at home." early that year he rented a small house in the village of maidanovo (майданово) two kilometers from the small town of klin. later between 1888 and 1891 he rented a house in another nearby village, frolovskoye (фроловское). (both the maidanovo house and the later frolovskoye house were later demolished.) tchaikovsky lived in the maidanovo house from february 1885 until march 1888. the house was located on the bank of the sestra river, and had but overgrown park with ponds and old lime trees. it was not far from the railway station to both moscow and st. petersburg, but far enough from the city to deter unwelcome visitors, so he would not be disturbed. in the maidanovo house tchaikovsky rewrote an old opera he had composed in 1874, "vakula the smith", transforming it into a new opera, "cherevichki". he also wrote the manfred symphony and another opera, "charodeika". in the evenings tchaikovsky read magazines and books, played the piano, had conversations with guests, strolled in the forest, gathered mushrooms, gardened and swam.