 |
| via Realtor.com |
Today when I cam to work, I spied some notes I had written during a few quiet minutes, where I listed traits of my dream house. The reason why this is fascinating is that upon waking this morning, I was giving up on the house I posted about yesterday, mentally moving on by choosing to not go anywhere. Moving is expensive and completely unnecessary for us to do right now. Our border collie loves being out in the country with acres to patrol and deer to chase off. I love the views seen from my great room and hearing tree frog serenades as I fall asleep. My cats love the avian life that flocks to our bird feeders, strategically placed where they are visible from cat perches around the house. My husband loves having an office with a view and a deck. I was resolved to the notion of staying and maybe, someday, adding on to our tiny house so that I could have an art studio and a mud room.
And as I get ready to see my first client of the day, I see this hand-written list on the top of my clipboard.
My Dream House:
1. is an OLD house (1920's or older) with original details-- floors, doors, trim, windows, fireplace, staircase
2. has a claw foot tub
3. has an abundance of windows and natural light
4. has plaster walls
5. has a second story
6. has a proper entry
7. has an open staircase
8. has a front and back porch
9. has high ceilings (at least 9')
10. has a proper dining room
11. has large rooms in the common living areas
12. has been well-cared for
13. has period features, such as pocket doors and built-ins
14. sits on a property with mature trees and space for gardens
15. is located somewhere quiet either out in the country or possibly in town on a quiet street
16. feels solid and protective, is well-built
17. has good views through the windows-- either natural scenery or a pretty street with nice houses
18. has a connection to nature, either through woods being close by or through a well-tended garden
I wrote this list a few weeks ago and had not yet seen the grand old house, aside from the fact that we used to live in the same neighborhood and I would wonder about the house as I walked my dog past it most days. That house has about 90% of the things on this list. I am not sure exactly how quiet the street is on a daily basis, but when I used to walk my dog there at random times throughout the day, it seemed pretty quiet. I don't know any details yet about how good or bad the major systems in the house are, which could certainly be a deal-breaker. I just find it curious that I write out this list on a whim, and this house shows up for sale.
If I hold out a little while longer, perhaps a house possessing 100% of these traits will become available at my price range.
And yet, when I left for work today, it finally felt like spring in the country. There were many birds singing their little hearts out, the grass is becoming greener by the house, trees are in bud, the sky is perfectly blue.
Life is really made up of a series of choices. At most times we have the power to choose, if not what happens to us, at the very least, how we relate to it. Not all choices are easy. Sometimes there are two right answers; other times, two wrong answers. Right now, I am choosing to embrace to mystery and the wonder, not making any decisions either way. I need to let this percolate a little while longer and see if the flavor changes or deepens.
Any thoughts on this?
Until next time...
Anne
That house reminds me a lot of the one I grew up in. My parents bought our 1914 family home in 1962 for $14,000. It was as solid as a rock with gorgeous woodwork, staircase with landing, hardwood floors etc. In fact, when our family of eight moved in, we were only the second owners. The original owners had lived in it for 48 years. Everything was pristine, but with six young children, it eventually had more of a lived-in look!
ReplyDelete