Tuesday, January 15, 2008

In the optimistic afterglow


Somehow, we have purchased ourselves an insanely cool, 151-year old brick farm house. I've been expecting one of the billions of people we worked with to buy this house to pat us on the head, tell us we seemed like sweet kids but were in no way prepared or qualified to own such a building and why don't we look for a nice condo downtown - perhaps a loft with monument views?

But they didn't - and now that we've got the keys, we won't give them back!

Our closing was yesterday, so we spent last night camping in our living room with a nice fire and a bottle of wine. No ghosts yet, but we woke up this morning to a nice dusting of snow on a peaceful road.


More photos online here.

In my excited chatter about this house, I have confidently proclaimed a few things that people with actual home-owning experience have suggested I write down. I can't imagine why. ;)
  • Home Depot is an exciting, magical place.
  • I like scraping paint.
  • This is a long term commitment - not a starter home.
  • No cable. No satellite tv. No problem.
  • Its ok that all our weekends are booked until 2038.
  • Callouses, cuts and sore muscles are signs of hard work and not a cause for (too much) whining.
  • Our new hometown (population 1,562 - no stop lights) is big enough.

3 comments:

  1. JoAnna, it's wonderful to see that you two are finally where you belong, on some LAND! Let me point out, as a 15-year owner of an 80+-year-old house that while Home Depot is Disneyland for homeowners, the interest rate on their store credit card is exorbitant. Like most store credit cards. So think carefully about how pay (or how to finance) for all the crap you'll inevitably wind up buying there. That is, do as I say, not as I do. Martha Bonney, Syracuse

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  2. Let me just say, after having made 7 years of trips to Home Depot while working on 2 different houses (and I have other options for most hardware stuff)...

    ... that hell is painted orange.

    When they say "you can do it, and we can help" they are talking about subverting your soul. The comment about store credit is a case in point.

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  3. 1500 people and no stoplights? Bill must feel at home.

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