Home Sweet Home

I've thought alot about the topic that Carole chose for this week especially since we just recently moved from a house to an apartment, and now have the house up for sale.  So I'll split the list because there are somethings I really love about being in an apartment, and there are things I'll certainly miss about not living in a house.

APARTMENT PERKS

10.  Based on the photo above-sitting on the balcony [which faces west] has become one of our favorite things.  It's shaded, our deck was not, and there are no mosquitoes to constantly swat.  Since there's far less to clean, there is a lot more time to just hang out.

9.  My commute-I've easily cut off 1.25 hours per day between the morning and afternoon drives.

8.  Close proximity to everything-restaurants, grocery stores, bike trail, library, etc.

7.  Repairs and maintenance are no longer my responsibility.  It does help that this place was recently painted and new carpet so it has a newish feel to it.

6.  Valet trash pick up-you put your container outside your door at night, and the little garbage fairies take it away!

THINGS I'LL MISS ABOUT MY HOUSE

5.  The large amount of counter space and the wall microwave.

4.  The garage, especially once winter rolls around.

3.  My grill-can't have one on the apartment balcony :-(

2.  The storage space-especially the linen closet and pantry.

1.  The red front door-I really really like that door!

Really, as long as you are with the people you love it doesn't really matter what kind of space you call home-right?

5 on Friday

I have been a bad-bad blogger, but I have also been a busy one.  FINALLY after much cleaning, hauling away, packing and over all effort our house in on the market!  Whoo-hoo.  There are 2 other houses for sale too, so we're hoping there's lots of traffic and a quick sale.  This weekend I feel like I can actually relax after months of getting to this point, so  . .

5.  Training for the Peachtree Road Race which is next Saturday.  The photo is from my morning walk.  It's been in the 90s here during the day, so I've been getting up early so I can walk before work.  Last weekend I was on my feet so much I may have over stressed my knees, so I'm taking it a bit easy, and not pushing myself too much.  I'm also getting new running shoes tomorrow.

4.  Finished objects-Square and Axis, 2 shibui patterns and yarns both of which I can't wait to wear.  I hoping that I'll get Apex finished as well-we'll see.

3.  Looking forward to cooking breakfast and morning coffee on the balcony tomorrow.  This is the first weekend spent at the apartment with no trips to the house

2.  Planning to listen to a new book and marking another square off my BOTNS Summer Bingo card.  I just finished The Devil in the White City and I really enjoyed it.

1.  Make and enjoy some sangria, most likely on the balcony.

Happy Friday.

Summer plans and expectations

Carole's prompt this week is about our summer bucket list.  I haven't really given it much thought, and with my luck [so far I've lost my cell phone, dealt with an in-ept contractor, and today-left my shoes at home-and that's just been in the last 6 days!] summer will slip away and I'll have done little to make it really enjoyable.  So, with my list it seems more like a to do list, and hope that when fall comes around it's not only much cooler [temps hit high 90s in Atlanta this week], but much less stressful!

10.  Sell our house-it would make a fantastic August 12th birthday gift-even if I had to spend my birthday at a closing!  Of course, I'd love for it to close sooner.
  9.  Finish packing my kitchen and craft area.
  8.  Finish my summer knits-I'm on the 3rd of 4 planned projects.  Above is Shibui Square-it's now ready for a FO photo. and Axis just needs to have the ends woven in and blocked.  Apex is about 40% complete, and I need to cast on Gretel.
  7.  Blog more-I certainly have the time in the evenings to do so.
  6.  Get better acquainted with technology-specifically using i-cloud, google drive, etc.
  5.  Books on the Night Stand Bingo-I wasn't going to participate, but have managed to make headway on the reading already, so I'm going to try to see this one through to the end.  Especially now that I've figured out how to put audio books onto my i-phone.
  4.  Clean up my computer-it has gotten soooooo slow, am sure there's lots of junk that needs to be deleted.
  3.  Visit with friends-would probably be an instant stress reducer.
  2.  Go for a bike ride-outside-we are so close now to the Silver Comet Trail it's a shame that I haven't ventured out yet.
  1.  Seek out a local farmers market and go there more than once this summer.

Am sure others have much more interesting bucket list-so I'll live vicariously through them!

How about a tour . .

This weekend we moved into an apartment so that we can get much needed work done on our house before it goes on the market.  Also, we believe it will be much easier to show if we aren't living there. I have to say my 20 minute commute this morning was soooo nice!  When I saw the apartment for the first time it was not what I expected and I did make a couple frown-y faces, but after the shock wore off I got a better handle on the situation.  Realize that these photos were taken while there was still  light outside; which is so lacking in this apartment, and before we did much unpacking. Hopefully by the end of the week it will have less of that just moved in look.

So from the front door- the living room-I LOVE that I'll get to use my Austin Powers is my boyfriend chair a lot more now.    It's in the perfect spot for knitting and TV watching.  I agree with one of the movers it is groovy!  

Next view from the dining area

We have a small, but nice balcony that gets the morning sun-I will enjoy sitting here in the evenings with a cocktail or glass of wine. 

Here's the kitchen from the door way-it's not the open layout that I thought, and the floor has a bit of sag, but there are new appliances and I like the brown cabinets even though it's not the best paint job.  The wire shelving rack is one that we already had, and we're putting it to good use.  I'm sure I'll change things around over the next few weeks.

View from the sink

The dining area-to the left is my desk, a fold up table with formal dining room chairs in the middle, and PJ's desk and hutch set that has been put to use as a wet bar/liquor/china cabinet.  We are a resourceful bunch ;-).

Now as you go down the hall way-Steve/guest bathroom to the right

Andrew's room on the left-I didn't realize he was going to get a whole room to himself!

Next on the right-a nice size laundry room, but I think the shelf is going to be too high for me to reach.  Luckily we had a cabinet that Steve made that fits, and that'll be a good place for storing detergent and such.

Next on the left is Steve's office/storage room-this is going to require some serious purging, but I can close the door, and not look at it-I'm good with this!

Next up on the right is my walk in pantry-that's right-15 feet or so away from the kitchen I have a HUGE pantry.  Most likely we'll also store our 2 road bikes in here too.  Where the other 3 bikes are going to go I have NO idea.  I love how easily the shelving units fit into this room-Andrew suggested I get a cart to use when I need to get stuff out of this room.  He may be right!

Finally at the end of the hallway is the master bedroom-nice and spacious, but no light fixture or ceiling fan.

and the walk in closet which Steve has graciously given me full use of-currently all my knitting stuff is in here, but once I get things sorted I'll be stashing yarn under the bed, and will have the books on the book shelf.

Here's the master bathroom which Steve again has allowed me to take over, I love the extended vanity.

Steve and I believe these apartments were probably built over 30 years ago, there are aspects that are still dated.  Based on the re-do of the leasing office this complex definitely wants to compete with the newer apartments being built, which is good to know.  The apartment is not totally renovated in the sense that they were gutted and re-done, but rather refreshed.  I love the gray walls which are throughout the apartment, and the carpet.  The floors have some sag in places, but due to the age that's to be expected.  While the finishes (knobs, faucets and such) are updated with the matte nickle finish, the closets still have the old pole and wooden shelves vs the wire closet system.  There are certainly some trade-offs compared to where we've been living, but I think we'll enjoy being here.  Sophie isn't so sure, but there is a nice enclosed dog park area inside the complex, so hopefully she'll make some friends.  Our goal right now is to get our house sold as soon as possible.  If last night was any indication of how safe this complex is, I won't worry about being alone.  It was just Sophie and I here for the first night, and when I couldn't find my keys this morning (car key included) I realized I had left them in the front door (on the outside!) over night-face palm.

Stay tuned for more adventures in downsizing and apartment living!

Another Memory-filled Memorial Weekend

This week's prompt from Carole is very easy.  My husband's family have been gathering on Memorial Weekend for a loooong time-close to 20 years-maybe?!  In the beginning all the grandkids were pretty small, toddler through elementary aged.  Now we've got all adult kids and a wee one who was with us for his first Memorial Weekend get together.  For the first few years we stayed at Calloway Gardens and then we began staying at the chalet's at Dillard-both in Georgia.  This year we were at a new place Big Canoe (Jasper, GA).  Everyone as able to attend even the 2 nieces who live out of state.  While the location has changed the great times together have not.  Here's some what we did -

10.  Wine and and special cocktails were drunk along with eating some fabulous food.
  9.  Knitting-lots!  Of course, I brought way more than I'd every hope to finish.

8.  Celebrated a special birthday-Steve's Big 50!

7.  Play time with Charlie-you can just see his head near the table.  Such a sweet boy.

6.  There was some pool AND ping pong

5.  Time spent with the folks-although there isn't an individual group photo there were plenty taken, and I think if all share them everyone will be represented. 

4.  Reading-I started Get Shorty, but didn't make as much progress as I've had liked.
3.  Played games-I mostly stuck to the easy dice games like Zilch and Yahtzee so I could knit and not think too much.
2.  Big Canoe Bingo which my Sister in law created for us.  I got at least 1 Bingo and had I done a little yoga I would have had more!
1.  Talked and laughed-ALOT.

This weekend is always a special time for us, and we hope it continues for a very, very long time.

As you travel down the road before you

Carole's prompt is timely since my oldest graduated from Georgia Southern 2 weeks ago (wow doesn't seem like it!).  The commencement speaker was an student at GS 20+ years ago, and he gave a very good speech.  Short and to the point, but full of good advice.

10.  Well done-in 4 years PJ earned 2 Bachelor degrees in International Trade and French.
  9.  Never give up
  8.  Life's road will have speed bumps and detours; keep both hands on the steering wheel and don't get distracted.
  7.  Do what makes you happy and brings you joy.
  6.  Be a person of integrity.
  5.  Your first job doesn't have to be your career.
  4. Take care of yourself-mind, body and soul.
  3.  Take advise from people who are successful.
  2.  Take responsibility for your own actions and choices.
  1.  Always be willing to learn

I wish someone had given me some advise like this when I got out of high school.  I might have gone to college a lot sooner!

Thanks Carole for a timely and reflective prompt.

Reality is setting in

now that the landscaping is in place, 60 bales of pine straw yet to be delivered, our downsizing plans are taking shape.  There is LOTS to do before the first phase of moving takes place on 5/29.  When Steve told me we'd received our welcome letter from the complex and that he'd scheduled utilities to be turned on-it was like whoa we're really doing this!

The tags are my first real step in getting the inside organized tagging/boxing/packing.  I've done some of this in my head already.  Fortunately we don't have to empty the house on the 29th, just get the essentials to the apartment which will be our primary residence, so the work inside the house can be completed more easily before the for sale sign goes in the yard.  

This whole process seems a bit surreal and exciting at the same time.  What I'm looking forward to the most is having my commute distance cut by more than half whoot!  I'm hoping that will mean more knitting time-we shall see.  Hopefully I'll do a better job of documenting this journey -more to come . . . .