Take a moment to breath Sunday

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Morning was getting ready for church, church, church meeting, then a quick lunch.

It was a sunny day so we decided to drive down to the Seaway. We were going to go on Wednesday when it will be well above freezing, but it is also supposed to be raining that day so we decided to take advantage of a sunny day for a drive.

The primary purpose of the trip was to check out the model suite of a condo building we've watched being built across from the fish & chip place. It will be opening this year (a year late) and we are hoping that some of the owners might be buying as an investment and interested in renting. So we wanted to see what they had to offer.

First, the price was unbelievable, from 1.75 to 2x the price of our house for 1000 to 1600 square feet. If we wanted the penthouse, that's 3x the price of our house. Plus $25K for each parking spot. Then the condo fees (about $700/month), property taxes (didn't ask) and another $45 per month for the parking spot 'security and maintenance' fee. Plus you pay for hot water, heat, and electricity. It is supposed to be a 'smart' building but she couldn't tell us what that meant.

It is also smaller than it looks from the outside because the first 6 floors are all commercial space (plus an aquarium/museum of the Seaway on the first floor.) In total, there are only 85 units, and they are 80% sold. On the bright side, one owner is looking to rent his unit and the selling corporation will be willing to rent unsold units in order to get them occupied. Of course, those units will be coming up this year not next. But it is a start, although I can't figure out how the unit could be rented to us for anything close to what we are willing to pay, or the going rate down there. In this town, a 3 bedroom place goes for up to $1500/month but that would barely cover condo fees and taxes, let alone the cost of the mortgage. And the largest units are only 2 bedroom plus a den.

The most eye opening part of the day was how small 1600 square feet is when you don't have a basement or garage for storage. That blew me away as I tried to place my furniture in it. Originally, I was thinking 1000 square feet was what we'd probably end up with. But even with 1600, we'll be giving up/putting into storage way more than I thought because, even using the second bedroom for the office (because there are guest suites to rent for visitors), we'd only get 1/3 of the living room, part of the office, the dining table and one other DR piece and our bedroom set into the place. None of the extra desks, the family room furniture, nor any of the furniture my dad built for me, would fit.

The layout was poor so I would never consider buying one of these units but I could live with renting one. Although having to stand to the side of the oven to gain access to it (because the island is across from the oven and there's no room for me to bend over an open oven door) seemed wrong. I've seen so many cool 'small space' videos and articles, I can't believe the island was fixed in place. Dd's friends' house has a movable island, plus their couch is on locking wheels, so they can completely rework their great room into several variations, depending on how the room is being used. Dinner for 17 people was a breeze, all of us at one table, yet after dinner the table(s) were folded away, the island moved back into place and the couch slid out so we could sit around the living room and chat. That's what I'm looking for in an apartment - flexibility.

This place had interesting architectural design, but it meant no flexibility in the use of the space.

Anyway, the day was a success, if only in letting me know how little room we'll be getting. Dh had already had the idea of taping off the rooms in our existing house once we know where we are going and putting our furniture into the space we will have. We'll be doing that and more, in prep.

After we viewed the model apartment, we drove around town, writing down the addresses and names of buildings with river views. Then we had our fish and chips, parked overlooking the water. That was very nice, even if it was dark. Finally, we stopped in at Wally world for milk. Then headed home.

On the way home, we started planning. There's nothing in the town that gives me a bad feeling so we'll continue to plan to move there, stepping up a search for the place next fall. Secondly, I will empty our basement spare bedroom and move everything of ds's into it (he still has stuff stored here.) When he moves home, everything he brings is to fit into that space. I'll have cleared out of the room by middle of March, giving him time to go through his stuff here before adding to it with his stuff from his current place.

Next up, I'll empty out my creative room so we can use that for storage of furniture we think we might keep but are trying to live without. The basement tv room will be turned into a 'for sale' room and I'll put stuff for sale in there. As it fills up, I'll hold 'garage sales' and sell off things. I'll be able to easily price stuff and handle sales no matter the weather because it will be in the house (but the route to that room from the garage doesn't lead through other rooms of the house.) The big joy is I won't have to keep hauling things out to the garage and then back into the house each time I have a sale. I plan on 3 - 4 sales this year and another 2 next year. Plus offering things on Craig's list. I'll freecycle out the stuff that doesn't sell next year. No point not trying to get money for them now.

So we have a plan.

I'm exhausted now from all the planning (plus sore from hiking yesterday.) But I'll stay up and watch Downton Abbey while doing kitchen chores.

[Elizabeth]

Woo hoo! DD10 has come and gone and we have had no arguments! I tried to run my errand and get the supplies needed to work on the Barbie dress, but forgot the place closes early on Sunday. My usual errand day is Monday anyway, I just wanted to get that project closer to done. I have completed cat care and run one LOL and put it on the drying rack. I need to run another LOL. I also need to eat dinner, so some LR clean up, and prepare tomorrow's lunch. Then, as usual, I will crochet with a mindless video.

cowinkie: It is not likely that homeowners insurance will cover my ceiling/roof. I was told it would probably be considered maintenance. However, I do have the number to make a claim and they will send someone to look at it. They can tell me if it is covered, and even if it is not, they can tell me what to do and who is reliable.

[blessedw2]

so happy for you delizabeth.

d kathryn I hope you find a house or condo you can rent that is the right price and the right size!!! many blessings to you.

good night all.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm so glad I don't have to make any decisions in a rush. For now, it is enough to look at what is available in general and start picturing that in my head. We've had some fabulous apartments during our travels and we are still negotiating between us what we want for our next place. Dh wants high, modern, spacious (and unaffordable), I want low, eclectic and spacious (possibly affordable.) I love brass & glass as much as dh but as a place to visit, not to live unless we are down low. Being afraid of heights, I can tolerate them for a week at a time but I'm not sure I could live high. I'm not sure I'd ever relax. My highest apartment when I was living on my own was 7th floor and that felt like my max.

Since we both want spacious, and spacious usually means penthouse or high floor, there's a disconnect between my wants of spacious and low. Even today, all the big places were on the top (21st) floor. I can get a spacious garden home but dh wants to be in an apartment building for our first place. I feel like I need to give on this.

Downton Abbey was emotional tonight. I worked on refilling the vitamin dispenser, washing up the day's dishes (and missed the ones we had with us for supper) and then doing the kitchen chores. The kitchen needs to be done weekly. Most other parts of the house can skip a week, but I find the kitchen gets grungy and then I get out of sorts, even if it is tidy.

[Nancy]

I got to see the first part of d.abbey tonight before the other grandparents came so we could swap gkids.

I have laundry rounded up so I can do it in the morning.

Chickens kept escaping, one I've discovered has learned how to get back in at least, the others are envious of the tid-bits and morsels. We cleaned under the chicken's roost today, and raked along the East front fence line getting leaves rounded up. I strained my back a wee bit raking today and cleaning up under the roost the hens are all outside tonight again. dgd dropped an egg on the floor just as she got inside the door today dd called and I was distracted on the phone.

Dd said they had a 3 day stomach virus while on the cruise I read about that on yahoo. They are fine she is very unhappy about the cell phone but did not get the intl. package don't know why she did not know about that as I do and I've not even traveled.

Learned the other granny is going to have back surgery next mo. so I'll be having extra granny duty. It's good we have the chickens and yard work to keep us active and busy! Found a video & puzzle for dgd to use some thing new to her.

[lucylee]

(((Kathryn))) I do NOT envy you this process. I do admire how you go at decision-making like this, though. You are always so practical and matter-of-fact. That's a really good idea, too, to start by taping off the comparable space in your own home and seeing what can stay and what can go. You and your dh are so smart!

* sigh * Apparently it is just not meant for me to watch Downton Abbey. Wmart trip took up all my time tonight, plus I haven't watched LAST week's episode yet, so didn't want to tape the new one and have two piling up on me... PLUS the fact that I despise my dvd recorder, anyway, and it always seems like more trouble than it's worth to record anything.

Also talked to both parents and visited dmil w/dh tonight, too.

WTG, Elizabeth (w/dd time)! (((HUGS))) for the ceiling problem.

(((OKay))) -- * whew * -- just thinking about that birthday party sorta gets my heart racing...

(((Twins & dh))) -- hope the keys turn up soon!

Waving to everyone! Hope y'all have a good night's rest and start the week out in a great way!

[Harmony]

Kathryn, will you eventually end up in an apartment? And how will you know where to move if you're not sure of where DD will be? Good luck with all the downsizing. It sounds like a lot of work.

BWTG Elizabeth!

In this crazy house I call ours, I discovered the small upright freezer in the laundry room was defrosting. A couple hours later we had another freezer, floor and walls in back of old unit cleaned, food switched over and older one out in the garage. We're told these small ones aren't fixable, though there was a warranty on the compressor that covered parts only and labor would probably have been $100 they said. So, it's a disappointment because this one was only 17 months old.

Still trying to finish kitchen. Got that one whole wall of cabinets, uppers and lowers done plus all the drawers. Everything but the pantry. I have lots of empty spaces again. I don't want to have everything all packed up, that'd be way too much stuff.

[lucylee]

Harmony, you are just doing so great w/all this cleaning and organizing you've gotten done lately! Sorry you were sorta forced into the freezer re-organization, though!

I've GOT to get out of this chair. There is no limit to the amount of time I can waste staring at this computer. It is completely insane. I do NOT need a laptop of my own when I retire. If I were not forced to share a computer w/dh, I would probably sit until my body permanently froze into a sitting position w/my hands on the keyboard & mouse.
I promise -- I AM GETTING UP NOW. I am going to do a few productive things and then I am GOING TO BED.

Good night, everyone!