We interrupt this regularly scheduled post with a quick update. So Bill bought the mando (see below) and then 4 days later we spontaneously bought a shiny pretty new Subaru Forester. It was not planned - we just went to check it out (actually, the same thing happened with the mando... "well, let's go check it out. It doesn't hurt to look." 30 years of debt later...)
But I digress. Subaru is dumping the 2005 inventory since the Forester has been re-designed for 2006. Frankly I think the 2006's are butt ugly - they made it look like it's trying to be an SUV, and we all know how I feel about selfish SUV drivers. So anyway. They low-balled us, and we woundup getting it for about $1500 below invoice price. Nice. We picked it up Monday, got it insured Tuesday and I've been enjoying it ever since. It hasn't dawned on Sweet Cute Bill yet that he just bought a new car, so I get to drive it. He even let me drive it home from the bloodsucking dealership. Yay!
Now back to your regularly scheduled post.
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Life rulez. I quit my job and since July 1st have been happily unemployed. I thought I would be sick of it by now, but I find myself rejoicing every morning when I wake up, "Yay! I don't have to work today!".
For our 2 year anniversay Sweet Cute Bill bought me a kick-ass Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop so I've been wandering around the house watching episodes of Desperate Housewives I downloaded off the internets (hey, if the DVD were available I would buy it but it's not; so ABC forced me to obtain it by other means). Last week I went for a massage and then hit a small local farmer's market. The next day I met my friend Jeannie for lunch, then we got a pedicure and went and hung out in her studio space - a fantabulous loft in an old mill building in Amesbury. It was the most serene space to be in, I never wanted to leave. The rest of my days are filled running errands, going to the gym, doing my stretching exercises, cleaning the house, taking care of Beaker and not showering. It's been nice to beable to do all those things I never get to do because I am too busy slaving away in a cubicle being annoyed by coworkers.
Skool
I signed up for my fall classes and my schedule teh sux0r. I'm taking a light course load this fall to "ease" me back into school - 3 classes. I have chemistry at 8am MWF - UGH! Then bio at noon MWF... Aside from the fact that I'm not a morning person and getting my sorry ass out of bed to get to an 8am class, I'm not thrilled taking something that will require so much brain power that early, and I am less than thrilled about the large gaps of time in my schedule. But what are you gonna do. I'll live, and next semester will be better since I can sign up before everything else is full.
The Mando
This Tuesday (July 19th) we closed on the fantastic mando. I hadn't been in the place since April so I had forgotten how HUGE it is. 2850 sq/ft, 12' ceilings, 8' windows, *gorgeous* crown mouldings and trim, beautiful cherry and maple floors, sunroom, built-in mahogany china cabinet... God it's so fabulous I can't stand it.
The kitchen and bathrooms are totally ugly, and I can't wait to redo them. We are thinking we will do the kitchen next summer when I am off from school. I don't know when the bathrooms will get done, I'm hoping we can do little weekend projects here and there. But, the first thing that is going is the butt-ugly carpeting that's here and there, especially the 3rd bedroom and the sunroom. After that, we'll take it as it goes.
Here are some photos and descriptions of the place. Sorry the photos suck so bad... we don't have a wide-angle lens so you can't appreciate the sheer scale of the place so I put Bill in for comparison. Keep in mind he's 6'5" and I am 5'6".
Dining Room
This is the room that you enter through the side entrace (the one we will use). It's about 15' x 16', has beautiful old wainscotting and a crappy oak floor that needs to be refinished. I would love to replace the floor with a reclaimed antique maple or jatoba wood.
The above photo was taken standing in the kitchen. Step forward and turn 180 degrees and you see the...
Butt Ugly Kitchen
The cabinetry in the kitchen is in good condition, but it hasn't been touched since the 80's. The fridge and dishwasher have seen better days. The stove is pretty new, but it's one of those glass top stoves which I HATE and I can't wait to get rid of it.
For the remodel we will do (hopefully) next summer I would like to do granite counter tops, but frankly granite is sooooo trendy right now I think it will look played in 10 years so I am considering soap stone. I am also thinking of white cabinets with glass doors, very updated farm house sort of thing. I would like to do the walls a deep dusty purple, and perhaps stainless steel appliances. I would also like to knock out the wall next to the fridge and extend the counter top and create a peninsula to increase the counter space and open the area up to the dining room more. Lastly, I would like to raise the floor about 6" just in the kitchen, just like it is in my apartment - a feature that I just love love love.
Living Room
You totally can't see it from the photos, but the living room is HUGE - I think it is 16'x21' or something crazy like that. It used to be the formal dining room in the original house, and has a gigantic mahogany china cabinet. Really - it's huge, remember I am 5'6", it's about twice my height. We were thinking it would be cool to keep the servers in there. :)
The floors are beatiful old maple, and the walls are sage-y green which I like very much.
The doorway Bill is standing in goes out to the sunroom, however it looks like this was originally to the outdoors so I guess the sunroom was an addition at some point.
Out of frame in the first photo, just before the china cabinet is the door to the master bedroom.
Master Bedroom
Like pretty much all the other rooms, this one is gigantic too at about 16'x19'. It has beautiful original cherry floors, a marble fireplace with 6' tall mirror, crown moulding about a foot thick, and a bay window that looks out onto a beautiful old tree.
We believe this used to be the "parlor" - the fancy living room for entertaining since it's right off the main entrance of the house, has the fancy floors and fireplace, and a grand door that goes to the sunroom (but it now goes to a closet).
(ps - sorry for the fuzzy crappy photos, it was dark)
In the above photo, straight ahead is the bay window that looks out on the street and to the left is the door to the master bath.
This is the fireplace and closet that is to the left of the doorway from the living room.
Bill standing in the bay window to give an idea of how big it all is.
Above Bill is standing in the door to the master bath, which leads us to...
Butt Ugly Bathrooms
The bathrooms need serious help. Like the kitchen they are functional and in good condition, but haven't been touched since the 80's.
Above is the master bath. Behind the ugly tub is the sink. This bathroom is a nice size, about 8' wide x 11' long. At the far end where the toilet and sink are I would like to put a nice Victorian claw-footed tub, and put the toilet and sink where the bathtub is now. I am either thinking of a nice pedestal sink, or an ornate vanity cabinet with granite or marble top. I'm not sure about the floor yet, rosewood would look terrific, but not necessarily a great choice for a high-use bathroom.
These are the other 2 bathrooms. The pink one on the left is attached to the pink bedroom (3rd bedroom). The carpeting has got to go. I don't have any ideas for this yet though. It's long and narrow (only about 4 or 5 feet wide), you can't see it but there is a toilet which sits right in front of a window. Yay. Adams our realtor suggested turning it into a laundry room which isn't a bad idea, but loosing a bathrooms is bad for resale. So I dunno.
The green bathroom is off the "fancy" entrance and is next to the 2nd bedroom which is also in the front of the house. This bathroom is also narrow and longish. I plan to ditch the vanity and put in a nice pedestal sink. The shower and toilet are tougher since that will cost a lot more... The seller's left about 50 sq/ft of left-over solid maple flooring which I think would work well in here, and since it's a low-use bathroom I think wood might be OK. But I don't have a good plan laid out for this yet. For now I think we will just let it be.
Not Pictured
Well, that's the end of the tour. The 2nd and 3rd bedrooms are not pictured along with the sunroom, great room, exterior, hugh yard, porch or entrances. Sorry - maybe next time!
Party!
BTW - We are planning on having a party the Sunday of Labor Day weekend which is September 4th so please mark your calendars! It will be casual and low key, plus Sweet Cute Bill's birthday is September 3rd so be sure to bring presents!