Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Morning babble and digressions

So I'm turning left from Route 17 onto Brickyard Parkway which is the entry road to our subdivision.  Why we live in a "subdivision" is a mystery to me.  Maybe we couldn't afford to live in an actual "division" when we bought the house.  But I think it was mostly because it had sidewalks where Brian could ride his bicycle safely and was near a good school. 

To live in a subdivision you have to sign a covenant that lists 5,693 things you can't do on your own property.  I suppose it prevents anyone from being too trashy.  For instance, you have to get the Subdivision Board's approval if you want to build an addition to your house.  The no addition in subdivision clause.  Strange math.

Brickyard Parkway is a manicured two lane road lined with magnolias (and sidewalks).  But why do they call it a parkway when there is absolutely no place to park? 

The reason I'm turning onto this misnamed road is because I'm bringing back a subway sandwich from the Harris Teeter supermarket for Melody who is spending the week with us while Brian is working in New York.  And a couple of Red Bulls for myself because I'm having to put in 8-10 hour days fixing up the house so it will look appealing if we decide to sell it.  Now that the kids and grand kids have moved out  on their own (well, actually only the kids are on their own -- the grand kids still have 18-20 years or so) Karen we have decided we might want to live closer.  

Why do people wait until they are maybe going to sell a houses before they make it look better? 

So I repaint the baseboards and then, suddenly, the doors look worse by comparison, so I have to repaint them too.  Caulk windows, tighten ceiling fans, patch walls (which then make the walls around the patches look worse by comparison, so I have to repaint them too), replace rusted air conditioning vents, replace carpet...Actually I've lucked out and we are going to have professionals replace the carpet.  I just have to move all the furniture out of the rooms.   Just? 

And speaking of not being able to park on a parkway, we also have a supermarket chain in town called "Safeway."   That sure makes me wonder about how brave you have to be to shop anywhere else.  But I've never shied away from risky behavior in my life.  I guess I've become pretty boring sedate in my 60's if my riskiest behavior is now shopping at Harris Teeter. 

So I need to close this blog and start replacing a faucet in the bathroom.  I'm in no rush to move but this weekend we will take another little trip to Goose Creek to ogle houses.  I'm not sure I understand it, but so far we have been looking at houses in subdivisions. 

I just hope that, if we do decide to actually move, the current owners are doing a good job of painting the baseboards.

6 comments:

  1. I have a lot of painting to do before I seriously contemplate a move. Just thinking of it makes me want to pull the covers over my head.

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  2. If there's one bit of house maintenance I enjoy, it's painting (the inside, at least). It all looks so nice when you finish!

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  3. For the next 100 years or so, I have no intention of moving. I like my flat; it is nothing special, but it is mine (ok, I admit it is still pretty much owned by my bank) and it is perfectly located for someone who does not drive.
    On the other hand, a move is exciting, and sometimes I get quite carried away in imagining another move when I hear of someone else taking the step and starting afresh somewhere new. All the work involved should, in the end, be worth it!

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  4. Oh my, you do entertain us! But agreed, how is moving anything just?

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  5. I am totally perplexed too Mark why we (people) wait until we are going to sell a house before we make it look better?
    Everyone does it, all round the world!
    Human being are strange creatures.
    As always I enjoyed reading your morning babble.
    Remember to keep breathing my friend.
    Hugs
    Peggy xxxxxx

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  6. I've moved 23 times and don't plan on doing it again anytime soon, but I picked that up even as a kid. My folks would buy a house, we'd live there for a few years and then suddenly there would be a flurry of activity. The house would look better than it ever had. And then we'd leave it.

    Makes no sense. But that's the way it is :-)

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