OH GOD I'VE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN!!!!
Oh my Lord … we been to the mountain and back. I can’t say everything now because we’ve only got a half an hour, BUT we had a day yesterday … like man-oh-man what a day, what a day!!!We started off soon after we wrote last … went to the nationalist appointment with Rich, then we were driving to work and then we got side tracked … we had taken the blvd instead of Western Avenue and had already driven past the Loft condo project that had gone up – and had caught our attention while building. We had called back when it was going up, but it was way out of our price range, but we weren’t sure now with Rich if it weren’t in our range. So we double backed and called from the front. Turns out it WAS in the range we were looking at.
The lady was ok nice – talkative. She showed us a couple of places. We were most interested in the best place that was like $376,000 plus $375 a month condo fee. I know steep, but then I wanted to see what you got for that. It was on the 6th/top floor and the corner place facing their best view. Man-o-man was the view great!
It caught a sweeping view of the trains – L and other, the park right across the street, and in the backdrop and Emerald city view of Chicago, plus a dynamic view of the south side to the right. It was fabulous – really, really nice. BUT, the condo was at its biggest – Chicago style a loft, but not real lofty – it was only 1,500 square feet.
The place showed the pipes and was about 9 feet, but was not overly generous in size. Like the kitchen overlooked the living room. The kitchen was a gallery – absolutely no more than one person in it at a time. And, the living room which was like 22 or 24 x 20 also included being the kitchen nook, and/or dining room. Uhhuh no room for a table except in the living room so given doubt of size 24x20 it included both space of dining room/nook/livingroom. That’s just impossible. The bedroom was nice, and the master bathroom was terrific … it had large tile going up the back really high, but they cut short –really 1 person maybe short on the closet and there was a reasonable 2nd bedroom and bath and laundry – cubbyhole, but the den – last space of the place they scrimped and made it like 8x12. It looked like a hall. 8 feet is just a terrible room size. You could get a 6 foot desk across and there was a window at the end, but it was too tunnel vision.
All in all a nice place, but short comings. A place has to really WOW you all the way … Specially nice was the view, but the rest was only some nice and some eh … There was another problem in that there was a long walk to it from the elevator.
But, on the good side they had a nice weight room, not huge, but very nice expensive machines. But, again you were paying for it with $375 per month – there was only one elevator for the whole place, AND for my parking – disabled it was going to cost $20,000 extra and Rich’s from $12,000 to $15,000 and with that was distance to the door good to poor AND that wasn’t even covered parking BLAH!
I got back to the car and I wondered for a few moments … we gave a thought to how come we don’t do things like just go to work when we are supposed to. That is worrisome. But, then other thoughts soon crowd that out. And we wonder more … how now is the place out in Elgin that we’ve been looking at going to compare … are we also barking up a wrong tree there? It was about 1:30 pm now. So … we figured … we’re really up shit creek with work … might as well give Del Webb in Elgin a call.
Turns out they are available … we’re available and we let them now we are on our way and we’ll be there in like an hour and a half.
Our do-hicky thing didn’t work, but we figured out just fine how to get out to Elgin – lived there before and did it on instinct even though the area we were going was new to us. Stopped only for a couple fish sandwiches, gas and a car wash.
Turns out the showing office was HUGE and wonderful, but people were out so we settled self in front of fire place and waited just a little and skipping to the next part because only 10 minutes left – It was the most absolutely gorgeous house I could imagine wanting that there ever was. I mean sure there are houses out there that are bigger, nicer, more grand and expensive that you see stars living in, but for practical every day just really, really nice houses??? Oh man this one was a beaut!!! We too a look at the Somerset model we’d been looking at … turns out it was the 2 car version, but that was fine.
It is 2450 Sq. foot for $354,990 … the 3 car version cost $25,000 more at $375,990 and they have a smaller version without the extra bedroom (4th bedroom – if you consider one bedroom a den), or basically 435 square feet less for a loss of $25,000 or $329,990. Of course we want everything we can get. The gave us an option page and we looked through it and added almost everything and brought the house up an additional $100,000 … but we added some really relevant stuff such as a $53,000 walk out garage, plus an additional 21x7 foot garden room (main floor) stunning! We added a stainless steel fridge, washer/dryer, shower in the second bath, whirlpool in the master, concrete patio, 3 sets of double French doors (master and garden rooms), a terrific elevation plan, $6,000 fireplace, $8000 hardwood floors in the greatroom, diningroom, AND basement, extended garage, humidifier, tray ceilings 42” crown cherry cabinets, and about four bay windows and some more stuff, plus all the built ins. Well you get the idea … just all the REAL necessary stuff!!!!!!!!!!!
The place was sooooo drop dead gorgeous that it was incredible everything was big, open and beautiful to the degree my eyes at first could not stand to look at it all. It could only be seen by a little bit at a time. Believe me this is the way that I want to go. As to chance … I really don’t know … I have no idea of Rich’s real potential, or mine for that matter. I know I would have to discontinue working at SRC as we know it, but might be able to offer some contract package with the CARF, but not much else … maybe come in for training? I don’t know but not the Q work. If she’d let me do the CARF work, I’d have to reserve the files in the big shelf and watch the rest of my office go to someone else – most likely Candice. I’d retrieve my books and personal things and say – so long … I’m just that ready – I’m tired of it.
What else to do in the meantime … Hmm, realizing it is 5 minutes after the hour … it’s ok we’re on extended time though Missy doesn’t like it. What was my old hour.
I think 6 am yes I think that’s it. 20 minutes.
Anyway. I was waiting for Rich when he got home … He talked about his day .. there is something REALLY REALLY COOL happening … Bill Clinton is giving a speech at her University today and they chose her office as the place he’ll get ready … it’s just incredible!!! Mrs. Clinton and O’bama will be elsewhere in the city giving their own presentations. Pretty Major hmm?
Anyway … I told Rich about what was going on … and we looked at a few things that we’d brought home … naturally, I couldn’t convey enough about how incredible this place was. It’s just stupendous!!! Rich had that look though that I knew he was appreciating something of our excitement. He looked a little more intently or was a little more patient than if he wasn’t interested at all. I know there are certain things that do interest him … like it is close to his son – he’s done business from the general area – he does games from this area and he had suggested looking for 55 and up community where he could get a single floor home … this was it – though now there is a basement in the deal. The basement Oh my Lord is it big. AND, even those ceilings are like 9-10 feet tall! AMAZING!!! Just think a walk out with bay windows in back … there’d be patio and then upstairs would be a balcony like thing off the garden room … Lots are small, but who cares AND all the shrubbery and lawn and snow removal done by the association for like $180 a month perfect!
The place was done up in beautiful furniture so we could sit and rest and imagine throughout and it was painted well and all. Those were beautiful things about it.
It’s going to be expensive to paint though. Pretty. I think we should get our ex!!! Think he’d charge us an arm and a leg, but I wonder what he could do for us in good painting, Hmm? At nearly 2500 square feet … it’s not something you’d want to do on your own. Ok, now the most exciting hopeful parts – well a couple things.
The big end of it last night was … well, then when do you think you can come out and see it with me? He started off as no can’t, won’t … and we were like … ok, give you a few minutes and we’ll try again. Not going to take no for an answer. Need to have dreams to go forward and such. Did I mention indoor, and outdoor pool and exercise room? Well, we haven’t seen all that yet, but we’ll look at it next time.
WHEN he goes out … Maybe not this weekend because of Superbowl, but maybe the FOLLOWING weekend. Need to fix camera! Hmm, remember that place in Oak Park?
We’ll see. Should look that up.
Ok, and that other bit of hope. Before he tucked me in … Rich said something like – you know you would have to work for me. We said … yes sir anything you say sir.
Damn for this house – we’ll even do secretarial. Anything not to leave the house.
We’ll go over to the clubhouse, or out to the town for whatever. The hardest thing would be to leave our zoo – but even that – it’s 40-45 minutes away – so not impossible, just a little harder – but, that’s ok, too. We don’t go everyday. We can still hold our pass and if we weren’t working “out of the house” we could go when traffic is down during the day when the zoo is open. Oh man it would be incredible. Would I work for Rich?!!! In a heart beat.
Biggest thing would be to train ourselves to be diligent. But, if it meant affording the house of your dreams and past that. Oh man oh man it is the biggest most wonderful place you’d ever seen. And, the kitchen oh just incredible … did I mention 42 inch cherry cabinets. It has an island stainless steel everything a pantry AND an official butler’s pantry – like to put table linen and the nook??? Oh man – You could put a big table and it still be about 6 foot from the bay windows this place is something like a hot tub … you just want to soak your body in it and luxuriate! In addition for the turkeyman there are a full TWO ovens, the fireplace is floor to ceiling - flip on switch, and you have to have a bus to get across the bedroom - oh just magnificent!
posted by Ann Marie @ 1/31/2008 05:55:00 AM
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