Six years ago today, the ex and I took possession of this lovely house in Winston-Salem.
In a lot of ways, it’s the only place I’ve ever lived as an adult that’s ever really quite felt like home. At the same time, it also sometimes feels like I’ve never really lived here at all. For the first few years, I was waiting for Mark to be here full time so we could really “start” living here together. Once he moved back (only for a few months, as it turned out) we pretty much immediately put the house on the market with an eye toward downsizing and moving to Greensboro, and it’s been on and off the market ever since–in a pretty much “staged” condition, devoid of any personality whatsoever. And then there was the mortgage nightmare earlier this year, where I took full possession even though I wasn’t particularly sure I wanted to do so. I feel like the poor house and I have both been in limbo for a good chunk of the past six years.
And now, strangely enough, I’m thinking about hanging on to the place for a while. I’d be hard pressed to find a rental that would compare at the same price point. I really do like the house even if it is too big and too much to maintain. I have a lot going on in my life for the next year and the thought of a move fills me with much dread. And to be brutally honest, I kind of like having thirty miles separating me and my parents right now; I think that maintaining that distance might be essential to my sanity.
So after six years, I’m thinking of actually moving in. On my own terms. With my own stuff on the walls, and new curtains in the somewhat grim bedroom, and maybe even a new refrigerator and some paint.
But when I ponder the yard and the roof and that big, dead tree out back, I waffle a bit.
To be continued, evidently…
It has been a long time since I’ve watched that video tour of your house – I forgot how much of a time capsule it is! Love the bathroom and also the decorative concrete blocks in the porch.
I have a feeling you’re probably not keen on the idea, but with not too much work, you could probably separate off that downstairs guest suite and rent it out. The extra income might help make paying for landscaping and some of the other work you need done a little easier.
Good luck on whichever direction you decide to go in!
Some nesting on your own terms might be a good thing, given your folks’ health situations and work schedule.
I know the big yard & such is a sore spot with you. I’m making myself available to help with the Fall yard clean-up. (Do people do that in the South?…cleaning up my little WNY yard in the Fall is crazy tough, but I like it.) Can you dig up some stuff to simplify? Do a one-time with a tree service to take care of the dead tree?
🙂
I actually have a yard guy who should handle the fall stuff (and even does the gutters). I need to get him to do some weeding and mulching and maybe to have him recommend a tree guy. I have to say, the yard guy was one of the best moves I’ve ever made. It’s really worth it to me; I hate that fucking yard, and it’s not even especially big.