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Journal bethanie's Journal: Please Won't You Be My Neighbor? 41

Journal by bethanie
Well, I'm kinda touching on the meme that blinder suggested, but not really. I kinda missed that part about putting something funny in each of the pictures. There really *is* something funny, but she's not in view in most of them, she's on my shoulder while I'm walking around snapping these.

Anyway, I have finally gotten around to taking pictures of my house to share with y'all, and FortJoshKnox has been kind enough to put them up on his site.

So, I guess we can start with the tour:

My house from the front yard. We still haven't done any landscaping, except for Hubby throwing down some seed at the end of last summer so we wouldn't have to deal with that much mud.

If you turn around, this is the part of the driveway that you can see. Down at the bottom of the hill is about halfway to the mailbox -- the rest goes off to the left-ish and up a hill to the road.

From the front door looking over to the right, you can see Kiddo's sand and water table (a toy which I *highly* recommend for little ones -- Kiddo's had hours of enjoyment from hers, which I am delighted to say I got for 50% off on an end-of-summer clearance sale!) and her new playset (installed just two weeks ago Thursday!) Yes, Kiddo is actually on her swing out there -- she's really enjoying it so far!

Inside the house, I took a picture of my kitchen, which we really put a lot into when we built the house. And I took a reverse angle shot, as well, so you can see my "baker's counter" -- it was *really* awesome for preparing the Thanksgiving meal, I can tell you that much!

The kitchen is open to the great room (had a fire in the fireplace today 'cause it was chilly out). I didn't bother to pick up any of the baby crap or toys scattered all over the place. It gets worse than this, but it can also get much better. This is the futon where I park my butt to type to you folks, do other computer-related activities, and where I nurse Squirt most of the time, and this is what I look out at from my perch.

So yeah, it's pretty fucking nice. I know that. It's my dream house, after all, and I absolutely love it. It's not like we're planning on selling and upgrading from this any some point -- this is it for me; this is the house I want to die in (but not quite yet.)

I didn't take any pix of the play room upstairs, but I think that's my favorite room in the whole house -- it's got 8 different colors of paint, each of the walls being a different color (it's an above-garage "bonus room" so it's got lots of funky corners). It's also well-stocked with a wooden train set & table, stuffed-to-the-gills bookcase & bean bag, easel, doll house, table & chairs, pretend kitchen and all the accoutrements, and plenty of room to jump around and act like a little monkey without busting anything.

Thanks for visiting! Next time, let me know before you stop by and I'll bake a cake!

This discussion was created by bethanie (675210) for no Foes, but now has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Please Won't You Be My Neighbor? More

Please Won't You Be My Neighbor?

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  • I like that style of house with the porch.
    • Yeah, we looked at lots and lots of plans, and BIG front and back porches (the front is 10' deep and the back is 12' deep and runs the entire length of the house) were must-haves.

      We wanted to have a place where we could go outside and watch the summer storms roll in without getting wet. :-)

      The floor plan is here [dongardner.com].

      ....Bethanie....
      • You just want to be naked outside, right? :)
        • Actually, I hadn't even thought about it before we moved in -- but once we did, I realized that it was a great side benefit! :-)

          I also love that I don't have to have *any* window treatments!

          ....Bethanie....

  • Nice! (Score:2)

    by glh ( 14273 )
    I like the look of it. I really like the picture with the huge windows (I think looking out the back). We saw a house similar to this from our builder, and maybe in 10 years we might consider building one :) I like the wooded area you guys are in, what a great view. How close is your nearest neighbor?
    • There are three of those clerestory windows above, and the two flanking ones on each side of the picture window are actually doors -- it would make for really good traffic flow if we ever decided to have a big party. But of course, we *really* aren't party-type people, so we just use the one door closer to the kitchen.

      Nearest neighbor is a few hundred feet away, off behind the playset somewhere. Only in winter when the leaves are off the trees can you glimpse his house, so it's really like he's not even th
  • I could put most of my apartment in your kitchen. I'll bet I pay more, too. I like the use of blue, you have a good eye.
    • Welcome to the south. I was talking to Morene (my Jersey girl, you HAVE been keeping up with my exploits, right?) last night and we were discussing differences in the COL. Her apartment was over $1000/month and here, that's a HUGE house.
      • Her apartment was over $1000/month and here, that's a HUGE house.

        A friend of mine is looking for a new place at the moment, so I have a fairly good idea about the cost of accomodation in London. Even a studio flat is the equivalent of over US$1,500/month. To move up to two rooms would push the price up to US$2,000. The concept of getting a house for less than that is just laughable...

        • Just to compare, my house is 1800+ sq. ft. and listed as a 4 bedroom (although I'd call it a 3, because you have to walk through one "bedroom" to get to the 4th one). My house payment is $400/month. Of course, I made a large down payment, and have refinanced to a lower APR, but still...
      • You have a Jersey girl? Hold on, TL. You might be in for quite a ride. I like Jersey girls.

        No, I generally don't keep up with your romantic exploits except in the most general sense, it makes me feel inadequate.

        My apartment is well over $1000/month and it is 690 sqft, and I feel very fortunate to have such a big place for the price I pay.

        Before I moved here, I had never even paid half as much as I do now. Of course, I was also making less than half as much money as I do know.
        • So far she has DEFINITELY held my attention. I'm hoping this will be quite a ride. I'll definitely be sure to send you a pic as soon as I can get one of her without seeming like a weirdo. :-) She's so fuckin' hottt, she gets THREE 't's. :-)
    • I could put most of my apartment in your kitchen. I'll bet I pay more, too.

      Funnily enough that was exactly what I was about to say. To get that size house with than much land[1] would cost a hefty 7 figures (that's Pounds sterling) where I live.

      [1] I don't know how much land there is, but I don't see signs of any neighbours.

      • To get that size house with than much land[1] would cost a hefty 7 figures (that's Pounds sterling) where I live.

        Easily... Well... Euro figures, here, but you get the picture. There is no way in hell that I'll ever be able to buy such a house.

        Anyways, bethanie, you have a very nice house. Glad you found your dreamhouse :-)

        • Didn't find it -- built it. That helps. :-)

          Thanks.

          ....Bethanie....
          • What's that with women wanting to build houses? *sigh* If SmilingGirl gets what she wants I'll be paying till I'm 75 or so ;-)
            • It's the nesting instinct, honey. Female birds won't even *look* at a male until he's got a nice little nest all built and feathered for her. We gotta have *some*place to lay our eggs!!

              ....Bethanie....
              • Aha... Meaning my apartment is a good "starting nest". That's also why she keeps encouraging me to *censor* her without protection.

                Quoting her: "but they are sooooooo cute" (And it doesn't help she's a kindergarden teacher)

                • Eh, procreation isn't the only reason. It just plain feels better! :-)

                  But as for the cute factor -- "cute" gets you through maybe the first three hours. And then it's ball-breaking work. Better be ready to completely sacrifice everything you enjoy for at least a few months, and after that, for all but a few minutes at a time every once in a while, because that's how much time and dedication babies & kids take.

                  I thought I was ready when I had Kiddo when I was 28, but then I realized I was naive to th
                  • Could you PLEASE tell this to my 23 year old girlfriend??? Please, please, please.... It's not that I don't want to be the daddy of her kids... I'd love to, but everything needs time. This is nothing to decide overnight.

                    I tried to appease her with "let's marry first" but it doesn't seem to work.

                    Women, why don't they come with an owners manual? ;-)

    • Thank you. The blue paint on the walls and the blue glass accent tiles in the backsplash are meant to pick up the flecks of iridescent blue in the granite countertops.

      This particular turquoise is one of nine different shades of blue throughout the house. I like blue.

      I know what you mean about the comparison of their size -- I've seen those NY apartments on HGTV shows, and they're SO small! But it just means you get to be extra-efficient and unencumbered by a bunch of material possessions.

      I wonder, tho
      • One of the most surprising adjustments I had to make to life in NYC involved the management of possessions. Now, every time I decided to buy something, I realize that (a) I need to think about where I am going to put it, (b) bringing it home means that something else is going to have to be thrown/given/sold away. This has a dampening effect on purchases, which keeps expenses down. I regularly get rid of things that I haven't used in the past year, fortunately there are plenty of charities available to as
  • gosh! that was the kind of place i used to live in when I lived at home... we had a huge 6000+ sqft house in Upstate NY... with just about every possible amenity you can name (yes, in-ground pool, indoor 6-person hot tub)... hehe

    now... well, my house is about 1900 sqft.

    but anyway... very nice! i dig the commercial stove... the next house i buy it will have all commercial appliances.


    • You've got me drooling over your commercial stove, too... I *love* to cook. It's a great stress release. :)

      Last night, I made chicken and dumplings, because I had a crappy day at work. Mmmmm... tastes like pepper...
      • The stove is awesome. Six propane burners, griddle in the middle, small gas oven and a large self-cleaning electric one...

        It's so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up! :-)

        ....Bethanie....

        • In our 'next house'. We're already dreaming of our dream house; the kitchen: commercial stove, refrigerated drawers in the island, seperate upright fridge and freezer. A proper shop for wood and metalworking, a proper sewing room above the shop. No annoying neighbors to peek out their window and see what we are/aren't doing.

          Sigh. We'll get there eventually. :)
          • Not planning on having any kids, are ya? :-)

            I didn't go for refrigerated drawers -- don't really have much use for them. I *did* however, get drawers for my pots and pans, and they're great!

            The woodshop and electronics lab are down in the as-yet unfinished basement. All in good time, I suppose...

            ....Bethanie....

            • The woodshop is currently in the (3-car) garage. And no, we're not planning on having any kids. We're both from big families. His mom already has 2 grandkids, but my mom... sigh. "It won't hurt to have ONE! I deserve grandchildren!"

              We have our pots and pans in drawers right now, but once we have the money, Ben wants to build an island and build or buy a pot rack.

              One of the reasons for the island is to have a nice drawer for just the knives. Mmmm... knives. I love the santuko. And the 4" Chef's knife. And
    • I didn't grow up in a house as nice, or as big, as this one, but it was pretty plush, all the same. It was in a subdivision, of course, on three quarters of an acre. Big swimming pool and spa out back -- didn't need to be indoors 'cause it was Southern California, see?

      I never thought that I would live in a house like the one I grew up in -- it certainly wasn't something I strove for, but I got really lucky and ended up with one that's better! (IMO)

      Of course, we don't keep it up as nice as my mom did her
  • just tell me what State that is!

    My house is crap, I hate me.
    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Not just GA, but rural buttfuck Northeast Georgia. Hubby has a 75-minute commute each way to work and back, so it's not entirely without a price.

      A couple of counties closer in to Atlanta, this house would be pushing $1 million+, easy. But we're out in the sticks, so it's WAY cheaper (less than half that).

      I'm not kidding when I say that folks make some serious quality of life choices when they decide where to live. For some people, quality means great climate (So Cal), constant activity and access to the
      • I have a 90 minute (one way) commute to NYC and my house is a hole... I am filled with rage and will now kill a bag lady if I can find a weak looking one. Damn you Guiliani!
      • A couple of counties closer in to Atlanta, this house would be pushing $1 million+, easy. But we're out in the sticks, so it's WAY cheaper (less than half that).

        Oh. I thought I'd be joking when I said your house would be less than mine. Actually there about the same price. I have 2.5 bedrooms in a terraced house, with perhaps 950 square feet total. And I still have a 60 minute commute to work.

  • GA house money does not come near to Orange County California money. I miss my pecan trees and kudzu.

    • Having grown up in SoCal, I am *distinctly* aware of how much it costs to live there. That's one reason why I'd *never* move back! I just really enjoy my space, I guess.

      I can't even imagine how much money 13 acres would cost *anywhere* in California -- and all the permits and rigmarole you have to go through to be able to build there... Do you realize that we just *burned* all the trees that got torn down to build this house (well, they hauled off a truckload of the big ones)? I don't think that could *ev
  • I haven't picked up the DVD yet but saw it in the theater with my now fiance. Another plot point they overlooked was how Lupin knew all about this map that Harry had and presumably hasn't seen before. They totally leave out how Lupin, Harrys father, and two others who escape me now made the map when they were students there.

    The house is a beauty, Bethanie!
    • Yeah -- that was Hubby's big missing plot point, and I agree. It was Lupin (Moony), Harry's dad (Prongs), Sirius Black (Padfoot), and Peter Pettigrew/Scabbers (Wormtail) who made the Marauder's Map.

      No, I didn't have to look that up anywhere.

      Thanks -- I really like it. I picked up a bit today in anticipation of a playdate that fell through, and it looks really nice now! :-)

      ....Bethanie....

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