Knitted Rooms

Knit me a nap please. I want to crawl into a knitted room. Just like this one. It's so stinkin' chilly outside. I thought I moved to Florida? And apparently Florida colds don't let you go just because of a restful weekend and some dayquil.

New states are hard.

Timing

Everyone: "When are you guys doing this whole getting wedding thing?"

Luke: "2030 is looking like a really good year."

This was one of my favorite repeated conversations at the wedding in Boston last weekend.

Timing is everything. And Luke jokes around a lot, but I have to agree with his approach. We have so much else that we are working on right now. How I ended up here is beyond me. But where I'm going is going to be here before I blink.

Balancing budding careers, finances, friendship, family and health is a full-time commitment.

My recent obsession with purchasing a historic home in Jacksonville has helped me consider the timing of each and every dream on the list. Some are going to have to come later rather than sooner.

2030 here we come.

This to That

From here on out, I will have to post about my dream-rennovation without real plans to purchase the reno-home anytime soon.

After spending a weekend in Boston (post on the Harvard wedding to come), Luke and I have definitely discussed the timing of purchasing a fixer upper. With students loans to pay off and other foreseeable costs in mind, our fixer upper can wait.

That being said... a girl can dream can't she?

Imagine if this (my would-be-reno-house) went to ---->  that....

 

*sigh...* so many ideas, so little time.

Further Investigation

"Well, if I wasn't already suspicious you were seriously considering buying a house, I am now CERTAIN you are considering it."

That's what my significant other had to say when I told him I went and scoped out the house I showed him online this weekend.

What I found, during my investigation, is that the house would need an incredible amount of love and care. The front is beautiful, the lot has a wonderful feel to it, and there are homes right up and down the street that have already been restored and remodeled.

My immediate concerns:

1. It is a raised foundation. I know very little about them, and it frightens me a bit that there is such an easy-access home for critters under the house.
2. The side of the house facing the open lot next door, needs a complete overhaul. There is a random door that leads nowhere and aesthetically it is completely no bueno.
3. It is very obvious the roof is in disrepair and all the windows need to be replaced. The attic window is flat out missing.

My immediate loves:
1. The front porch is perfect and there are brick planters built out to the sidewalk entrance. Even the sidewalk tiles are octagonal and speak to a different time. I love them.
2. The back yard area has an unreal amount of potential to be an incredible outdoor space.
3. The bones of the house seem to be begging for love and care.

I'm in a pickle.

Investment Property?

I go to this particular coffee shop in this run-down but slowly up-and-coming historic neighborhood right off downtown Jacksonville.

Whenever I make the strange and harried drive back to this caffeine-provider, I find myself staring at the houses just waiting to be honed into quirky, perfect works of art.

I made the enormous mistake of doing a quick, seemingly harmless search for homes in "THE" neighborhood.

Anddd I found this house... it has my hardwood floors, my doorways, my molding, my back porch, TWO fireplaces and... wait for it... my claw foot tub. Take a look.











It's understandable if the pictures above don't excite you... but they send me over the edge.

This house is $27,900. It would be a $125 a month mortgage. I live in a house that doesn't have rent or utilities. Does anyone else out there understand why I can't stop thinking about buying that house and refinishing that tub while interest rates are bottom of the barrel low?

Someone... please. Tell me to stop obsessing over this house. Tell me this is not what they mean by investment property.

Around the house...

The ongoing saga of getting-the-house-painted continues.

The house that we live in is owned by the University where Luke works which comes with some wonderful perks. We are not responsible for anything. That's the biggest one.

They even paint the whole house for you... when they feel like it.

We are two months in and no paint. However - my wonderful man assures me it is in process.

Once the walls are painted and the chartreuse guest room and sunflower yellow kitchen/dining room are no more, we can attend to some long anticipated projects.

#1 prepping the guest room for  beloved guests. A recycled window and shutters are going up on the wall opposite the bed, and an arrangement of funky vintage prints to the side. The window is similar to the one below.



#2 Getting our giant world map up on the wall in our bedroom and hanging our pallet art. What we are building is something we found in West Elm, somewhat similar to the pallet shelving pictured below.



Updates as our tortoise-like house progress continues.