Here's a photo of the dining room of house we're vacating. Disclaimer: The whole fucking house looks like this:
Truly, at this point I cannot tell you if I'm so stressed that I've come out the other side, or if I'm in denial the likes of which is so significant that nothing can touch me. Occasionally I think of all of the elements of this reno I haven't even contemplated yet and I feel a wave of panic. But I can't encounter those necessary steps until I get through this one.
So let's focus on the objective positives:
- The weather is changing and I can tell it's gonna be fine living amongst the residential peeps. The downtown area is famous for reckless deforesting but fancy homeowners in the satellite neighbourhoods know how to fight the system. This house has some very nice light and a north/south orientation.
- While I'm not living amongst the establishment proper, I'm pretty fucking close. And, let's face it, this is probably as close to this sort of vibe I'm going to get cuz, when all is said and done, I'm freaked out by homogeneity. I wrote this post 6 years ago and strangely, today I'm moving right next door, if only temporarily. Wychwood Park is the idyll in that link, Wychwood is my surrounding 'hood. Hillcrest is across the road. The stupidly gorgeous, organic hipster market cum artist commune is
at the end of our dead end street (well, across a fence we can't get through, so we have to go up and around). OK, it would appear that I should look at a map more often. (Apparently, I overestimated how far north our new place is (everything is north when you live south of Bloor) and the market is both north and east of the new place. But still - it's only 10 minutes away.) I can almost imagine that I've moved to Toronto for a short-stint and I'm living as one imagines the natives do. It's not particularly real, but it's liminal reality.
- Weekend market aside, I'll have 2 of the best grocery stores in TO within a 5 to 7 minute walk (and on the way home from the subway). I can tell you right now, if there's nothing else I miss about this adventure when it's over, it'll be the all-out access to best-in-class groceries.
- Did I mention we have 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms (one of which is on the main floor). In my current home we have 4 bedrooms (albeit of reasonable size). We're each about to have 2 rooms of our own in addition to common space. Decadent, I'm sure you'll agree. Sure, one of the 6 bedrooms is a glorified closet, but it's nice enough and it'll be perfect for yoga. Plus, when you have minimal furniture, what do you need with a zillion rooms.
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| Rocket Giotto Revoluzione v2 |
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When you finish packing and moving into the rental, you should buy the Rocket Giotto Revoluzione v2 as a reward to you and your husband. Come back here to tell us how you like it. I desperately want an espresso machine.
ReplyDeleteI totally will. Stay tuned!
DeleteI've already said it on IG, but again, Bon courage, my friend! I don't love the chaos of moving, although I expect your chaos is more organised than mine... I went back to read that 2011 post, wondering as I clicked whether I was already reading you 6 years ago. And yep, there's a comment from me, and when you responded, you called me "Frances" -- so we were "friends" already. One of these days, IRL! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Frances! My husband planned the shit out of this thing so I can't take much credit - except for listening well. We've known each other for close to 10 years, I think :-)
DeleteWow. Courage, indeed. I hate moving more each time I do it. It is a stress like no other. As much as I think I've streamlined & de-cluttered, there's nothing like packing up your crap...to see the reality of how much crap you still have. Hiring movers is always $$ well spent IMO. I can't believe when friends try to do this themselves, with predictable results: strained tendons, backs, & usually marriages.
ReplyDeleteIt is a stress like NO other. You are so right. I culled so much and yet I'm horrified by how much stuff we have brought to this temporary space?! Insanely, my husband made us move like university students (as you call it "doing it ourselves"). There were 6 of us and seriously, it was brutal but we were done with the move in 2 trips (5 hours from door to final door). Since, of course, we've spent a ton of time unpacking here. And that was an actual full house move (with the exception of 2 rooms-worth of things and some stuff in the part of the basement that isn't being touched - prob 20 per cent of our things). I do wish my husband would have relinquished control of the move, in some ways. But it was expertly planned, so really, I just wish someone else had done the heavy lifting we all had to do.
DeleteI hear you, and since I'm reading backwards, I see you got the espresso machine. Good. It is well deserved.
ReplyDeleteWe started phase 1 of my new house today in earnest, ripping out useful but ugly built-ins that the previous owner had installed, and I accepted an offer on the old house this weekend, so today I have started the plan/coordinate/assess part of the move. Of course organizing crap is one of my favorite things to do, even when it is a multi-stage event (or especially then). The move will be a bitch, but aren't they always? Even if you hire help, and I am, as I am finally learning to be kind to my back. I can do without something else.