January 02nd, 2020

Isn't this the coolest thing? Eternity photos. That is kind of how I imagine eternity to be. Just the same thing over and over, on and on.... oh wait, that's kind of creepy actually. Give me a minute to shake that off.

Last weekend Tim and I went to some model homes, (as we sometimes do) and in one of the houses, just past the entry hall (or foyer if you prefer) was a wide intersecting hallway - a gallery (ahem) - that ran the entire width of a very wide house.  If you looked to the right or to the left the terminus had a wall bearing an enormous mirror.

Tim was the one who pointed it out to me. I was doing my transitional thing.  Any time I step into a new-to-me environment, I have to just stop a moment to adapt to a new space.  It's only just a few seconds but it's essential to my being.  I seek out the biggest immediate room and just stand there for a few seconds, getting accustomed to a new space.  Tim, on the other hand, adapts as he goes. He is always completely aware of his surroundings whether they are new to him or not.  

He stopped me just as I was about to move forward into the living room and pointed to my right....Hey look there are a zillion of me!  Then he pointed to my left...Hey look there are a zillion more of me!  Oh wait, that's way to many of me!  The world is NOT ready for that!

This particular development had 6 or 7 houses to visit which is kind of like hitting the motherlode.  Lately, if lucky, there might be one or two and those two are virtually identical. Bah.   That's not what we are looking for! I don't want to see the same thing I've already seen over and over!  Give me something new and interesting and....wow! I'm kind of demanding considering that visiting model homes is really just free entertainment for us.

We aren't looking for a new house. At least not at the moment.  With us, one never knows.    But even though this model home perusing is strictly for entertainment purposes, we treat it seriously.  We ask questions, we read the information, and we discuss what we do and do not like about each model.   I guess we are like restaurant critics in a way. Except we are nicer about it than most of them.

So this particular neighborhood of models homes was interesting. We liked the neighborhood (at a 15 minutes drive from the nearest beach it was too far from the water for our liking but otherwise, it was nice).  The house designs and floor plans were a little different than most of what we see, so we liked that as well.  We have an appreciation for unique design even when it wouldn't suit us personally.

But, as we assumed, none of the houses was exactly right for us. I mean, even if we were in the market for a new home. Which we are not.  For example, one of them,  which was otherwise very nice, had an office so small I'm not sure Tim's desk would have fit.  When a person works from home, their work space absolutely must suit their needs. No way around it.

And that's how it went as we walked in and out of each home, looking at every room, every closet, each bathroom and all  of the cabinetry.  I admire  unique backsplashes and diss  ugly countertops. We came up with ideas to "improve" various designs here and there.  Sometimes I didn't care of  the decor but other times I greatly admired it.  We  went out onto back patios and sat around beautiful model home pools for a few moments to discuss each house before moving on to the next.   Oh yeah, we have a system.

And all was well.  We were having a really good time doing what we do.  And then we got to the last house.  My Oh My!   It was visually a stunner with a side load 3-car garage and a huge front porch. I do love a nice big porch.

There was a lovely entry with that crazy gallery and two living spaces - both a living room and a family room- which is something we adore.  The kitchen was amazing. It even had my all time favourite oven doors (the ones that open like two french doors instead of the one big door that comes forward).  The master bedroom was generously proportioned with great  light, two nice big closets and near-perfect master bath.

The guest bedrooms each had their own bathroom - and that is a lovely thing to be able to offer your guests and the office space was about as good as it ever gets.  

And then I did it.  I said the words that jinxed everything.  I said, 'Oh my Goodness! This house is us!  It's perfect!  It's amazing!  I could see us in this house!"  (except the part where it's too far from the beach). I kept walking around the house. I stood in the kitchen looking out to the stunning pool & patio and the lake beyond it.  I imagined myself baking at the enormous island.  We sat on the various sofas in the living and family rooms.  I mentally walked through an ordinary day using closets and cabinets and drawers.  I was imagining our taste in furniture in each of  the rooms, our artwork on the walls,  our selections of paint colours, flooring and countertops.  It was so very "us"!  It was kind of exciting.

And then it happened.  Hey wait a minute.  Where is the laundry room? I don't remember seeing one, did you? There must be one here somewhere.  

We found it and it was awful.  It was an afterthought.  As if the designer, at the very end realized, "Oh crap! I forgot to put in a laundry.  What do I do?  Oh wait, I know, I'll shove a washer and dryer into the hallway that goes to the garage. Done".

It was so narrow that there was no way anyone could get past the appliances with a laundry basket without turning sideways. There was no place to fold clothes. Two hastily installed (really that is exactly what it looks like - the work of Last Minute Louie) neither of which I could reach, and a washer and dryer squeeeeeeeeezed into a narrow hall that I suspect was supposed to have an inglenook instead.  Ooops.

And although we kept trying to work out a way to fix the problem.....nope.    Dang.  So Close!  Turns out what I thought might be our perfect house, wasn't.  I'm not asking for much here people, just a useable, functional laundry room!  Yeesh!  Oh well. Close but no cigar.

Then the day was done and we came back to our adorable teensy little cottage of a house and we were happy once again ;)  

​Hope 2020 has been awesome for you so far!  Hugs all 'round.