Many of you have been asking to see pictures of my house. So here you go.
There are a couple of other bedrooms which I didn’t take pictures of which I’m using for storage at present.
I’m in search of an elusive church pew. Today my dad and I went to the Nashville Flea Market held at the fairgrounds on the 4th weekend of each month. I hadn’t been back since my grade school years, when my mom would drag me there looking for depression glasses.
What I’ve found is that many of the antique furniture look like they would have fit nicely in Miss Havisham’s house right beside that rotting wedding cake. I couldn’t imagine anyone really wanting to buy that type of furniture, except to put in their attic for safe keeping. Then whenever they’d need money they would get it out and sell it at the flea market, or if it was old enough, some museum.
I would have gotten a kitchen table straight from the 50’s, but I don’t think it would have looked good in my house.
There were of course the usual redneck things…the Nascar stuff and other things which you would only find hanging up in some trailer. And some of the merchants seemed pretty shady. Seemed to have that carny look to them.
So we didn’t find a church pew. But we found everything else. Including bathroom supplies. Who would go to the Nashville flea market to get their health and beauty aids, when there is a Walmart or Fred’s right next door. And on the same line of thinking, who would bother renting a booth at the flea market to sell such items? I’ll never know.
So I spoke to a lady at P.J. Antiques in Mt. Juliet. She said the best place to shop were antique places. She occassionally gets pews in, but they always go fast. Needly to say she didn’t even mention Ebay.
Many of you who know me have heard me talk about my old job. This is the same job I affectionately refer to as the job from h*ll.
I worked for a manager who I could never please. He was an older man, who had worked for the same organization for 15 years (and he didn’t let you forget it).
Things started to go downhill when he found me reading a Time magazine at my desk. I truly didn’t have anything to do at the job and was too apprehensive about it to ask him for something to do. I figured I would be given some type of meaningless activity. Sure enough, many times I was given meaningless activities, nothing of which challenged me. Entire afternoons were spent shreading documents. An hour was spent on the phone calling area Office Maxes just to find just the right type of sticker to go on nametags.
Then there was the time my manager lost a piece of paper in his office and accused me of taking it or knowing who took it. Since I sat right outside of his office, it was obvious that I should act as his doorman and report any person who comes into his office to take sheets of paper. So per his direction I had to go around and ask coworkers if they had seen his paper. After about an hour of him going absolutely nuts over it, he finally called some coworkers into his office to try to sort things out. Instead he found that he had just misplaced the paper, logging it in twice. It was a mistake on his part. I asked him about it that same day. He explained how it was misplaced but didn’t offer any type of apology for me.
In June I had seen his name disappear on the organization’s webpage. I figured one of three things had happened. He retired, was fired, or left on his own. Then just this week I Googled his name and found an obituary on him. I scoured the organization’s webpage and could not find any reference to his death. Curiousity got the best of me and I inquired about it from a worker who I knew from there.
He filled a backpack full of rocks and walked into the spillway at Radnor Lake. He left specific instructions for his secretary to give a note to the HR rep at a certain time. The staff, always trying to follow his exact direction, did exactly what he said they should do. By the time they got the news, it was too late. It was just time to recover his body.
Obviously he was a very unhappy person and make others around him unhappy. Perfectionist. Control freak. Even up until the very end he wanted control.
Coworkers were left shocked. Some grieved. Many were (and still are) very angry. Why didn’t someone do something about him? Why did it take something like this for people to pay attention? It happens all the time. A control freak gets in some type of power at an organization. Those people who are the head of the organization seem ignorant or unwilling to keep this person at bay. And then it comes to this.
So now I know that it wasn’t me who was crazy. I’m really not trying to make light of a bad situation. How ironic it was that this person worked with doctors all day as part of the organization’s purpose. Yet it was he himself who was in need of a doctor.
If anything hearing the news brings closure for me. I think if I hadn’t gone through that crucible, I would not be the homeowner I am today.
I wish I were making this stuff up. You can’t write a stranger experience.
I guess things are coming along just fine. I’ve got a whole set of boxes which need unpacking, which I will get to eventually. “Eventually” just might mean the night before I have company over. Right now it just seems like an unsurmountable task.
There are a few other things which I’d like to get for the house.
I am in my house. Moving is a pain. I must have made 10 trips back and forth. The necessities are moved. It’s just a matter of picking up some odds and ends.
I’m getting used to the yardwork. The first time I mowed I wore myself out. Tried to run it as fas as I could with the push mower. This afternoon I did it at a much slower pace. And it seemed to work out better. I’m not as worn out. Still trying to master the weedeater. I never had a need or reason to use the weedeater before, surprisngly.
And I won’t lie to you. It does get lonely here. My coworkers say I could get a cat, which I probably will eventually. I don’t want a cat that will mess up my furniture. I have a nice living room set and would like to keep it that way.
I think things are working out for the best. A year ago I would have never thought about buying my own home and living away from my parents. The Lord tends to put barriers and obsticles in our ways to make us stronger.
The thing I keep asking myself is “Am I happier than I was before?” Folks have told me that I will “LOVE” living by myself. “LOVE” is a relative term, even in the Greek language. I guess time will only tell.
I guess I should post some pics and/or have friends over. That will happen soon enough.
Moving is very tiring. I’m sure things are going to get lost in the process. But I’m making sure I keep track of the things I’ll need most. Seems like I could have picked a cooler part of the year to move. Lately it has been unbearably hot outside…so much so that many people have put off yard work for cooler times. The grass at my yard is pretty much dead, which is a blessing in disguise since I won’t have to mow.
So its been a matter of shuttling my stuff back and forth 15 minutes down the road. The best thing I can compare it to is when I first moved out to college. When I went to Lipscomb’s High Rise dorm in August 1993, I had no idea what to take. So I took it all, even stuff I couldn’t possibly use. The following years I took less and less. This time I’m taking EVERYTHING I own. Very few stuff will be left behind, except for some childhood sentimental items which my mom wants to keep.
Plus the first time I moved out to college it was a drastic change to my environment. This time is no different. I imagine, just like my first year at college, my first year on my own will have some bumps along the way. That’s to be expected. My friend told me that the first time he moved out a few weeks later he thought to himself “I’ve just made the biggest mistake of my life.” Things will probably get stressful. But I’m thinking this will be my independence day.
Bedroom suits: Its one of those things which I don’t really get too excited about. I never really found one that I couldn’t live without. So I got the next closest thing which wasn’t too gaudy. The place I went to had some really ugly stuff that I’m sure would have looked good during colonial times, but not in the 21st century. Here it what I picked out. Simple, practical. I would have loved to have kept my bed. But my mom wanted to keep it seemingly how its supposedly my greatgrandmother’s. Sentimental in her mind. I like it because it sets high, a typical design back then, possibly because the floor was to drafty.
I went furniture shopping today. I ended up purchasing a living room set, bedroom set, and a fridge. With the exception of a mattress it’s all I need to move in. ETA is 2 weeks from today.
I’m very satisfied with my living room set. Its dark green and very comfortable. Many other sofas tend to be firm and uncomfortable. Almost like a museum piece. I made a point to pick out one that I could fall asleep on.
Got a black fridge. I have always wanted a side-by-side fridge. One where you’d be able to get water and ice from the door. My parents were always economical and had the generic freezer on top horizontal variety. So I decided to spurge and get the side-by-side.
The bedroom set is not something that positively fits me. But I’m not necessarily a fan of beds. Apart from sleeping on them, there’s really not too much to them.
I had no idea that there are big differences in matresses. I had always had a cheap firm mattress. Economical but not very good on the back. And yet there are nice foam mattresses which contour to your body. The downside is they are very expensive. I really shouldn’t have laid down on those foam mattresses. Now I know what I’m missing.
So I guess things are really coming together.
I closed on my house today. It was really easier than what I thought. It is definitely the largest purchase I’ve ever made, and probably ever will.
I’d like to say I’m excited about my purchase. The truth is that I’m apprehensive about it. I am unsure about how to handle some things. House buying and moving tend to be a stressful time. I am very much a creature of habit. This house purchase is probably the biggest change that will ever happen in my life. Change scares me.
I really don’t know if I talked myself into buying the house or if others talked me into it. It was a great opportunity and I took it. The bottom line is that I need to declare my independence. This has to be done, whether I like it or not.
I am closing on my house on or around July 24th. It is formerly my sister’s house. They’re moving to a bigger house in MJ.
So I’m feeling a bit apprehensive about it. To those of you who have not bought a house before the only feeling that I can describe what it might feel like, it’s kinda like the apprehension I got when I first moved away to the dorm at Lipscomb in 1993. However this a bit different since I won’t have that 15 meal plan. I’m thinking the workers at the fast food restaurants will become my best friends…especially the ones at Bellacino’s…gotta love that cheese bread.
My sister’s….er…my house has a nice big bonus room, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, garage, kitchen…the usual. I’m getting a couple of entertainment centers, washer and dryer to go along with it.
I keep thinking to myself this might be the biggest mistake of my life. Or it could be the best step into finally gaining independence for myself, depending on how you look at it. I am tired of constantly being in the shadow of my parents and this is the only way I know out to finally live on my own.
I figure it’s about time I got a place of my own. Rather than throw my money away by renting, I’ve decided to step up the plate and be a homeowner. I’ve a good nestegg built up with savings and I think with some budgeting and a steady job, I could live comfortably as a homeowner.
So I have been shopping around on the net and driving around looking for houses. I’ve formulated in my mind a list of things which are a must have for my home:
Of course there are some good pluses to this home search including:
Not meaning to jump the gun, but I have been looking at furniture just to get an idea of what I’d like. I’ve found it is expensive. Most of the stuff is pretty ugly anyways. I am just not into that high class stuff. Give me a basic sofa and chair and I’d be happy.
I’d need a bedroom suit and a living room suit (sofa, coffee table, and chair). There are a few other amenities which I’d like to have including a big gaudy picture of Elvis over the fireplace. I can dream, can’t I?
I think buying a house will help me to grow more independent and build up more self esteem which I am lacking right now. Too many times, well meaning people tend to live in the shadow of their parents. It’s time for me to step up and step out.
