Here is the post office from which I mailed our round robin Soulsisters book to Katie Jane. I thought she might like this photo as Katie works for the post office. Remember the game kids used to play called "post office." I never played it but it involved kissing.
Chesterfield's downtown, a very short strip of a few buildings, is so "New Englandy." Most of the town offices are made of this stone.I was on my way to Northfield to look at a house for the second time. Second viewings often show the flaws. Exterior of the house needs a lot of work including new windows. Interior needs a lot of cosmetic work and maybe a complete bathroom redo (green tub etc). Still it is very cute and just the right size with woods on two sides. There is a gas fireplace in the knotty pine walled den. Fairly good closet space. A sweet, if untended, yard.
I walked around the Northfield Main Street and stopped in some stores. One was a cute, fairly new cafe with WIFI, which also sells used books. I do wonder how long they can keep afloat in this economy. The young couple, the owners, said they liked Northfield better than Shelburne Falls. Huh? They said real estate was cheaper and people were friendlier. Hmm. A general impression of the town was: conservative, quiet, staid. Now this may be an incorrect assumption of course, but I didnt pick up much in the way of the creative energy I feel in Putney, Vt or Brattleboro or on the Cape.
A stop in the library showed me that the new fiction and non-fiction books sections were small. The stacks ridiculously small. That means the town doesn't spend much money on new books. They did have a fairly good DVD and audio book section.
It is frustrating, for this house is manageable for me re: price and size. Condition and location are question marks, thought it is half an hour to Brattleboro, half an hour to Keene, NH and maybe 40 minutes to Amherst.
You all have given me good advice which I have taken to heart. Kim's recent comment struck me. She said "do you want 'tiny in the center of things' or 'a bit larger further out?" I would add the word expensive to the places in the center of things and less expensive to the places further out.
I just don't know the answer.
So the saga continues. A meld of exterior (what is available out there, where, cost, condition etc) and interior (my own screwed up head re: all this housing stuff).
10 comments:
Yes, I remember playing Post Office once. Kenny Beldon, a year old than I, had to kiss me and took me into the dark closet, and said "Okay stupid!" Like I didn't know how to kiss or something. Well, I had never kissed a boy before, only knew what I'd seen in the movies...I was twelve!
Wishing you well on the house hunt and decision making!
Love seeing these old stone buildings.
I think if I'd played 'post office' I'd remember it,,,,.?
Glad you're still looking at houses. Do you still have to be moved before Christmas? Didn't I read that in previous posting? I hope not,,,that's terrible pressure.
I smiled at your sidebar photo. I had a pony tail also until a few days ago. All gone now, back to chin length.
Lovely photos. Love old towns like this. Wonder why they called it PLAYING POST OFFICE?? what did it have to do with kissing? LOL
Cris, I looked the game up on Wikipedia but they didnt explain the name and also I didnt understand their depiction of the game although it did involve everyone at the party kissing everyone else.
Location, location, location - so they say. I would personally choose to be somewhere in the "thick of things" - walk to everything. Trade-off might be odd busy corner next to gas station or something. Still, to me, better at this stage of life than being in a remote, albeit beautiful, lonely spot. Especially in an area where you don't know anyone. Can't you find a little condo in Amherst or Northampton or somewhere like that? If it's going to be 30 minutes from somewhere I'd rather BE in the lively place and have to drive 30 min to the countryside not vice versa.
Suki, your impression of Northfield is also my impression. I haven't spent much time lingering there, but have sometimes stopped on the way through to/from NH. It's never a destination like Brattleboro or Amherst or Northampton would be, lets put it that way...
I agree with sixty-five Suki. Having healthy social connections and living in a vibrant community would be more important to me.
So I would choose small, in the centre of things, people-filled and happy, over large, remote and lonely.
It is not only about the house!
I think the spot is even more umportant. I'd like to see you in a creative inviroment, where you can do lots of things that match your creativity and spiritual needs.........
Keep looking!
You will find your dreamhouse and think , no KNOW; This is it!
Suki, I love the little Post Office. It does look so "New Englandy". I'm sorry I'm late commenting; my life is just a big blur from now until after Christmas. I'm working on autopilot because I'm so tired.
I know something will "pop" with these houses. You will just know the right one when you see it, so maybe you haven't seen it yet. We like hearing your updates, though. I was wondering how things were going on that front.
Suki, I love the photo of the Post there. It is so charming. I also love your header photo...all Christmassy!
I think you are really in a tough place in trying to make this house decision. When you are making the choice for the first time, alone and for good...those are big time issues to consider, so I can understand your confusion. Only you know what is right for you, but think about the places you have lived and the parts of the places you have loved. When you come up with those answers, you might be able to understand if expensive and tiny in the middle of a town where there are people to support the kinds of things which interest you OR if you are willing to drive 30 to 40 minutes to get to those places and buy a less expensive home. I may be wrong, but I think you know how you feel about Northfield.
You keep on doing what you need to do and we will keep on being here to bounce ideas off of throughout the process! It isn't easy, but it is worth it.
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