Thursday, April 08, 2010

Give me a bathroom on the first floor

The photo is of one of two hooked rugs I bought at the March 1/2 price sale at Claire Murray's on Cape Cod. I bought the rugs for "my new home." This one I brought up to NH and put down on top of Mom's ugly brown wall to wall carpet and wow, did it perk up the room. The second rug had to be shipped down to Chatham on the Cape from the Vermont warehouse for me to then drive down to Chatham to pick up. Irony of ironies. My friend D. picked it up yesterday and will store it at her house for me.

Sixty-five, of the blog Life Begins at Sixty-five introduced me to Ronni at the blog Time Goes By. Ronni has an incredible blog packed with posts of varying themes and she also has a bevy of guest bloggers. But Sixty-five told me about her because Ronni is moving.

TGB lived in Greenwich Village for many years then got laid off her job and had to move as life in NYC became too expensive. She moved to Portland Maine where she has been for 4 years, but now is moving again to Portland, Oregon where she grew up and still has family.

Get this: recently she flew to Portland O for just a few days and in that few days bought a condo! How is that for decisiveness. I love it. Ronni is also very practical about "old age," (she just turned 69). She contemplated some single family homes but decided that she didnt want to spend her later years repairing a home and mowing a lawn (she too is single.) So a one story condo with elevator fit the picture. I like her honesty about preparing for the time when she might not do stairs with ease.

As many of you know I just spent a year watching my dying sister-in-law (relatively young) and my Mom, quite elderly, having difficulty with stairs. So am mega aware of that.

I too, in my home search, have taken these old age impending ideas into consideration. Maybe that's why the recent 'fixer upper' ended up to be a "no." Do I really want to spend my time, energy and limited funds fixing up a place? I have also only looked at ranch houses, although in my heart I favor two storied homes. The one condo I looked at had two stories and no bathroom on the first floor. That was an immediate reject even though it had a canal view. I must have a bathroom on the first floor.

Anyway, give a peep to Time Goes By. It is also an amazing blog technically, the way she has it arranged and set up.

16 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

I feel your holding off is going to pay off for you, Suki. You'll find just the right place. I'm sure of it.

Ronni Bennett said...

Wow, thank you so much for the lovely words about my blog. And it's great to find yours. Nicely done.

And yes - a first floor bathroom is essential after a certain age...

Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...

Great post, Suki. I had to smile at the bathroom on the first floor title,as when Mike and I moved into our townhome condo, I thought "Ick, a 1/2 bath next to the kitchen" (something you don't see on the west coast too much) but I swear...the 45 minute commute home from work barely gives me time to try to run in the house with my legs crossed, and if I had also had to run up or down stairs...well, Depends comes to mind!

When I lived in Oregon, I had a little bungalow that the landlords (elderly then) lovingly maintained the outside so I had a house with no yard upkeep etc. Then when they died and the place was sold, it fell on me to do the yard work and it was work I didn't need.

So, moving here we decided that while condo living has it's drawbacks (drunk unsavory neighbor on one side, unkempt place on the other) I have just enough "yard" to putter in but not much upkeep.

There is a retirement community here that has really nice single level homes averaging 1250 sq ft with sunrooms and wide doorways and some counters low for easy access with a wheelchair.

All those things are important as we age and I truly think that the place you had your eye on would have been an anchor weighing you down with little time for uplifting you.

Julie said...

You know, I have always thought buying a duplex would be a cool thing..you on one side and a lovely friend on the other (or family member)!

Annie said...

Well, that makes perfect sense, Suki. As for duplex's I lived in one and it was a nighmare, I may as well as had a roommate for all the noise and contant interuptions, so beware.
xoxo

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

I have regularly followed As Time Goes By and have enjoyed her process in making the move. Plenty to consider in the "last" move!
I like the border on your rug...with seahorses!

Lynn Cohen said...

Good thoughts all of these. Why does a ONE story condo have an elevator? Where does it go...sideways? LOL
I live in a two story home and see the stairs as exercise. I hope I can still climb them when I am 80! But I hear you about the fixer up part! Since our 20 yr old home now/new when we moved in needs some fixing up! I dread it/the mess it will make and the inconvience it will cause (probably this summer). We do have bathrooms up and down stairs!
Lovely rug you got there! Can't wait to see the 2nd one.
So many decisions.
I'll check out the blogs you recommended too.
Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Very glad someone turned you onto this blog!

Britt-Arnhild said...

Great links Susan. Thank you.

Cris, Artist in Oregon said...

Lovely rug. Nice to be able to use it now.
I decided that NO STAIRS was important to me as I am always falling and fell down my Town house stairs before moving here and its not fun. So bathroom for sure but no stairs for me at all. I dont need that kind of exercise.

layers said...

I hurt my knee two weeks ago and my ankle a week ago so I totally know what you mean about stairs-- my studio is on the second floor so when I want to go there I have to limp up and down.

Mim said...

I lived in a fixer upper for 20 years. NEVER again. This house we built from scratch and put a full bathroom on the first floor for our aged parents. Guess who was the first one to need it - ME with a broken ankle.

prepare as much as you can, surprises will still happen but may be easier to adapt to

ArtistUnplugged said...

I hope you are able to climb stairs until you turn 100! No guarantees though and at 50, I will be having total knee replacement soon and with no bedroom or full bath downstairs, it will be challenging. Probably not a bad idea to be on one level, but of course, I would.

patti said...

I love your rug and the seahorses that are on it!

Ronni seems to be a wise woman. Maybe begin your new search with a limit of a week and see what happens for you!

If I were a certain age I would want one level too. When I twisted my ankle last year the stairs in my house made moving around extremely difficult. We don't know what faces us when we are older so being sensible now is a great idea.

studio lolo said...

All important issues Suki.

For the first time in my life I live in a house with 2 bathrooms! I can't tell you what a luxury that is for me. (Having to share them with a man!)
This house is so ridiculously large I can't even imagine having to go upstairs every time I needed a bathroom.

I'll check out your friend's blog. It's always fun meeting more people.

Robin said...

Suki, such an interesting blog....I have never given the placement of bathrooms much thought before.....but now that I am getting "older" - it becomes food for thought. Of course, I am living on the third floor of this building - with no lift - so I am up and down daily...I tell myself it keeps my legs (and tush) firm! Ha-ha!

Adore your new rug....I have a deep love for Seahorses (see my post on "If I Were"...) and the colours in the rug are wonderful!

Hugs,

♥ Robin ♥