Actually, I’m not talking about the new Property Bros show. In fact, I’ve never watched it, but I can relate. After having given up our schizophrenic life between Maryland and Florida, we’ve gone through a bit of a metamorphosis. Do we stay in our Stoneybrook home or should be move to another home on Venice Island?
Stoneybrook is a ‘gated’ community about 15 miles from the island and, hence, the beach. Gated. Really? I never thought in a million years I’d agree to live in a gated community. It’s a royal pain in the you know where. Not easy for having guests. Not ideal for me, the social butterfly. Perfect for BH, a man of solitude.
I guess the upside of that is it’s Florida. Home of the lunatics, where novelist Carl Hiaasen can get a book idea daily on the six o’clock news. Just this week: Naked Florida man wearing bra burglarizes several cars in New Port Richie parking lot or Sarasota father accused of using zip ties to bind son to a piece of plywood at girlfriend’s home. No wonder the state has mandated mental health classes in public schools starting in the 6th grade.
I love the island, though. The quaint downtown built in the fabulous 1920s era. Mediterranean style architecture, wonderful restaurants, specialty shops, beautiful Royal palms lining the street all the way down to the beach. Oh, yeah, I want to live there.
The hunt commences. Most of the houses were built in the 50s and 60s…choppy rooms, low ceilings, tiny masters, tiny bathrooms, many without pools….such a bargain at $600,000. Or, you can build or get new construction starting at $1,000,000. Yes, we’d like a bigger yard and a bigger lanai and sliders from the master to the pool and a three-car garage and, of course, waterfront.
And, then, I stop and take stock and think, “What are you doing?!!!” We don’t need those things. Go bigger at 70? Dumbest idea ever. Not to speak of the fact that it would cost us at least 5x what we’re paying now. Even dumber. Plus, after seeing dozens of homes, we always liked ours better. At least, enough that we weren’t willing to pull up stakes and move. We have new construction, with high ceilings and all tiled floors and an open floor plan opening up to a pool and hot tub with a view of tropical plants and wildlife.
I could not in my wildest dreams give up new construction to completely renovate a house from top to bottom. Those days are so done. Yes, I loved doing that in New England with turn of the century houses but the thought of work at my age makes me ill. At least, that kind of work. Who am I kidding? I’m not fond of any type of work these days. I have retired and I take that literally.
The decision has been made. Stoneybrook will be our forever home. For the past few months, I have been tackling some of the rooms to make them cozier and more my style. When we furnished this house we had three weeks to move in and we had absolutely nothing, so, basically, our house is Costco chic. Which I am not denigrating because I love the furniture. Besides, it’s the only furniture BH and I could both agree on.
The irony is that he favors bright colors and has a more flamboyant style yet he is very conservative and fairly predictable. After some of the relationships I’ve been in, that is a very good thing. No complaints. And I’m the complete opposite. I favor a style with clean lines and muted colors.
So far, with BH’s blessing, I’ve finished the grandkids’ room and the guest bedroom. Finally, this week, the office is done, done, done. The TV has been mounted on the wall, while the TV stand found a new home at Goodwill. After four backbreaking hours, BH put together a corner bookshelf/storage unit. He was in such pain he actually broke down and saw a chiropractor. This is a man who absolutely refuses to see a doctor for anything!
My final act was to hang pictures with all new frames from Amazon. Fifty years later, we finally framed and hung our degrees. Is that crazy? Really, who cares now? I had this vision of a gallery wall with old family pictures of my grandparents, my parents’ wedding picture, the homestead in Mobile. But, I will tell you I am so intimidated by hanging pictures that I never hung anything on the walls in my Columbia condo and I was there for 10 years.
But, I was rescued by BH’s sister, Sandy, who researched gallery walls and together we laid them out on the floor. With the help of a measuring tape, a level, a pencil and hanging strips, it took three of us to get it right. Those strips are amazing. I will never put another hole in a wall unless the picture weights over 50 pounds.
I admit I tend to be a perfectionist….if the picture is a teeny bit crooked, I can be obsessive. I will say, though, I am loving this gallery wall. It was the finishing touch, and now I get such a sense of satisfaction of seeing those pictures on the wall instead of stacked on the floor. It’s the little things in life, isn’t it?
I have two other rooms that could use a little enhancing but then, again, this is our forever home! Lots of time.
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