Ready to wrap this up
As therapeutic as I thought this might be, I am ready to write about more uplifting topics, some that don't include tears.
We began renovation immediately. There was quite a bit of work to be done but our target date was by Christmas. We could honestly say that year all we wanted for Christmas was our own bed. We day dreamed about where our tree would go, where we would hang our lights, and our stockings, what it would be like to wake up and spend the morning alone.
It obviously didn't happen. But,we were lucky to get a place to ourselves. Rusty and Sara Clifton offered their home for Christmas, while they spent it elsewhere, so we got to enjoy their tree, their bed, and their kitchen, where we cooked a big Christmas breakfast.
We finally moved into our apartment on January 8th, 2006. It wasn't near finished, in fact there was only half a kitchen, the walls weren't painted, and it looked like a construction zone, but it was perfect. And three weeks later, Luke was born.
What was the best news about this whole thing is Mr. Wrong didn't have such an easy time getting into his place either. He lived in the basement of the deli right next to us for quite a while. So in other words, yes, I got to see him everyday for the next few months. As time has passed, I have become much more polite during my encounters with him. I say hello back, ask him how he is doing, and if he is enjoying his new place. Even now, I still see him. I guess time heals most wounds, or at least helps you forget, until you decide to write a blog post about it.
Here are a few "during renovation pictures" to enjoy. You can see, I was just about ready to "pop".
This particular day of renovation was by far the best. When we opened the door, it literally brought tears to my eyes (no surprise there, except they were for joy). The most beautiful sight ever, clutter free, beautifully stained floors.
So, we hope this story has a happy ending. We hope we sell our place, as close to our asking price as we can get, hope to move on to a bigger space, and hope that all of the memories we have made while living in it far surpass the ones we made along the way. So far, I am confident they have.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007 at 11:25AM
Reader Comments (8)
you look so dang cute! whoa he was a big boy- but you were totally all belly.
i am impressed with your ability to pull it all together and make that crazy place look so awesome, especially after all that effort just getting into it. nice work, it will pay off. it HAS to!
you sweet thing. (yes, i am a totally random internet stranger who thinks you're a "sweet thing.") you're too kind. and all belly!
I forgot how freakishly far your belly stuck out. That sounds rude but all I mean is that your torso is so long and thin that there was no where for little Luke to go but out, way out.
The apartment turned out beautifully (even more so in person). Good luck with selling and moving.
One bright spot in the story is that any home buying experience you have in the future will never rival the horror of this one. If you made it through that, you can handle anything!
Ahh the belly! I love the belly! Of course I love little Lukey who came out of the belly even more, but I did love the belly and the way it only seemed to go out a whole lot, while he was in there. I echo Erin's thought's, nothing could be as bad as this experience, right? Right? Or maybe I just jinxed it. Hopefully not. Having mastered this, you can now pretty much handle whatever house poop comes your way. I hope you sell soon as I'm sure sharing a room with Lukey is growing a bit tiresome. And what with the hopes of another baby bean (hey I am going to keep the hope alive for everyone, or maybe just for me) in the future at some point, (sooner rather than later, I'm not getting any younger), we can't have you & Tom & Lukey & new baby bean all in same room, now can we? No we can not. So we must sell. Yes, WE must.
No wonder you won over the judge with that belly, he he...I was the same pregnant with twins, nowhere to go but OUT!
I love what you have done with the apartment, even more so knowing the obstacles in place. I'm glad overall there have been more good memories than bad. It seems you have made it a healthy experience when you could have been so bitter. What a great story to have in your family journal.
i love looking at those pictures and knowing that you still had at least a month+ to go and that belly just kept sticking farther and farther out. my favorite stranger passerby comment (because you and that belly always got a lot of attention) was the protracted "holy moly!"
here's to selling your apartment, although i will be the saddest girl in the world when you're no longer a block and a half down washington. . .
and, hey!, what is this? i've lost brooklyn bff status?!
i seriously had to wait to comment until after i read your full story. i can't believe all that you went through. what a crazy story. all in all though, the apartment turned out amazing. my best friend from childhood lives in brooklyn. i sent her to your blog to check it out in case she and her boyfriend were interested. they loved it, but unfortunately not in the market to purchase. anyways, i am glad the story had a good ending and hopefully it will have a perfect ending when you sell it. good luck.
That is such a horrible story! I wish you well on your journey to sell. Although, I don't want you to leave the ward!