Last May I packed my bags and moved to Memphis. I didn't know the area very well and when RJ's cousin happened to have a house for rent, in a safe area, with no deposit, and rent in our price range we kind of just said "OK" and moved in.
Our house is cute from the outside, we have a deeper front porch with a porch swing and enough room for my iron table and chairs. We have "2" bedrooms and 1 bathroom. I say "2" because what we really have is more like 1 bedroom and 1 room of unknown description. We use it as an office/guestroom. Our eat-in kitchen is really roomy, but lacks counter space and our den is actually pretty great, it's big and has a fireplace. All in all this house is not a horrible place to live. I'm not scared to stay at home alone and I can walk the dogs without feeling like I need both a billy club and mace. That is until recently when I noticed that the slight unevenness of the floors had turned into an all out lean.
We knew that the house had problems, a water heater had burst before we moved in and the repair work was shoddy at best, but we could deal with a little tilt. However, our bathroom is now a ski slope and all the tile is cracking from the pressure. In short we are now looking for a new home.
We spend our weekends driving around Memphis looking for houses. I spend hours online searching for something that we can love. The problem is that I have already fallen in love with one neighborhood in Memphis. I mean like head over heels, we drive the same streets every weekend just hoping and praying a new house as gone up for rent, in love. The HighPointe neighborhood is everything I miss about Chattanooga. It is a neighborhood made up of sweet older homes that people have lovingly restored. The residents are younger families who walk their dogs and push their babies in strollers to the nearby restaurants and markets. They all have swings hung from tree branches in the front yards and tasteful, yet unique, paint colors on the shutters. I want SO badly to live there. Reality: Nothing is for rent that is not crazy expensive. There are quite a few houses for sale, but with our future somewhat uncertain we are leery to buy until we are more settled.
So kids, say some prayers and throw some good luck our way as we keep searching. Until then we'll be laughing our way through life in our little house that leans. I mean really, first houses are supposed to give you stories, not everything you want. More memories to be made, at least that's what I'm telling myself.
Lots of love to you on this beautiful Thursday!
No comments:
Post a Comment