city vs. country
July 14, 2008
We are starting the home search on Wednesday, and I’m really looking forward to it because I think it’s kind of fun to spy on how other people set up their spaces. (Even if most houses during showings are freakishly clean — I mean, no one I know lives with nothing on their counter tops and six billion pillows on their bed).
All along Colin and I have been thinking that when we came back to Indiana, we’d find a small farmhouse out in the country. Out in the middle of nowhere with some land, an open view of cornfields for miles, and set up shop in some renovated red barn. We’d spend evenings in rocking chairs on our back porch sipping lemonade and listening to music and crickets. Sounds really romantic… (and probably totally idealized, but hey, that’s part of dreaming, right?)
But since we’ve been back, we’ve been re-thinking that idea. With gas prices being so high, country life could get expensive due to driving distances. And we also wonder if we’d just be stoking our anti-social fires by living in the boonies. Maybe it’s better to try to be a part of a community, even if it’s painful at first. (I get uncomfortable meeting new people sometimes.) And we are big library goers, art show attendees (even if I’m in an eff-art phase right now), and restaurant critics.
I wish we could do both. Get a small bungalow in the city. And a little country cottage to retreat to whenever the mood struck us. But that’s out of the question. (This kind of idealized dreaming is way too big. Maybe I can dream of house-swapping for a home in the country occasionally!)
So we’re leaning toward putting country dream on hold for a while and finding a house downtown. And we’re pushed even more in that direction because of some people we met on Friday night. We had dinner with an art director we’ve both worked with, and his lovely (and very pregnant) wife who live in a charming little house two blocks away from virtually everything. Their backyard was nice and secluded. (We sat out there and drank root beer floats!) Their house had loads of character (great hardwood floors, old woodwork, big doors). And they are part of the downtown CSA, so they support farmers and eat locally grown food. She can bicycle to yoga class, and he can bike to work. They were talking to us about all the cool people they’ve met in their neighborhood, and how those people made them realize that they have unique stories too. And it all just sounded really perfect. Sounded like what Colin and I need to bloom a little more. (Other friends also mentioned that they only put 5000 miles on their car last year due to living in the city — a big bonus.)
So that’s where we stand. We start looking at houses in the downtown area Wednesday and I am hoping to fall in love. I want character, an open layout, a good size space for our studio, a secluded backyard, close proximity to fun stuff… and mainly: I want a house that will make us feel safe and like we’re home. I haven’t felt settled in a couple of years and I’m ready to really sink into a house. Paint colors we like. Sit in big fat arm chairs and read and feel like we have all the time in the world. Have dishes in a sink and tea in our hands. Home.
Wish us luck!
July 14th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
[...] penelope Share [...]
July 14th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Sounds lovely! I dream of living in the country too. With a studio in a shed in the backyard, near the vegie patch and chicken run of course! Sometimes dreams are best kept as dreams or what else would we dream about?!
July 15th, 2008 at 12:33 am
…best of luck to you guys!
July 15th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Good luck!
July 15th, 2008 at 3:11 am
Hi Penelope,
Just wanted to share with you that thanks to Illustration Friday a publisher found my website via my submissions to the weekly topics and wants to use some of my work in a new book on contemporary illustration.
Hope you and Colin find your dream home and have loads of fun making it your own :)
Cheers,
Jonathan
July 15th, 2008 at 3:12 am
I do wish you luck, Penelope, but I feel sure that you will find exactly what you are looking for. x
July 15th, 2008 at 5:16 am
i know you and colin will find the perfect place to call home. can’t wait to hear more. and root beer floats! yum. xox
July 15th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Luck, luck, luck!!!!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Good luck. And thankyou for sharing with the http://www. I love finding a penelope update!
July 15th, 2008 at 10:03 am
sounds heavenly to me . . . both the city AND the country dreams. i hope you find home when you strike out to find it this week.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:32 am
i live in indianapolis, too! i love it here (meridian kessler area)- the people are wonderful, and it’s got so much to offer, without the craziness of a big, big city. welcome, awesome penelope!
if you need help w/ a house, email me. i have my r.e. license..
:)
July 15th, 2008 at 11:33 am
oops! the above is from me, rose.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
That does seem like more you guys’ style
July 16th, 2008 at 5:11 am
Maybe you can find a suburban house that’s a happy medium? One with a little bit of land, but not so far out that you’d be hermits?
Good luck!
July 16th, 2008 at 6:52 am
downtown indy is fun… maybe in broadripple? that was always so cool…
glad you have landed penny!
July 16th, 2008 at 7:35 am
I hope you find just what you’re looking for - good luck to you and Colin!
July 16th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Good luck with your search! One thing to consider is school costs. Friends who live in the city (Cleveland, OH) have a child and one on the way. They’re not comfortable sending their kids to the public city schools, and the private school costs $4,000/yr for kindergarten.
I have a bungalow on a 1/2 acre lot in suburb that is right next to the city. It’s fairly private here, but I can still walk to the library and bike to other places (must do that more!) We would love a country getaway, too.
July 16th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
BEST WISHES.. HOPE YOU BOTH FIND THE HOUSE OF YOUR DREAMS… loved reading your post.
(silent reader of your blog for a long time now)
July 16th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
i hope you find the perfect home, Lope! and i 1000% agree that community is so vital. we live so rural but have an amazing tribe around us. i couldn’t imagine living here without that. can’t wait to hear how it goes! xo
July 17th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Your dreams sound heavenly, and none are too big in my opinion. Sounds like you know what you want in the meantime, though. And it sounds wonderful. Go for it! Bonne Chance!
July 18th, 2008 at 9:43 am
You’ll find what your looking for, even if you don’t know exactly what it is. That is the heart of your creativity in everything you do, from your patterns, to your drawings, to your blog and the love and care you have for your family. Keep it open.
July 19th, 2008 at 10:45 am
oh yeah, baby– country in the city! THAT’s the perfect combo– and you are gonna have it and YOU GUYS DESERVE it!!!
July 20th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I just hope that you get the peace, stability and healing you need no matter where you live. Anywhere you can get love and be loved will feel like home. Namaste
http://www.indigeneartforms.blogspot.com