Elmo is dead, long live the Unicorn [house]

[mizarchivist]

Well, we still haven't signed an official paper, but we have gotten an email from our new landlord* going over details of the next bit: move in date, procedure preferences for house changes- stuff discussed one would expect when it's pretty much settled

• The house is pretty much a block from rt 60 and Mass Ave in the center of Arlington, where the bike path crosses over Mass. Ave.
• It means there's a min. of 3 bus lines: 67, 77, 79 that all go through to major Red Line stops.
• Hardwood floors
• Rebuilt after being taken down to the studs 4 years ago
  • fresh walls
  • new doors
  • new insulation (cellulose)
  • fresh paint (but we're going to add some color
  • no certificate, but really- it's lead free
  • baby-proofed already. Even has gates on a few key doors, outlets for sure, plus some hardware for bouncy chairs in kitchen and a 2nd floor room
• HOT TUB (almost never used since it was put in over 4 years ago: original owner sadly died before she could use it, new owner never wanted to deal, past tenant also didn't want to deal.
• Gas stove
• Decks: 1 at front door, 1 outside kitchen (next to glassed in area where hot tub is), 1 on 2nd floor, which is the biggest of the lot.
• Promise of a lot of sun, although the day we were there it was rainy- we have to take their word for it
• Approx. 1.5 mi. from Alewife via bike path
• Less than a mile from The House of Monkeys
• So that bit by Spy Pond: so, parks and pond!
• Quiet street, no traffic except for those who live there and their visitors
• But also a block from ice cream, buses, library, and you know: downtown Arlington
• Trees
• Not a lot of yard, but clearly flowers have been allowed to bloom
• Neighbors well settled and long-term, single family dwellings
• Actual permit parking for overnight street parking- didn't even know that happened in the restrictive Arlington, yo.
• Has basement, new washer, room for q_e's stuff
• Given the green light to make alterations, like building some dividing walls in the basement to contain the tools (with landlord's involvement/approval). We'll be picking out paint chips soon, too, for key rooms.

Less excellent, but we'll deal

• I'd say we're about 1-2 rooms shy from being Really Great.
  • Not entirely sure what we'll do with the baby when he's more independent: I have yet to picture ideal, dedicated kid space for him yet. I have decided I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. That's next year's (or the year after's) problem.
• The space is very different from what we've had for almost a decade
• No garage
• No closets to speak of
• Kitchen is decent, but only 1/3 the storage
• All this means we'll be paring down a lot of stuff. Something we'd have to do after so many years of entropy anyway.
• Also buying and/or building stuff to start off on the right foot

We're signing May 15. Likely to get movers to do the majority of the transition on May 19. I had originally hoped to sign May 1 so we didn't have to rush before q_e and I go to Ohio for our big family bru-ha-ha for Memorial Day. However, we have 3 very dedicated people bent on making this work. Even if I do get weepy from time to time. It's expected. So, I may have been pre-occupied before for, oh, the past 2 months or so with all this, but now It's On. I'm glad I started packing slowly and weeks ago. Mind you, when my compatriots put their mind to it, shit gets done. Nothing like a clear target and set timing to motivate.

*a Puerto Rican married to a German living in Ireland. Oh, and he's a philosophy professor. She's a midwife.

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