Monday, March 14, 2011

well color me stupid

So last Thursday I started on Farm House the next Anniversary of the Heart series. And got a lot done in just one train ride I thought. On the way home I picked it up again totally meaning to keep my momentum going. Then I noticed that I started this piece one block short on the left. I would have to pick out what I've done and start over. Bummer! I so didn't feel like doing that then and in any case, I wanted to have the chart from the one above just to make sure they lined up correctly before I start again, I just put it aside and napped on the way home. This loomed over me all weekend. So much so that I didn't open my stitching bag. So this morning I remembered that I still needed to check the first chart to line every thing up and I tossed it in my bag. The start of daylight savings always messes with me so I just slept on the train into Chicago and never even looked at it. When I got to work I made a quick copy of the top of Farm House and the bottom of Snow Garden so I could tape them together so I could see exactly where I needed to start.

So what did I see when I lined everything up? That I didn't mess up! The lovely BBD ladies made the left hand edge almost the same in both charts and I wasn't off after all. :-) Yeah for this. But I did lose an entire weekend of stitching. Bummer for that.

I started my house quest in earnest this weekend. How distressing and depressing it turned out to be. What I can really afford right now are short sales and bank owned homes. At least half of the ones I looked at where unlivable in their present state. The people living in them either striped them bare before moving or just gave up on doing anything even remotely resembling maintenance. I actually went into one place (that I had high hopes for) that had two feet of water in the basement! The other half needed major work like roofs and windows and things like that and I don't want to start out my home ownership adventure doing that.

So I'll pull ten more or so and go out again this weekend. I'm really sad that I might not be able to have a yard after all. If none of the older homes in the area work I might have to start looking at townhouses. They are newer and for the most part in good repair but very, very few have yards and fences for the dogs. Or another option is to start to look in Wisconsin for houses. But that will add an hour a day to an already almost three and a half hour a day commute. I don't like either option very much at all.

10 comments:

Suburban Stitcher said...

bummer on all accounts! good luck with your decision...it sounds like it's going to be a tough decision any way you go...

Melissa said...

Oh dear, house hunting is such an emotional thing. I hope the right thing comes along - you never know. Don't lose faith!

Glad the BBD thing worked out even if you lost out on some time. Blame it on the time change!

Good luck!

Maggie said...

Glad you didn't have to frog after all!

Good luck with the house hunting, I can't beloeive you have nearly a 3 hour commute to work!!! Wow and i moan if the traffic is bad some mornings, and i only have to travel 3 miles, it takes me about 10-15, but i hate it when there is traffic, in future i will think of your 3 hour commute and take a deep breath.

x

Hazel said...

Glad you didn't have to frog. I love the fabric you are working them on. xx

Rugs and Pugs said...

Margie ~
I'm glad you didn't have to start your stitching over. I detest redoing things. Thankfully you double checked before you started over!
I hope next weekend the house hunting is more successful. I cannot begin to imagine a 3+ hour commute. I am so spoiled, but that's what happens when you live in Podunk, Ohio.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Cari said...

I'm so sorry your house hunting has not gone as planned but happy at least you don't have to unpick a great stitch!! Be very, very careful buying a house today...the market is a great big MESS isn't it? Hugs and enjoy the week!

Paisley said...

I am currently living in a house that was abused by it's previous owners. I bought it as a foreclosure and spent over a year working towards making it habitable. It was built in the early 1900s so I ended up practically gutting the place. I picked up a lot of new skills along the way, let me tell you! I'm hoping to give you some encouragement here so hang in there, you may find something yet!

Alice said...

I think that house hunting is something you have to be able to be patient about. The right house is out there, it might just take a long while to find it. Meanwhile think about just how much of a fix it upper you'd be willing to deal with. Water in the basement? Run away? New roof needed? Unless the price is seriously cut rate I'd sure think twice. Good luck!

Susan said...

Glad the stitching lined up and no frogging.

The house market is still just starting so give yourself some time and don't lose hope!

Happy Stitching!

Michelle said...

House hunting is so hard! I hope you find some more promising prospects. Glad your AOTH block is lined up correctly, sorry you missed out on stitching all weekend though!