Where We Call Home
Community...where we live...what we do when we are not off working those hours to pay those bills.
and why we choose to live where we do. We all nodded or shook our heads to the comments but agreed there were downsides to our "abodes" but they would be a hard to give up. But I get ahead of myself.
Now, I need to paint a little picture because we are an eclectic group. Kind of like the cast of "Community".
Picture it...they inhabit a school room only to find themselves finding out that being different is actually what draws them together. We live in older apartment building that boast only 17 units, it has coved ceilings (that gives you an idea of the age). The upside is that being older, the units have a bit more character (not the utilitarian condo's going for 1/2 million in my amazing but expensive city, and the rents reflect what I lovingly refer to as "cheap chic". You know the kind of apartment that might be a bit warmer with double pane windows and an upgrade on the kitchen cabinets might be nice (oh, ya...I still boast an ironing board in the wall in my kitchen). But one that on most days (mice in the walls not so much) has the benefits outweighing.
We only have stretch of grass. It's in front of the building and anyone on the sidewalk or road has a full view. But we have a few trees, an overgrown weed patch of a garden, and sunshine almost all hours of the day. I had taken my blanket and early dinner out and was relaxing reading my new find from the village used book shop (who can beat $1 summer reads). Soon the door opened and out came a neighbor, then another, then another. It's like once we hear once voice...well who knows what can happen. We spanned probably 30 years in age, some single, some not. As conversations jumped from one topic to another we learned titbits of each other. And then the innocent gossip..."did you hear "apartment 10 is empty? I wonder who will move in?
Suddenly we all had our faces pressed against the window of the empty apartment straining to look inside at the layout. New boxes sat on the floor, waiting to be unpacked by our new neighbor and we tried to decipher, how old this new tenant was, boy/girl, single/not. Suddenly our eyes met and we all burst out laughing.
For this is our community...eclectic, welcoming, always trying to come up with a way to sneak in an unnoticed fire pit in our front lawn (maybe we could hide it in the weeds of the overgrown garden).
We always welcome someone new and in a day where so many people seem to live in isolation, we take the time in our day to relax with each other, remind ourselves how lucky we are to have our village and at the end of the day we left each other with a smile agreeing that impromptu time had been fun.
I pick up my blanket and with a smile I chuckle to myself. Yes, maybe on days the shiny and new holds a certain appeal, or the home with the wrap around porch invites a certain longing. But somehow the idea of moving before we figure out how to get that fire pit up an working, doesn't hold much of an appeal at all.
I lay sprawled out on the patch of lawn in front of my apartment building this afternoon with several neighbors and we discussed this "meaning" of life
and why we choose to live where we do. We all nodded or shook our heads to the comments but agreed there were downsides to our "abodes" but they would be a hard to give up. But I get ahead of myself.
First of all, where "we" live your will find every age walking the streets. Strollers, bikes and even cars that mostly drive at a snails pace. Cherry blossoms graze the boulevards. People say hello without knowing you and even smile as if we share a secret.We are smack in the middle of the Victorian-age of homes (which none of us could remotely afford), we are three blocks from the ocean and a hop skip and a jump to what we all refer to as "our village". Two blocks of coffee shops, restaurants, patios, grocery stands and even an old fashioned butcher. You can buy organic or you can by cheap. You can go to the doctor, fill a prescription, get a massage, and even a haircut. In short, pretty much everything we need is only a hop skip and a jump away. And it's a place "Everyone knows your name....or in my case...how I drink my coffee."
Now, I need to paint a little picture because we are an eclectic group. Kind of like the cast of "Community".
We only have stretch of grass. It's in front of the building and anyone on the sidewalk or road has a full view. But we have a few trees, an overgrown weed patch of a garden, and sunshine almost all hours of the day. I had taken my blanket and early dinner out and was relaxing reading my new find from the village used book shop (who can beat $1 summer reads). Soon the door opened and out came a neighbor, then another, then another. It's like once we hear once voice...well who knows what can happen. We spanned probably 30 years in age, some single, some not. As conversations jumped from one topic to another we learned titbits of each other. And then the innocent gossip..."did you hear "apartment 10 is empty? I wonder who will move in?
Suddenly we all had our faces pressed against the window of the empty apartment straining to look inside at the layout. New boxes sat on the floor, waiting to be unpacked by our new neighbor and we tried to decipher, how old this new tenant was, boy/girl, single/not. Suddenly our eyes met and we all burst out laughing.
For this is our community...eclectic, welcoming, always trying to come up with a way to sneak in an unnoticed fire pit in our front lawn (maybe we could hide it in the weeds of the overgrown garden).
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