Final Walkthrough

Today was the day for the final walkthrough for the new house. We met the current owner, who lived there for 45 years and learned some interesting things about the history of the house, like that her aunt lived there 75 years ago. We also discovered that the maple parquet floors, which are gorgeous, continue on in some other rooms of the house, hidden away under soundproof subfloors that she installed because her mother isn't a quiet walker.

She also showed us some arches that have been covered up to help convert the house to give certain parts of it more privacy. Cullen has his eye on one and I won't be shocked to wake up one morning to find him dismantling the wall...

The gardens of the house are even more beautiful than last time we were there, with many flowers blooming. The owner says it's nothing as beautiful as it used to be and that her gardens were written up in the Baltimore Sun when they were in their heyday. I think they're amazing as is and can only hope I manage to take care of them properly. She said some random dude stopped by the house a few years ago and offered her five thousand dollars for the Japanese Maple in front of the house! There's also a Japanese Dogwood in the back, which she says is the latest blooming of all the dogwoods.

The best news is that the house was nice and cool, despite no air conditioning. By contrast our current place is 88 degrees (air conditioning broken, not much chance of landlord fixing before we move) and stifling. There are window units at the new house but hopefully we'll be able to keep our electric use down and only use them somewhat.

I will be so glad when we're all moved. It's been a long haul but I'm super pleased with the new house, which is old and eccentric like me.