Homeless in Missouri...

So, I lied about the pictures.  And the fish's name changed from Juniata to Ghost to Zombie in the week after this post, when he refused to eat and I couldn't figure out what was keeping him alive.  A quick update:  Have forgotten all about Tower Grove ever since finding a beautiful Dutch Colonial with AMAZING detail (waterfall staircase!  original doors!  paneled entryway!) in Webster...only to discover that the sellers had recieved 3 offers and accepted one in the three days it took me to get back in town, arrange a viewing, and spend just enough time staring at pictures to get my hopes up.  Pretty sells fast, people.  Wish me better luck next time!

Juniata...the fish

Tonight's addition to the family is a pretty white & neon-colored beta, with a teal and purple iridescent sheen to his fins.  I have named him Juniata, after Tower Grove.  Odd, I know, but it just seemed to fit him.  Pictures to come!

Jess

The death of a dream....

Nothing more to say. 

Putting in an offer...

So after lots of discussion, we are going to take a chance on city living next to the beautiful Tower Grove Park and put in an offer on the lovely foursquare we saw back in January.  My fingers are crossed!!!

Our new home(s)

I have found my perfect house - brick, with 10 foot ceilings, a fireplace, a sun-filled kitchen and refinished baths.  I have looked at it twice, collected every picture available off of the realtor sites, and even found a youtube video the rehabber/flipper created about it.  I have described it ad nauseum to anyone who will listen.  It is beautiful. 

My husband has also found some perfect houses.  They have finished basements and new roofs.   

It would, however, be nice if his perfect house and mine were, say, within five miles of each other. 

Jess

A foreclosed mystery

I went to see a lovely foreclosure today - beautiful, 10 ft ceilings, three stories with a finished attic, and a pretty back yard on a quiet street.  At first I didn't think much of the sooty residue on the floors - probably the evidence of too many people with snowy, muddy shoes.  The black spatters on the wall where a puzzle, though - what did the previous owners do in these rooms?  The blown-out chunks of radiator cinched it.  I don't know what has to happen in a steam or hot water system to cause 5 inch cracks and holes the size of your hand in a cast iron radiator tube, but I doubt it was pretty.   And I doubt that it is the only thing that went wrong.  Back to searching...  I hope someone who knows something about radiators (and, it turns out, asbestos) takes the house and shows it some love.  It has the most beautiful bones. 

Jess

House hunting...continued

We toured a lovely home last week - a two-story dutch colonial in Glendale.  Built in the 1920's on 1/3 of an acre, with a wood-burning fireplace, french doors, hardwood floors and 9 foot ceilings.  A partially finished basement, and a large patio & shed in the backyard. 

Fast forward to the seller's disclosure:  knob & tube wiring (seriously?  the house has the original 1920's wiring?)  and termites. 

No, thank you.  As pretty as it is, we have to pass.


I have been thinking at lot about colors and design for the new place (where ever it is).  After enojoying our two cranberry courdoroy loveseats for a few years, I'm thinking about retiring them to a cozy den and looking at something more muted for the new living room.  Maybe something like this, with silvery blue wall?

Jess