here I am on the last day at Norlight.

I keep running into more good reasons to be getting out of here… The new pwners apparently think that we are all over paid rich kids running around in sports cars and stuff..  Screw them…

Then I find out that at the head office they are holding prayer meetings..

What!?!?!?!

Hell no, I have to go…

Yea, yet another post that has little to do with the house.. The new round of work will be starting soon..  By new round I mean the final push.  I found a light fixture place on line that seems to have nice stuff at reasonable prices so I know where all of the needed light fixtures are comming from.  Again with the impending sale of the place there is little point in going ultra delux on materials.

Its all about maximizing profits on this summers work..  8^)

I will corner the relator at the Concordia tour this summer and get the whole final details thing squared away then…

Ivan

So, I bet everyone is wondering if I got the call?  The answer would be YES!.. I am headed back starting April 2nd, and cannot wait.. It gonna be good stuff.  Working in a environment I like, with people I like doing things I like to do.  I am really looking forward to spending a year as a non-home owner.  It will be nice rest.  I thought I could take the time useing the Blog to do some writing on Architecture, particluarly of old neighborhoods… Chicago has plenty of them, I will still be spitting distance from Milwaukee and have more free time.. It should be cool stuff.. Also, I will be writing on the quest for the new home.  8^)

In the meantime the 3rd floor project will be happening as part of the killing myself to prep the house for selling… I am looking forward to showing that off once its done.. The 3rd floor should PWN! Looks like one of the neighbors got tired of hearing me talk about my third floor and did his this last winter.. 8^)  When I sell I am going to have a pretty serious effect on house values in the area. The assessors are going to love me.. 8^P

enough for now..

Ivan

Hey,

So, I am still wating for the call.. 8^P  Its pretty frustrating I am ready to move forward but this little thing has to happen first.  Once that happens then the flurry of activity towards gettin my butt moved down there begins.  I have thought long and hard about the attic space and would really really like to get something done up there before listing.  Since I will not be living there for the long haul I will pass on the premium materials and cut some of the delux corners… I wont be going out of my way to put in a sweet faux finish paint job, and the floors will be pergo over stock from HOBO probably along with the trim…

The windows are kind of no choice.. I will need to replace them.. But again, the replacement windows will be the cheepest ones I can lay my hands on.   Handled like this the attic could be sqaured away in a bout 6 weeks for 5 grand.

Then there is the worlds ulgyiest kitchen.

It needs some patching, some HOBO cabinets and counter and a new stick on squares floor.  Trim and a polishing.

Couple o thousand there.

The downstairs bathroom still needs a sink ( cheep )  but nice looking enough to keep the room from looking half assed..

The trim and paint needs finishing in there as well… 8^P

A bunch of window work on the second floor needs to be done, especially in the bathroom and the new bedrooms.

The rest is misc patching, and painting.

Not too bad… This is not undoable…

I would really really like to finish the sale with abour 80k in my pocket to use for the downpayment on the new place down in Chicagoland  8^)

Of course, the interesting part is there is actually already someone interested in what I want for the place and the sign is not even up in the front yard yet.  8^)

Finally, I am still looking at the idea of new construction in the north burbs.  I find myself liking the idea  more and more.   Looking at houses in Chicago proper 300k will buy a worn out bungalow or a tiney condo.. None of these are what I think of as goode ideas..  They all kind of suck..  I am not really a big fan of driving from the north burbs and back every day.. But hell its better than driving from Wisconsin.. 8^P

Ivan

yup,

And not a minute too soon.. To tell the truth since the weather broke about two weeks ago its been lookg more and more spring like. The daffodils and tulips were poking through the remains of the snow back then are are growing like wildfire now.  8^)

Spring is a time of renewal and growth.  I find this idea partucularly interesting since I will be getting the call sometiem this morning and changing jobs back to Midway.  Its kind of interesting to be wating for the news on a day like today.  This time it represents a pretty big change in my life.  Also kind of a re-birth.  So, that makes the day even more interesting.

Then of course there is the houe.  What to do?  You all have probably guessed that I am a very big fan of the big old victorian house lifestyle.  8^)  The thing is that moving to Chicago mostly means that part of me will have to step aside as well.  They are down there.. It just that the pricing is pretty excessive pretty fast.  Finding a craftsman bungalo or a 50 ranch down there is painfully easy.   But finding a 4 bedroom Queen Ann with all the goodies in a neighborhood where you wont get shot at is pretty close to impossible.  A big part of this move is being someplace where I can also feel like I am part of the neighborhood..   I really like the current house.. But, I am not r4eally part of the neighborhood.  In the new place I would like to have more in commin with my neighbors than just similar addresses… It is easier to get along with people when you have some basis for understanding them.  So, things like similar socio economic status and education help to create situations where there are similar experinces, wants and needs.  These are things that make it far easier to make connections with other folks than mearly living two doors down.

Ok, the other part opf living down there… I really downt mind some casually home improvement.  Replace some trim, or re-tileing a floor or new cabinets or paint.  I would like to avoid having to replumb a whole house ever again..  I PWN at plumbing.. But I never again want to go weeks with no working shower in the house and or just an indoor outhouse of a bathroom.  8^P

All of these needs have me really thinking hard about the near burbs like Gurnee and having a place  built.. Ok, buying a new place in one of the subdivisions.  I never thought I would ever come to that.  But, 300k will buy a new place in the burbs or a worn out bungalo in the city.  At the same time being in town means spending a lot less time on the road.   I am a pretty big fan of less time on the road.  Also, being in town means better access to in town resources.  8^)  I still have to weigh the choices carefully as I dont want to end up in the wrong place.  But it would be fun to get to blog about things like the pouring of the foundation, the framing the final inspection.  The finishing work.  8^)  Another hidden part of the new versus in town older place comes down to the part where the new place will have a much lower total cost of ownership.  Utilities are lower because the place is more effecient.   Things would be less busted or worn out by age and again not need replaceing..   Theseare all things that will be weighing heavly on me for the next year or less depending on how quick I can get the house ready and sold.  8^P

Ivan!