Wednesday, July 30, 2008

This Makes Me Happy...

This magazine cover greeted me in the cardio section of the gym today, and my soon-to-be new home was #2 on the list of the 20 best towns to live in now.

Two weeks ago I visited Chatty and ended up claiming a loft that I didn't get to actually see, but another unit gave me a good enough idea of what it'll be like. There's some exposed brick, finished concrete floors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, a balcony, and it's on the top floor, which I like. There's a rooftop area that's perfect for parties, and there are only one bedrooms in this building, which means I won't have children constantly knocking on my door (like I did in my last two apartment complexes). From the loft I can walk to a cool park, numerous restaurants and bars, the grocery store, drugstore, and a gym. And if I want to venture across the bridge, I'll be downtown--at IMAX, the aquarium, and lots more restaurants.

Finding a place to live, talking more to my friends who live in this same building (and on the same floor) and going off of Yaz (which I had taken for a few weeks before I realized that my crying for no reason coincided with it) has made all of the difference in my outlook on this move, and while I'll definitely miss my life here, I am feeling much much better about this move than I did three weeks ago.


I must say that I'm not going to miss all that much about living in the toolshed...the spiders (especially the brown recluses), the unreliable toilets, the dryer that takes three cycles to dry denim, the tiny kitchen, the tree sap that gets on my car, and the shower that never looks clean. But I'll miss having a playground in my backyard, keys to a church with a really quiet and beautiful sanctuary, not paying my utility bills or rent, and being able to walk to church.

p.s. I'm grateful for the going away gift from my "adoptive mom"; she gave me a beautiful cookie sheet like the one she bakes with and loves. Perfect timing because my cookie sheet has seen much better days.

15 comments:

boohoo said...

That loft apartment sounds beautiful! Sounds as though you've got a lovely place to go to and a lovely new life to start :)

Jennifer Kirby said...

Yeah, it sounds awesome, Ally!

Pam said...

The loft sounds really nice and it sounds like from your description that you will be in a great part of town.

TC said...

Sounds like a fabulous new apartment! Good for you. Moving on can be tough, but it usually ends up being a good thing, no?

Seized by Hope said...

Your new place sounds interesting and inviting. You gotta love finding out your moving to the #2 place to live...nothing like affirmation to make you relax.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your new life as it begins to unfold for you.

Aaron said...

I can't wait to see it first-hand! (I need an additional reason to goto Lookout Mountain again.)

anne said...

This sounds lovely. And going off the BC is so big - I feel like it is not for everyone.

ella said...

Your new place sounds so cool. Please post pictures!

Kimberly said...

Yasmin made me cry all the time for no reason too. I don't know how similar Yaz is but I figure it is yasmin trying to be cool and hip ;) I am on a different one now and feel much better.
I'm excited for you about Chattanooga. I would love to visit there sometime. My agency is doing some partnering with them on a Marriage & Family Initiative so if I can finagle a tirp up there I will let you know and hopefully we can hang out sometime! I'd love to go eat some super-sugary dessert with you or just have some fresh baked cookies :)

Thomas said...

Who is your "adoptive" mom?

brandy said...

Wow! Your new place sounds absolutely incredible. Sounds like a great place to start new.

Lib said...

whoa...your new place sounds dope. Chatty is so charming! i really hope this new journey is full of amazing things for you! i'm excited for you...

omg--i have this majorly intense phobia of brown recluse spiders. basically, every spider i see around the house, i carefully inspect to see if it's a brown recluse. sometimes i even look them up online to remind myself what they look like. i guess i have this fascination with them. i've heard so many horror stories about them. ewe ewe ewe. whenever i see a spider in our house, i kiddingly say to chris, "look, babe! it's a brown recluse!" he just rolls his eyes at me. the one day that i might find one, he won't believe me because i've been "crying wolf" all this time. :)

when do you officially move??

Ally said...

Lib: You'd be able to accurately report many brown recluse sightings if you lived here:) I'm moving from Nashville in about 8 hours:)

Thomas: My program matched me with a family here in Nashville to sort of be a support network for me here.

Kimberly: Definitely let me know! I'd love to catch up in person.

Ella: As soon as I'm able to see it (tomorrow) and take photos, I'll post.

AA: You & Sarah are definitely invited.

TC: You know, that's a good point. I've never wished I didn't move (except maybe once).

Anonymous said...

No more Nashvegas? I love Chatty--it's a beautiful city with lots to offer. Plus they have a GREAT hospital there! lol I ate at Cheeburger Cheeburger there once, love their shakes! Have a great move and come back to visit sometime.

icadle said...

Have you moved? could we gat a report please?