Finding Our Geography

For me and my wife, our next big milestone in our marriage is to find a place to live, some place that we can call home. It is something that we have been searching for over the past several years, really since the day we got married. We have taken a few chances since our vows to achieve this dream but nothing has worked out up to this point. Some places haven’t been satisfying for either of us while others were a split decision. But, in the end, finding home is something that we have to both agree upon.

Over the past several months we have been traveling to various parts of the commonwealth, we have seen numerous small towns and driven down countless streets. While there have been a few that have piqued our interest, there hasn’t been any place that has met all of our expectations for a place where we could see settling down for the long haul. It is not an easy decision to make so we are trying to take our time to find a place.

Our latest debate is whether to stay in our current apartment where the rent is quite reasonable and save for a home or do we incur the expense now to rent in a location where we can feel more at home. We keep going back and forth in this discussion as we are eager to move on from the congestion and confinement of our current surroundings but, at the same time, it would be nice to finally move somewhere when we can have the pride of ownership waiting for us when we unload the truck and open the door. Essentially, do we postpone long term happiness for short term satisfaction and comfort? Either option would be a financial struggle

So, with this back and forth still part of our everyday life, we have been looking for a place that meets both the requirements we have for ‘home’. It has taken a lot of time and a lot of errors but we may have finally found that place. Where? I am not going to divulge that information at this point as nothing is ever final until a move happens. Plus I know of at least a few realtors that read this blog and I am curious as to the theories that will eventually surface as to the locations in the area (the area of consideration has not been mentioned to any of them in the past). However, it is safe to say that it is in-between where my wife and I work and within an easy train ride of Philadelphia.

It should be an interesting time of consideration and weighing our options as our lease is set to expire at the end of May. There may be a lot of changes to start the summer or there could be a continuation of the status quo. I guess you are just going to have to keep reading to find out what happens in the coming months.

Episode VII: Another New Hope

This past weekend my wife and I changed our schedule up a little bit and headed out to New Hope, Pennsylvania on Friday instead of Saturday so that she could rest the day before her Color Me RAD 5K on Sunday. New Hope is much closer on the map than some other places we have visited but because of the roads that we had to take it was a considerably longer amount of time on the road (seems like a constant when it comes to places of interest in Bucks County). It’s a good thing we changed our schedule.

The weather was uncooperative all day but we managed to make the best of it by hoping in and out of the numerous antique and nostalgia stores that line Main Street in between our extended explorations of side streets while the sky was dry. Many of these stores were both a great respite from the weather and a severe threat to our bank account as Wizard of Oz merchandise was plentiful. I knew it was going to be a day full of temptation when that wide eyed look came across my wife’s face as soon as we walked in the first store. It's the kind of day that leaves you looking for a place to sit down and rest for a few minutes.

Our visit began by driving around from parking lot to parking lot trying to find a place where the rates were at least somewhat reasonable. Fortunately, the Logan Inn wasn’t too bad and we were able to start our exploration only a block off of Main Street. With the parking situation finally figured out, we then started looking for a place to grab linner (lunch + dinner = linner). Many menus later we settled on a small Mexican restaurant with a handful of patrons sitting outside.

The food and service at The Blue Tortilla was excellent (I recommend the Gaucamole and the Chicken Molé Enchiladas) and the outdoor and indoor dining areas were very nice as well. One thing that did catch me off guard was when we ventured over to the bathroom. It left me asking one question (and I’m sure I’m not the only one): So where would you like me to put it? In summary, the restaurant had excellent food, great staff, clean dining area, but a very questionable request.

After lunch it was time to walk on the bridge a little. Just a little as we didn’t want to venture onto the dark side (also known at Lambertville, New Jersey). Whenever possible, I always like walking over bridges simply because of the view that you get down river (the Delaware River in this instance). It’s a vantage point that always demonstrates both the beauty of the surroundings and the history of the town/city.

Once we paid visit to the New Hope wildlife (at least the ones with wings) we continued our tour of the town. It was at this point when we began to dodge raindrops by weaving in and out of the local establishments. Thankfully I had a tight grip on my wallet so we only came away with a few monetary scratches.   

Our last visit was to the train station. There is something enjoyable for me about seeing old trains at historic train stations. Sometimes just a glance at the antiquated engine can bring me back to a time before I was born.

As we made our way back to the parking lot I noticed the weird taste that the town left in my mouth. Not necessarily bad but not something that I would pick up at the grocery store. It’s a unique place. A very wealth and artsy little town, it seemed like, based on the stores, tourists, and locals, that if the town had a mascot it would be a gay Wiccan hippie dressed up as Glinda The Good Witch. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it just isn’t my thing. Honestly what did bother me though was the fact that it seemed like one of those towns where the people who worked in the stores are the same ones that can’t afford to live there.

In reality, it is a place that I’m glad we took the time to see but it is not a place I can’t wait to visit again. While a lot of people really enjoy it there and visit frequently, for me, I classify it as a “no, just visiting” town. Somewhere I would not want to live but, if I happen to be driving by, I would stop for a few minutes.