Beset by cabin fever, Mike and I headed out by car yesterday afternoon, checking off mundane errands. Having equipped ourselves for a road trip by enjoying a Firehouse Subs sandwich on the shop’s patio, we set out for the far west.
Revelation
I now draw your attention to two thoughts which this paragraph sparked:
- Hunkering down at home during the pandemic makes trivial errands stimulating.
- A few years ago, the sandwich shop at this location did not exist, the area having been covered in cotton fields. Our far west destination was only eight minutes further. When we last drove there, we felt as though we had traveled halfway to San Diego. Thanks to urban sprawl, it now feels like the next town over.
Buckeye or bust
Our destination was Next Generation model homes by Lennar Builders, homes designed to accommodate multiple generations. No, we are not looking for another group home. Are there, doing that. I was on a field trip for my blog to witness what a builder thinks is essential for multiple generations.
I have found that looking at model homes or homes on the market helps me define what I like/dislike about my home and what to look for in the next. It also affirms that everyone has different needs, different tastes, different expectations. Not to mention different standards of home maintenance and housekeeping.
Except for the location, one of the models we viewed yesterday could have worked for us, imperfectly. Possibly less perfectly than our present house.
Every house a home
We are living now in our 11th abode. Some I loved; some I tolerated. All of them served us well. My favorites weren’t necessarily the most finished. The ones I loved had me as soon as I walked in the door, an indescribable quality that says, “You are home.”
No matter the habitat, each became home to us as we invested time in the physical structure and/or community. The less comfortable the residence, the more important the community to grow roots.
The pandemic has us focusing on our domicile more than usually. Hence the many trips to Home Depot.
How many more?
Mike and I do not know what or where our next living arrangement will be. We discuss it without enthusiasm. It isn’t time. Hopefully, it will be a decision that we ourselves can make, not one forced upon us by disability.
We maintain this house for our multi-generational family. It is home to all of us. When the time is right, another door will open and say, “Welcome home.”
Very relatable topics!!! We still haven’t eaten on a restaurant patio but we have ventured out to occasionally pick-up food and consider it a real treat.
Aren’t our housing stories different than our parents! I never dreamed that I would live in so many houses- seven for us.
I took my sister-in-law on a field trip to downtown Glendale’s park, then the fountains at Gateway just to get out of the house last week. We felt as though we had to be very careful the whole time. Life sure has changed.