New Undies and the Tour

This is going to sound like a paid endorsement for Fruit-of-Loom undergarments today because at my advanced age I’ve discovered “slip boy shorts.” I imagine they’re called SLIP boy shorts because the material is a silky microfiber like what slips and camisoles are made of and the ‘boy shorts’ describes a style that reminds me of men’s boxer briefs. I’m a person who tosses and turns a lot when I’m sleeping and my normal underpants don’t necessarily toss and turn in the same direction that my body does. On more than one night my underpants have actually woke me up and I decided the quality of my sleep would improve if I did something about finding better sleepwear. I’ve tried pajama pants and they were worse in the twisting and turning department. Going commando is not an option---I wouldn’t want to shock an EMT should I need an emergency ride to the hospital. A ridiculous number of protagonists in romance books I've read recently sleep in slip boy shorts and camisoles---okay, it was four books all by the same author but the point is the idea to do a google search of the garment didn’t come out of thin air. The search paid off, finding me my new favorite sleepwear---slip boy shorts and t-shirts. If my blog was monetized my side bar would be full of Fruit-of-the-Loom advertisements about now and aren’t you glad that it isn’t.  

Monday I went out to the continuum care campus for my first up close and personal tour of where I’ll be moving when construction is done. In my time slot there were four of us who all have units close together. It’s very much still a construction zone but the sheet rock/plaster board was up so we could get a good feel for the space and the amount of natural light that comes in. I was pleasantly surprised that the light reaches all the way to the back of my unit in the main area. In the bedroom/master bath, not so much. The window in that area overlooks my covered patio which made the difference. 

The unit across the hall is flooded with light. It’s a two bedroom, two full baths on the corner of the building and it overlooks the lake. Wouldn’t you know it, the swans were so close to the shore we could practically count their feathers. A slight exaggeration but I had apartment envy touring Jerrie's' space and I’m hoping she’ll let me park my painting easel in her spare bedroom. Just kidding, but after Monday I was more confused than ever on where I want to set up my painting area and where I want my computer area. If I let the natural light decide what goes in the living room window area (photo above) I’d set my easel and supporting cart of brushes and paint there. If I let the amount of time I’ll spend at any given hobby factor into the decision I’d put my computer desk in that space. If I let my sense of ascetics dictate my choice then that window space will get my white wicker settee, chair and flower box. The bedroom is huge and big enough to put a computer desk in front of that window---the another person on the tour with a unit just like mine is doing that---but with the amount of time I spend at the computer I'm not sure I want to sleep and write in the same room.

At one of monthly get-togethers that the non-profit sponsoring this complex had before the virus came along, Jerrie, my across-the-hall neighbor, and I were comparing finances and projected costs of living in this place and our incomes and assets were pretty much even. All I can say is she’s got more guts than I do. I’ve never really stopped worrying about this aspect of the move, even after having their financial office go over my numbers a couple of times. I’m happy I didn’t trade an extra 400 square feet, a fabulous view and higher monthly fees for my peace of mind. I'll be on a tight enough budget as it is.

One side of Jerrie's unit butts up against the large public plaza where people will gather for campus parties, meet for coffee, to read, to look at the lake…or set up a portable easel. I would hate the lack of privacy that gives her kitchen, dining room and living area but she says she’s a social person and picked that unit precisely because she loves being in the thick of things. There were so many things to consider when picking a unit. I wanted the main floor, nearest an outside door and away from the trash compactor and the cheapest floor plan which translated into no lake view. I figure there are plenty of public spaces with lake views and that will give me incentive to leave my personal space.

I came home from the tour with some new information that will help be decide furniture placement. For example the blueprint I was given doesn’t completely match up with the real thing. There is a wall in the laundry room, for example, that was supposed to 14 inches between the doorway and the corner where I thought I’d have room to put a repurposed, 9” bookcase but the space is only 5” wide. TV wall mounding plugs will cause me to rethink where I put some tall bookcases, and a wall between two doorways where I was going to put my antique ice box was supposed to be 36” but it’s only 30” and the ice box is 29” so I’m not sure that will still look good there once they get the doorway trim on. By the time we moved on from looking at my unit, I remembered I planned to take more pictures but truthfully, I was too interested in just soaking up the space and imaging my stuff here or there, plus workman and my tour-mates where everywhere. There will be future tours as they progress, so expect more photos in the spring. ©

Photo at the top: The left side will have an all glass door leading to the patio so it will get even more light on that end of the main area. What looks like a step in the photo will not be there because the floor will be raised off the cement. It's the only photo I took inside my unit.  Here's a few other in the complex:

Taken from the private drive on the campus. My unit is in the building on the right, to the far end of the building. There is an open air plaza between the two buildings and they say there will be heaters in the winter for year around sitting.

The hallway. My doorway is the first one the right and where the hall opens up in the near right (where that big black tool chest is) leads to the outside door, elevator, etc. I took this photo standing with Jerrie's doorway directly on my left.

This is half of the fitness room which is just down the short hall from where that tool chest stands in the photo up above. Across from the fitness room is the elevator and stairs (they share a wall with my den and half bath). All this stuff and the outside door is off a large meet-and-greet area. The outside door is farther from my unit door than I'd envisioned for taking the dog out but he's very polite and sits when people approach so it should be okay. People from both buildings will use that fitness room so suspect Levi will help me meet people faster than I would on my own.

This is in the other building across the plaza from my building. This area is where the cafe, post office and concierge desk will be. Below is the 'blueprint' I was given early on of my unit. They have since tweaked it to make the kitchen area a foot wider and the half bath and laundry a foot smaller. The plaza and sidewalks will be heated in the winter but if I didn't want to go out to go to the other building I could take the elevator down, walk across to another elevator in the parking garage and take it over to the cafe or restaurant.