House of the Future!

Where?
I'm trying to convince Fernando to move to Nanaimo if we move to the Coast. ...He hasn't lost interest in The Move to begin with, which is impressive--he talks about it like it's a fact. I planted the seed years ago, so maybe it's come to fruition.

But he's all about living in a big city. My problem with a big city is that, to get a big-gish house like I want, we'll end up in the suburbs or hell-and-gone. And I'm too lazy to go into town. Whereas he goes downtown all the time.

In Nanaimo I could afford to live in the neighborhoods around the "downtown." Now, the downtown is a far cry from Vancouver or Montreal, but it's cute and by the water.


If I'm finally in College Teaching Land by then, Vancouver would offer way more opportunities. But... the teaching things doesn't feel very *real* at the moment. Oh well. This is why I like the 5 year plan; because it gives us lots of time to think and dream and plan and save.

I'm trying to come up with excuses to get Fernando *in* for Nanaimo. There's no all-night eatery, which disturbs him. I told him my parents can drive us around when needed! Help us look for a home! (Or will they be So Aulde we'll have to drive them around and help them into their nursing home? Okay not that old.)

My other argument: Nanaimo has cute street names. I said: "Wouldn't you love to live on Jinglepot Road?" He was so enthusiastic, he said we should only buy a home on Jinglepot Road. (Or was it Buttertubs Marsh road? Or Dingle Bingle Hill Terrace?)

NN's
So on to the Dreaming/Planning part. I get regular updates on Nanaimo homes in the area I want, and it's fun to look at them and think about what I want. A basement, or faux-ment, is a non-negotiable. Fernando has to have his own floor, physically separated from mine by a staircase. Even a split level would make me nervous... the staircases between levels are so short. (Anyway the split level is more of a Montreal thing.)

My mother pointed out that on the coast they often don't have basements, but an entry-level floor which they call the basement. That's fine. As long as there's a big staircase, and a bedroom on the main level for me. I don't even want a house with a big second floor, if there's no bedroom on the main floor. If I take up room in Fernando Land, then he'll insist on taking up room in mine!

Fernando's non-negotiable is he doesn't want an old house. I admit old houses are beautiful but a PAIN. My parents had a couple, and they're always full of structural/plumbing/wiring freakiness. Fernando's watched too much Holmes on Homes to want anything older than 10 years.

Those are the only NN's that have so far turned up. Besides the general desire for a decent amount of space. (I don't know the square footage. I can only say I know it when I see it. Swis: How big is your house? It's perfect.)

Bedrooms: I don't care what the bedrooms look like. The biggest one will be my office-library, the smallest one for sleeping in. I do like big windows. (Fernando doesn't, which is why I can relegate him to a basement.)

Bathrooms: I don't care much about bathrooms either. Maewitch has a lovely bathroom with a bath right under a big window and such--definitely a nice place to hang out in. But not an NN. If everything else was right, and the bathroom was tiny and ugly, I'd be fine with that. I don't even need two bathrooms, though they're common in two-level homes anyway.

Kitchen: More mixed feelings about a kitchen. I can live with any type of cabinetry, because at least if I owned the place I could paint over crap and change doorknobs. Ideally I'd like lots of storage room, and a bigger counter than I currently have. Those are the only two almost-requirements. I can function in a small kitchen like I now have, but I do like to cook, so...

Living room: Just not tiny and cramped. I already know the couch I want, so it has to fit. :-)

Yard: The smaller the better. All I need is a wee garden and a compost pile. And if possible, zoning for a cat run. ;-)