Household Paradigm Shift

[qos]

"Listen," he said. "It's important. We are all. Free. To do. Whatever. We want. To do."
- Richard Bach, Illusions


It's amazing what happens when a breaker gets tripped in the brain so that something that just a few minutes before was unthinkable suddenly becomes thinkable.

I had another flood today. Not a big one. But the pipes backed up again, and I had water on my floor that required the intervention of Mr. Shop-Vac, and it hadn't even been raining. And when the door was open, one of the upstairs cats got in. And the kids upstairs had dug a huge hole in the backyard.

And I turned to my Ex and said, "We keep talking about what we can do to fix the plumbing -- but what if we simply start talking about moving? This house was fine for you and me and the child -- and even with your SO. But there are also the twins. This house is not going to be big enough. What if we move to a less expensive neighborhood, and buy a bigger house? Or two houses, next door to each other."

And he allowed that may be we should be thinking about that. And he asked that I write up a list of my requirements for a new place, and he would also write them up, and we could call our realtor and find out what our options were.

I want out of this house. It's bad enough with the plumbing problems. But there is not enough room for my daughter and I down here. And if we're going to move, I may end up lobbying for two houses in relatively close proximity.

We'll see.

But a conversation has started that we haven't had before. And it feels good.

Comments

[queenofhalves]

i think that could be a really good idea.

[lexicat.livejournal.com]

You seem pretty unsatisfied with the current place. If it's that frustrating, I would move as well. There are few things more important than a comfortable home.

[qos.livejournal.com]

I've invested a lot of energy into make the best of this place -- which does have a lot of nice features.

But my endurance has about run out. . . Especially after the emotional dramas upstairs a few months ago and the added children of the Ex's SO's other daughter and her two kids. I might have been able to put up with the occasional water if it weren't for the added stress of the community upstairs.

[quietearthling.livejournal.com]

I hope you can find something that'll be satisfactory to all of you!

[rachel-y.livejournal.com]

Are there less expensive neighborhoods that would still be in the same school district and not result in an unworkably long commute to either your daughter's or the twins' school? :|

I thikn the search is prob a good thing, and hope you find something. :)

[qos.livejournal.com]

I'm not worrying about the same school district, just reasonable proximity to good schools. And a reasonable commute, preferrably on a bus line.

Thanks for the good wishes. :-)

[rachel-y.livejournal.com]

Ah, in that case may I recommend Spokane? ;) I know, a bit farther afield than you were thinking, but you could get two lovely houses in quiet, treed Audubon or Shadle (decent bus access) for $250-300K. Or move up to the swanky South Hill (think Queen Anne) and get two homes in the $320-$350 range.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. . . I think the commute to Factoria would be a bit much. ;-)

[toesontheground.livejournal.com]

Wow, that, umm, opens up whole new Avenues for exploration...

Amazing what a simple shift in framing a problem can do! I had a friend who wanted to go into business doing that - although I think mainly he wanted to impress his geek friends with a business card that described him simply as a Paradigm Shifter

[rocket-jockey.livejournal.com]

Water has been a continuing problem with your place - has the leakage through the foundation been largely fixed and now the issue is the drain lines? Are you on sewer or your own drainfield?

[qos.livejournal.com]

It seems to be two separate issues. The foundation leakage seems to have been dealt with. I don't get water in my bedroom and kitchen anymore. This water backs up in the drains. We thought it was a root problem, but the offending shrubberies have been removed and the line roto-rootered. So I'm at a loss now.

We're on the sewer, but have poor drainage. I don't pretend to understand all the nuances. I'm not sure anyone does.