18 days... any ideas?

As I said this condo was built in the 70s. And here is one of those weird 70s touches that match the terrarium area. To the immediate left of this planter thing is the front door. To the immediate right is the spiral staircase. To the right of that is the terrarium space. This bit of brick does match the brick wall in the living/dining room area.

Any good ideas of what to do with this odd thing?

1. have it torn out? I image then the 2 walls will need to be repaired.

2. semi hide it? I like those half tables that you attach to the wall. This could be a tiny table top the width of the brick that is the height of the half wall to the right. You put 2 legs on the front of the table. And I think I have 8 interesting legs in storage for this exact sort of thing. Or maybe 4. (And John wondered why I would buy all those legs with no immediate ideas for their use.)

Feel free to leave a comment with any other good ideas...

21 days... and counting

Our move is going to be very interesting because we have a basement and second floor and a small spiral staircase. I am SO glad we downsized as much as we did. But I am sure when our stuff comes out of storage that we will still have too much stuff. Because of the staircase we will have to be professionally moved. Beds, a large rocker, chest of drawers, mattresses, box springs will all have to be hoisted up and over a second floor balcony.

This picture also shows an odd 70s terrarium space to the right of the staircase. We need to take the second window and wall out. The terrarium space then becomes part of my office.

23 days to closing...

This will be our new front door. I know I am suppose to live behind that door. I can see a tall skinny urn to the left of the steps with some annuals in it.

This is a condo on a street of all houses. And the condo 'development' is only 3 condos. One in the front and 2 with lake views. I think ours is the best one. There is a small amount of grass behind the condo and John will take over the mowing. He can do it with the neighbors push mower or even his nice weeder eater. The front green space is flowers. Last year it looked overgrown and in need of some TLC. That will also be John's domain. He likes digging in the dirt and does a good job.

Our house in Eau Claire was a nice house. It had a very nice layout, was new and spacious with tons of storage but it never looked like a place I should live. A friend called it the Twilight Zone house. Because the outside didn't look like somewhere I'd live but the inside did. When I'd send people directions to the house I would add that when they got to the house and thought that can't be where Rae lives that they were at the right house.

Oh not so with this condo. In fact a friend that I showed the condo to during my stalking stage said that I wanted to live there BECAUSE of that turquoise door and those big numbers on it. Yes Susan you are right.

24 days...

The sold sign is up. And in 24 days we close on the condo of my dreams. I saw this condo 15+ years ago and have driven by it over the years. This has always been part of moving to Madison, living here.

When John started looking for a job in Madison one day he had an interview near this condo so I suggested her drive by it. And there was one for sale. THE one. It is right on Lake Monona so in essence it is my little cottage by the lake. Only it is a condo and we will live there all the time.

The condo does need a lot of work. Things like a whole new kitchen, new windows, new wood floor blah, blah, blah. But I just don't care because I know this is where I am suppose to live. And it is livable. We will do some work between closing and moving and then just move in and live and figure out the rest. I plan to live happily ever after, right here.