I haven't mentioned it here yet, but days before leaving for Belize, we got an offer on our house. We had quietly put it on the market in March, not really expecting it to sell this spring (maybe not even this year) with the way the housing market has been. But here they were, buyers who loved our house, and although the timing was crazy with our trip right around the corner, we hoped we could work things out so we wouldn't have to keep the house and yard "show ready" for months on end. We ended up with a signed contract right before our trip.
After returning home, our lives went into overdrive. We had to scramble to find a new place, and fast! We'd already decided that we wanted to rent for awhile so we would no longer feel locked into a place, and we knew we wanted to go smaller, as we've been downsizing and simplifying for at least a year now. We found a lovely apartment to rent in the Apartments of Meadowmont in Chapel Hill, and spent the first 3 weeks of June furiously packing, selling and donating stuff, dealing with starting/stopping utilities, and taking stuff to my mom's to store. It was exhausting, and since we moved ourselves (i.e., no moving van or even assistance from friends) during one of NC's hottest June weekends ever, after we finally got everything into our new place, we pretty much collapsed.
'Twas all worth it in the end, though, as we are now living in a very nice, quiet building in a complex with great amenities. The apartment is spacious, bright, and comfortable, and we managed to find places for all our stuff, including four bicycles! And much to our surprise and delight, Meadowmont Village, in addition to shops, restaurants, and other conveniences, has wonderful support for cycling. There are bike lanes all over, and a multi-use paved path winds its way through the entire huge development. There are condos, homes, ponds, recycling centers, flowers, birds, and trees here; the apartment complex is just one small piece of the whole. What serendipity! We have already taken our first bike ride through the UNC-Chapel Hill campus (bringing back many memories for me since I am a UNC grad) to the Carrboro Farmer's Market and know many more rides await us.
Paisley loves going on walks, seeing other dogs in the neighborhood, and exploring all the new sights and smells. She seemed to adapt instantly, and has already adopted her favorite sleeping spot in the sunroom.
Our stairwell. I can't even begin to tell you how many times we went up and down these stairs in 90-100 degree temperatures in the past week. At least we'll stay fit!
Our chairs in the breezeway. It's not really a deck, just an area outside our front door where we're allowed to keep a couple of things. It's been too hot to sit out there yet, but I am sure there will come a day....
C'mon in!
Living area -- pretty minimal, eh?
Let's go down the hall to the bedroom first, then come back to the living room later....
Coming into our bedroom - closet is the door to the left
Bedroom
Bedroom
Nice walk-in master closet
Nice size bathroom
Yes! Dual sinks! There is also a tall linen closet cabinet hidden behind the door to the right.
This is what they call a "den", but it does have a closet (thankfully). We are using it to store Barry's two bikes, my ebay stuff, Paisley's kennel (she sleeps here), and to keep the ironing board set up. It ain't pretty, but it's convenient!
The utility room off the front entrance serves as a storage area for my two bikes, cleaning supplies, pantry overflow, and some tools. Very convenient! We did not bring our washer/dryer up the three flights of stairs but will just use the nice laundry facilities at the complex.
Back to the living room, and a peak at the sunroom beyond.
Electric fireplace in living room - sure don't need that this time of year!
Living room
Looking back towards entry
Sunroom - a nice spot to sit and read...
...or nap.
Barry's computer in sunroom - I just float around with my laptop so I don't need a separate desk.
Now, let's head into the kitchen - pantry is straight ahead through the opening.
Kitchen window gets morning sun for my plants - nice!
Kitchen, plus a little preview of the dining room
Kitchen - it's a lot smaller than our previous one, but easy to work in.
Dining room off kitchen
Dining room
View out one of our windows
Another view
Apartment clubhouse, fountain, and flowers
Pool area
Fitness center
More fitness center
Meadowmont Village is the retail section of the Meadowmont development. There is a Harris Teeter grocery store, Wachovia bank, restaurants, shops, and so forth, all with a village feel.
Meadowmont Village roundabout
Meadowmont Village "Life in the Past Lane"
There are lots of these signs around Meadowmont, one of our favorite sights. There are also sidewalks on most streets, often on both sides. We've rarely been anywhere more pedestrian- and bike-friendly!
Multi-use trail winding through Meadowmont, great for biking or walking.
Multi-use trail
3 comments:
Congratulations! Our house is for sale, but nothing yet. How lucky to be near so many bike paths. I've been busy with the boat, but love riding my bike! Great exercise.
Nice tour! Now it is about time to relax at the pool...
Ben and I often think about doing something similar once Chris is gone (f that will ever happen!).
Enjoy your new home!
Laura
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