Just want to share the pictures of my new -- old house... and the AMAZING story about it... As most of you know, I was living in a high rise, very small apartment in the heart of Waikiki. I was packed into every inch of space in the 600 sq. ft. apartment. I always wished for more room for my yarns, beads and other "treasures"... You will learn from my experience that you have to be careful of what you wish for ... dream about. ..as your wish might be fulfilled. I had guests for dinner in September, it seems as if all conversations seem to get around to the topic of the economy. My friends made the remark that it was the time to buy a home in Bakersfield, where my son lives, and where my kids were raised, and was home for many years. OH so long ago....I also have dear, dear friends here, also. My dinner guests left, and after spending 3 hours on the computer looking at houses in Bakersfield, I found an unbelievable 4.000 sq ft home, in a 55 and over community, with a pool and beautiful grounds..for under $200,000. I wrote to the listing office, and my son went to see the house and was amazed...should say "Blown Away" ...This house is next to a park where he hunted polywogs when he was in elementary school, and did not know this community existed.. About 2 months after I first viewed the house on the internet it was mine, and I was STILL IN HAWAII, AND HAD NOT SEEN THE HOUSE... Talk about Crazy...THAT is crazy... On Thanksgiving eve, I flew from Honolulu, upon arrival in Bakersfield, my son took me to my new home...I felt like I had walked into a 4 star * * * * hotel... it was unfurnished and was an "empty palette " It was amazing.. It wasn't long before I had the basics, beds, tables, etc. I feel like Cinderella at the Ball... only my clock does not have midnight on it... I have a yard for the first time in 30 years..and I'm enjoying it...Some of the bushes were so over grown and had many years of dead leaves on the branches, and fungus growth...I had to hire a man and his truck to haul away the piles of clippings that I had cut..so now its spring, these bushes are putting on new growth... and I have spent a lot of time planting, now pulling weeds...and loving it.. |
This house was built in the early 60's for a man that was a very
successful oil man ... There are so many amenities in this house, like the
kitchen cabinets (shown below), also a bomb shelter, and a
basement...the house is 6 times the size of my apartment...and was in
perfect shape ...like a glamour girl she looked good ... but there were
definite problems on the inside...I had to have 2 new furnaces, as there
was a very old boiler furnace which did not work...the sewer line from the
house to the city trunk was another huge job...but they are taken care of
now, along with several smaller jobs.
It is now a place that I am able to have over night guests...my grandsons
and family, old friends, nephew Mike, whose wife Mary, was the reason I
started me making stoma covers almost 10 years ago..it is wonderful to
have the room, and a setting that everyone loves...the peace and quiet.
I love junk store shopping, and have bought several pieces that FIT..
The house was not in foreclosure, but was owned by older folks that had
moved on to a care facility..I would have felt bad about moving into a
house that had been a heartbreak for someone...The house is in a 55 and
over, 12 home community, in a nice section of town, near where I raised
my kids...The house had been on the market for two years, as it is so
large most older people are downsizing...NOT ME...I'm upsizing !! and
being that we are in a depressed housing market....Never in my wildest
dreams, did I plan to move back to Bakersfield, or dream of having such a
"palace" to live in and share with friends and family...
successful oil man ... There are so many amenities in this house, like the
kitchen cabinets (shown below), also a bomb shelter, and a
basement...the house is 6 times the size of my apartment...and was in
perfect shape ...like a glamour girl she looked good ... but there were
definite problems on the inside...I had to have 2 new furnaces, as there
was a very old boiler furnace which did not work...the sewer line from the
house to the city trunk was another huge job...but they are taken care of
now, along with several smaller jobs.
It is now a place that I am able to have over night guests...my grandsons
and family, old friends, nephew Mike, whose wife Mary, was the reason I
started me making stoma covers almost 10 years ago..it is wonderful to
have the room, and a setting that everyone loves...the peace and quiet.
I love junk store shopping, and have bought several pieces that FIT..
The house was not in foreclosure, but was owned by older folks that had
moved on to a care facility..I would have felt bad about moving into a
house that had been a heartbreak for someone...The house is in a 55 and
over, 12 home community, in a nice section of town, near where I raised
my kids...The house had been on the market for two years, as it is so
large most older people are downsizing...NOT ME...I'm upsizing !! and
being that we are in a depressed housing market....Never in my wildest
dreams, did I plan to move back to Bakersfield, or dream of having such a
"palace" to live in and share with friends and family...
Kitchen cabinets have many
special features, like shelves that
pull out and places for
trays..double ovens...
special features, like shelves that
pull out and places for
trays..double ovens...
Atrium at the front door, and filled
with several varities of
plants...watching the bamboo grow
was a special treat...I could almost
see it grow when the new growth
was forming
with several varities of
plants...watching the bamboo grow
was a special treat...I could almost
see it grow when the new growth
was forming
| My office/family room...where I keep the stoma covers and hats that are finished...shown is the area where I have my computer, receive your emails.. |
| The back of the house... My Grandson Tom and me.. I'm proud of my grandsons... Tom is in the sheriff department and his brother is in the military... |
| The common area...my yard is in the foreground. There is a large pool, that will soon be warm enough to use... |
| LINK TO RETURN TO NEW STOMA COVERS AND HATS INDEX.. OPENING PAGE OF SITE Bowsgallery@aol.com |
| I have been so busy with getting settled that I have neglected the web site and have not been productive...I miss making the hats and stoma covers and mostly miss the emails and personal stories they bring... but I'M BACK NOW |