Monday, September 22, 2008

First Impressions of the City

As Ericka has so aptly described DC, it is like a checkerboard. Every street, and every block can be a different "neighborhood". So driving into the city - it looked like at times that we were coming right into the "ghetto" - to just go down another block and see Porche's and Jaguars sitting on the street.

EVERYTHING is a row house. Not even townhouses, but whole blocks of townhouse looking houses - but JOINED together to make one big row of connecting "townhouses". Block after block of row houses. Some look decent - some look unlivable. But all part of the "picture" that makes up the city.

On the WEDNESDAY we were driving towards our new city- I get the call from the management company saying that our application has been accepted on the house we applied to get a lease on. Nothing like last minute! And that is SOOOO not my personality to embrace uncertainty like this. That alone is a MIRACLE!

We pick up the keys to the house and we all enter it - seeing it with our eyes for the first time. The first impression was not that great. We just drove through some really sketchy looking neighborhoods to get here - and now this new home of hours SMELLS very musty and is dirty. The bathrooms are dirty, the basement smells, and the kitchen is covered in a sawdust type grit.

So I set about CLEANING while the guys start unloading the truck. AFTER the place is clean - I see it's potential and that it might just be a great fit for us. By DC standards - it is big. And we have come to LOVE where it is located - on the "V" of 2 streets - so it seems like we have "less" traffic and more of "small" feel. The house is yellow brick on the outside. I will post a pic as soon as I remember to take one!

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