Home recap (Part four...This time with pictures, yo. )

So...In case you were curious, we bought a house.  Ours is still on the market, but it took us a long time and many offers before we found our place.  (Which only happened because the other offer made fell through and we got the call.  And we were *just* about to quit for a few weeks and focus on our own home.  Funny how that works)   The net we cast was to include Northeast, Golden Valley, St. Anthony, and eventually Columbia Heights and New Brighton.  (CH is going to mess things up for people when it locks the gentrifying post-collegiate set after the current home owners age themselves out.  We found some scorcher looking beauts in there for not much $$$)

 

NB has the schools we wanted (diverse) and is still close enough to our friend-family who still lives close by.  I'll miss having the coffee shop and bakery so close (and my co-op, and restaurants, etc) but we fell in love with this silly, mid-century home with butcher block countertops and spacious basement to let our kid roam and run.  So KEEP your OLD Brighton, suckers.

 

For you amusement, pics of the new digs at the bottom, and a pictorial history of my family homes.  The only set back so far was a dead ass bloated bunny in the back yard.  That's good luck, right?:

"Closingggg tiiiiime"-  When I closed on my NE home, it was a 4 hour process and my wrists hated me.  We were in and out of our title company in 30 minutes and they insisted on posing with these sign props.  Missus P and I thought "We said YES to the Address" was on brand, but went more traditional MN.  It is also our least favorite picture of the two of us.

"I need a picture in front of the SOLD signage.  I didn't get one here, and I won't miss my chance this time."/"Well, the seller's realtor is taking it out today."  I burned ass early this morning to take this, you're welcome New Brighton.

69th and Colorado in B.P.  Current Zillow image, but what I remember most was running into the old cornfield that butted up to our tree-lined back yard.  That, and we had one of the most Famous Tae Kwon Do teacher's in the nation that lived down the street.

This was my Childhood home in BP from 1980 until I moved out for good in 1997, then back home in 1999, the out for good until Mom and Dad left for their Plymouth townhome in 2005.  Not pictured is the barn that was in between our house and 2nd garage, which makes it seem more rustic/pastoral than it really was.  In that porch was the hot tub, which my mom and dad encouraged me to use if they were out of town and bring a date.  In my late father's own words:  "I'm okay if you wanna go in bare ass.  Your mom and I do all the time".  Hashtag scarred for life.

Never mind the child with the chicken on his head.  Behind me was my neighbors house.  I wouldn't find out until *years* later there was a fairly contentious relationship between my folks and them.  Why I share this is because between 1992 and 1996 I house sat for their snowbird butts while they left for their Hawaiian condo and I took care of their menagerie consisting of: 5 cats, 3 Greyhound rescues, an elderly Yorkie named Tahlulah, and a Gray Parrot that swore and faked the doorbell/telephone. 

 They had a water bed and one of those orthopedic bendy beds which were both less fun than you think you'd have as a young person.  They also had a room *full* of creepy dolls lining the wall. 

100% NOT how this So. Mpls/Harriet bungalow off of Aldrich looked when I rented it for a year.  It's a 4/4ba now, but it was a 1 story 2 BR/1 BA home when I was there.  Garish, and it's Zestimate is almost 900K.  Ok.

 

And here we have the family mansion from 2005 until 2021.  It's off market while we move, but if you have people interested in a charming 3 BR/1 BA NE home with built ins, significant upgrades and a tremendous yard. (With additional plumbed sewer basement which is DRY as a bone, thank you.)  Just check our listing on social media.  Picture 2 is my vicious attack Bean, keeping eyes on you.

 

 

 

Okay, Ramblers...let's get rambling.  Say hello to the new Ranch.  There are sour cherry and Zestar apple trees in front.  I'm floored.

 

 

 

Deck, or as they say in New Zealand "Dick", flops down onto a paved patio.

White picket fence?  Check.  Right now the stairs at the bottom are flanked with lillies and hostas and it's a Perennial Paradise.

 

 Never mind I don't want anything on the butcher block ever.  No scuffs or wine stains or I will scream.  

I promised my wife and family I had something in mind as a symbolic first decoration for the built in cabinetry.  I figured the sand-to-glass statue from our wedding ceremony was where this needed to live.

 

We brought my in-laws and my kid over for dinner and a walk-through after closing.  Izzy's in the 3-season leading out to the deck which had bespoke furnishing when we showed up.  It's...it's really lovely and has a great view of the pond out back.  Dead bunny not included.