We live in a townhouse-like community in that the upper units, like ours, have two floors where as the lower units are single floors and under those bottom units are two car garages. The garages are tandem (one car in front of the other instead of side by side). When we first got our apartment we inquired after the use of a garage and were told that they were very hard to come by. People seem to stay in this little community for a long time and all of the garages were taken. We were given a storage unit and a parking space not far from our apartment unit and we were pretty happy with that arrangement, though I did ask that we be put on the garage waiting list. I told the management office that I was only interested in a garage that was right near our apartment – that took us down to about six garage options – it didn’t look good for us getting a garage any time soon. But…then about three weeks ago a guy a few units up from ours pulls his U-haul up to his steps and starts schlepping all of his worldly goods down the steps and into the truck. Sadie and I were as nebby as possible without being too obvious on our walks, watching the family bring down the mattresses and the couches and box after box. The most amazing thing happened when one afternoon I looked out the window and saw that his Uhaul was in front of our place – and he was unloading the garage below my apartment. My heart leapt! He packed everything up and was gone.
For three weeks I have been stalking that garage – when I heard a car outside, I’d run to the window to see who might be pulling into the garage. As the weeks went by I was sure that someone ahead of us on the wait list had been given the garage. Chris and I talked about it and decided that too much time had gone by and that there was no way the unit was available. I settled back into my normal routine and then the phone rang! Did we want the garage? Oh yeah, baby! We wanted the garage. We spent the weekend moving everything out of our storage unit and into the garage.
It’s totally stupid to be excited about having a private garage, but if you’d been what I’ve been through with parking garages over the last ten years, well, you’d be stinking excited too.
When I moved to New York I first rented a sweet little attic apartment above this retired couple from Italy. They were lovely and the arrangement worked well for three years. Every winter I dug myself and my landlords and the retired widow next door out of the snow. I didn’t mind – they really looked after me and my landlord would change the oil in my car for free.
Then C. asked me to move to Brooklyn with him. My heart leapt and oozed out of my chest and I quickly packed up all of my own worldly possessions and headed down the BQE. I rented a parking spot in a garage in Park Slope for a measly $350 A MONTH! I didn’t always have the same spot, in fact, sometimes my car would be on a lift. They beat the ever loving crap out of both of the cars that I had in that garage, the guys that worked there yelled at me and I had to shell out close to $800 in tips every Christmas. It was a lot of money for a lot of pain and my car’s look terrible as a result of their abuse.
So imagine my excitement at having a private two car garage attached to my home! No more looking for a parking space, digging out of the snow or being yelled at in several different languages while I wait for my car to be brought down from a lift for me. Cost for this garage is so minimal, I won’t even tell you. It’s not even half of what I paid for the Brooklyn space.
I have garage glow. I can’t help it. My world is very small.
Other updates:
- I'm going to Rhinebeck! I'm working so hard to get rid of my knitblock right now, I'm doing to two row scarf with some stash yarn, but this weekend I'm writing out my projects and then C. and head up to Rhinebeck this month! I've never been - it is the knitter's mecca...people fly in from other countries to go to this fiber and wool festival. Can't. Wait. Seriously.
- Huge Halloween plans - I mean, I live in Sleepy Hallow now, it's gonna be a huge time of year. Oh, and Sadie has a costume. You'll die of the cuteness - I'm saving it for you.
Till next time, it's all the news that fit toknit!
Sadie says, wooooooffff, wooffff, woooofff.
I finished up this little two row scarf and just cast on for one in Noro Silk Garden - yarn I brought home from Rhinebeck. I'm really enjoying it. This scarf is simple, midless knitting and since I've been working myself out of knit-block, it was just what I needed. It's getting to be that time though when I start to challenge myself again. This weekend I went into my new local yarn shop and the people were so nice - I've got to get back there and support them. I'm wondering if they have a knit night - I'll have to call and ask.
The whole village of Tarrytown / Sleepy Hollow was decked out for the holiday. C. and I went down to main street for some lunch and roaming around. I love this little town that we're living in - the people are nice and there are lots of things going on all of the time. I hope we make some nice friends soon. Check out the spiders on the side of this house. I'm pretty sure they light up - very spooky!
