Father’s Day Fun in the Sun
A few days late, but still worth sharing. Our beautiful pool was THE place to be for granddads, dads, kids, the whole family. Photo by Shirley.
Author: Caryl Dierksen
Lord, Give Me Strength!
Today Cathie shares a quick update on her journey from Texas to Woodstock. Finally, the complicated move is about to begin. But that doesn’t mean that the problems have all been solved. Far from it! Here is the latest installment. I still have no closing date for my new home, but my soon-to-be-ex-husband and I are getting ready for the closing on the home we sold here in Texas. We need to come up with […]
Bookin’ it, Maples style
Our Maples Book Club is not exactly what you might expect from a group of, um, shall we say, rather mature women sitting around a table talking about books. We do that, of course. We have great discussions. It’s just that during the discussions, we often take interesting little side trips. Yesterday afternoon, for example, Sue arrived at our meeting carrying something in addition to her book. She held up a well-worn box bearing the […]
Cathie ponders… Is it worth all the trouble?
Cathie expected to have closed, moved, and settled into her new home in Maples at the Sonatas by now. As she explained in yesterday’s post, it’s been a difficult and complicated process that isn’t complete just yet. While she waits in Texas for the final details to come together, here are her thoughts. Is buying this house worth all the trouble I’m going through? Absolutely! As Caryl mentioned in the first blog, I found Maples […]
To close or not to close … Another Update on Cathie’s Move
When I asked Cathie last month if she would be willing to share her moving experiences for this blog, I had no idea what a saga it would become. She certainly didn’t either. Today’s post is part 3 of the story; part 4 will be coming your way in a day or two; and the final chapter has yet to be written. We both thank you for your interest in this story. If you are […]
Unofficial Census Results
When I moved to Maples at the Sonatas two and a half years ago, there were 21 residents. As of today, I count 80 people living here. Wow!
It’s a Beautiful Day to…
…be alive and be outdoors. The sun is bright, the air is a comfortable 69 degrees, the breeze is very gentle. It’s a beautiful day to cruise the neighborhood in a golf cart, like Dee and Carol did. It’s a beautiful day to read a good book by the pool, like Sue did. It’s a beautiful day to swim in Grandma’s pool, like Sue’s grandchildren and their friends did. It’s a beautiful day to lie […]
‘Not Even Close to Being Done’ — Cathie’s Update on Her Move
Earlier this week, I introduced you to Cathie, my soon-to-be neighbor. She shared the complicated story of her preparations to move from Abilene, Texas, to Woodstock. You can find that post here. Today, Cathie updates us on her walk through of her new Portico home and upcoming closing. Again, I’ll let her tell the story herself. ••• Well, I have some great news and some horrible news. First, the good news. On Memorial Day my […]
Construction as a Spectator Sport
Thank you, Wilcox Communities, for the free entertainment today! It’s always fun watching the construction process, but there is no better day than the one when the crane comes in to set trusses for the roof of a new home. And that’s what is happening this afternoon. A lot of action, a little danger, some drama — many of us homeowners drop what we are doing to watch the show. When I began taking pictures, […]
The Key to a Move Is…
It was looking like Cathie had made it through the hardest part of the home buying process without a hitch. Using online research, she had chosen Maples at the Sonatas as her new community. Also online, she had decided on a Portico home, which was available here, and had communicated with our sales consultant, Carol. In early April, Cathie flew in from Abilene, Texas, where she and her husband are currently living, to look at […]
The Sweet Smell of Progress
This was a big morning for my soon-to-be neighbor, Jan, and her husband, Steve. The lumber for their new Promenade was delivered. They must have been watching from the home they are renting down the street because they were outside moments later, cameras in hand. In the picture below, Jan is asking framing contractor Mike Carr exactly when the home will be framed. And here Jan enjoys a sniff of the sweet smell of fresh […]
Those Versatile Abbey Bedrooms
As I showed visitors around my Abbey during our Spring Tour of Homes, I heard the same comment again and again. Guests would step into my second bedroom and say, “This is so big. It almost looks bigger than the master.” “You’re right. It IS bigger,” I would reply. My visitors had discovered one of the ways the Abbey is unique among the Epcon floor plans. It is the only model with a second bedroom […]
Sunshine and Flowers and Peace and Love…oh, my!
It was a far out, groovy morning at Maples at the Sonatas as we gathered for our third annual Flower Power event. It’s no secret that we love a reason to share a cup of coffee and socialize. And if there’s one thing we love even more, it’s getting something free. Yesterday, that was flowers. It was our sales consultant, Carol Lyons, who started this event and nicknamed it Flower Power. The name is catchy […]
Flower Power—Still Alive and Well in Woodstock
Details and more photos coming tomorrow…
A Tour of the Corporate Canterbury
The Chicago headquarters of Wilcox Communities blends so seamlessly into its surroundings that you would never suspect it was there. But don’t look for it in Chicago; it is actually located in Plainfield in the Wilcox community of Villas at Fox Run. There, tucked into a Canterbury home that from the outside looks just like every other Canterbury in the community, is the office of one of the fastest growing builders in the Midwest. In […]
A Maple at the Sonatas
Our namesake tree paired with our signature Epcon architecture. Springtime is lovely in Woodstock.
Pretty in Pink
This magnolia tree proves that landscaping doesn’t have to be mature to be beautiful. Wouldn’t you love to open your front door to this view?
The Serendipity of My Abbey
Would it surprise you to learn that I am in love with words? I didn’t think so. Retired English teacher, lifelong reader, writer, blogger— it’s totally predictable. Please excuse me if this post sounds like a vocabulary lesson. I freely confess that it is, at least in the beginning. And so, class, the word for the day is serendipity. I first encountered the word in the name of a ‘60s group, the Serendipity Singers. Although […]
If You Build Them, They Will Come
It’s hard to say who enjoyed yesterday’s Maples at the Sonatas Spring Tour of Homes more. Was it (a) the visitors who toured the five private homes and four models? Or maybe (b) the sales staff who created another successful event? Or possibly (c) the owners who opened their homes? Carol and Kathy, our sales staff, were certainly happy. An estimated 120 people walked though the homes, resulting in a number of good prospects and […]
Dog Day Afternoon
It was mid-afternoon of a beautiful, 70-degree day. But I was inside yesterday, on the phone with my brother and sister-in-law, talking long distance, as we used to call it. As we chatted, I glanced out a window and saw four neighbors and three dogs gathered near my patio. I rather abruptly ended the phone call, telling my family I needed to go outside and talk with some neighbors. Needed might seem like too strong […]
Home Sweet Abbey 