Home Sweet Abbey

The Top 5 Lessons I’ve Learned at Maples at the Sonatas

August 30, 2013

I had just pulled out of my driveway this morning when I noticed a woman and child walking toward their car in our parking lot. I stopped and lowered my window. Can I help you? I asked.

I was hoping to find someone, but I must be too early.

The office doesn’t open for another half hour, but maybe I can help you. I live here, and sometimes they let me help out in the sales office. It’s hot out here. Shall we go inside and get you some information?

Thanks, she said. That would be great.

As we chatted about the various models and her housing needs, she asked how long I had lived here.

Almost three years, I told her. “Wait, what’s today’s date? It’s Aug. 30, isn’t it?” She nodded.

“I signed the contract to buy my home exactly three years ago today.”

Then Kathy arrived and took over. I left, pondering all that has happened in those three years. I’ve tried to condense a jumble of thoughts and memories into this one list.

The Top 5 Lessons I’ve Learned at Maples at the Sonatas

5. Decorating is more fun than I realized, and I’m not as bad at it as I feared. If you had told me three years ago that I would spend three years decorating my new home, I wouldn’t have believed you. I didn’t fully realize until I got here that upsizing my home—rather than downsizing, as my neighbors did—would create so many opportunities for creativity. Adding furniture, accessories, accent colors, area rugs—it has all been fun, though expensive.

4. More responsibility is not necessarily a bad thing. If you had told me three years ago that today I would be trying to sell a home here, I wouldn’t have believed you. If you had told me that I would be serving as our community’s resident trustee, I wouldn’t have believed that either. I fell into both roles and, most of the time, that’s a good thing. Both are challenging and rewarding; both have taught me a lot.

3. A person can never have too many friends. If you had told me three years ago that I needed more friends, I wouldn’t have believed you. I wrote about the joyous surprise of building friendships with my neighbors in this post. It turns out that the ties that bind are made of elastic. My circle of friends keeps stretching.

(tied for first place)

1. Do not fear change. The words are so easy to type and so hard to live out. But looking back, the one constant in my time here has been change, or, to use its other name, growth. The physical growth of our neighborhood has been astounding, much more than I ever anticipated. As the construction gates moved back time and again, more houses and more residents have become a way of life. From the little things, like wearing name tags at our social events, to the big things, like the new quad going up next door to me, I try to make my peace with it all. Sometimes, I am even able to embrace it.

1. Try not to take things for granted. Again, the words are much easier to type than to live out. But I keep trying to acquire a habit of gratitude. I realize that I have stumbled into a very special place to live and very special people to share it with. It is all much more than I deserve. And for that, I am grateful, especially today.

Also New to the Neighborhood…

August 26, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Pictures

My neighbor, Joe, was out with his iPhone this morning and spotted this visitor, a praying mantis.

photo by Joe

Equal parts artsy and scary, these photos are guaranteed to wake you up quickly on a Monday morning.

Photo by Joe

We know how to have fun with the smallest things in my neighborhood. It’s how we roll here at Maples at the Sonatas.

Woodstock Makes a Big-time List

August 21, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Woodstock

I still remember the woman who wouldn’t get out of the car.

She and her husband were driving around on a Sunday afternoon, looking at model homes. But he walked into our sales office alone. “My wife won’t come in,” he said a little sheepishly. “She refuses to live this far out.” I never found out if she considered Woodstock too far from Chicago, too far from its suburbs, or too far from wherever else she wanted to be. For whatever reason, our town did not appeal to her.

I thought of her yesterday when the news practically went viral with my Facebook friends. Small, out-of-the-way Woodstock has caught the eye of one of the biggest names in travel. Fodor’s includes us in this article on its website. If you’re interested in learning why, check out the link below.

5 Midwestern Small Towns to Visit Now

http://www.fodors.com/news/5-midwestern-small-towns-to-visit-now-7040.html

Monday Morning Madness

August 19, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Construction

There was nothing I wanted to do more this morning than stay home and watch the show. So I made a couple of calls to rearrange my schedule, grabbed a cup of coffee and my camera, and settled in my sun room. Construction of Building 3, a quad across the driveway from me, shifted into high gear this morning and stayed there for several hours.

Come on in and join me. Prepare to learn a little about the fine art of constructing a foundation. A special welcome to the owners of the homes in Building 3. Yes, the Abbey and three Canterburys are all sold already. Carol and Kathy saw to that.

By the time this truck arrived shortly after 7 am, the action had already begun.

But before we get to today’s action…

let’s backtrack to some steps that preceded it. In the photo below, concrete for the walls is being poured.

Plumbing and electrical work came next.

Sewer pipes were laid and connected to the existing sewer line. This step required some big time digging.

Today’s action

In the photo below, I was trying to get artistic.

Workers were installing these sheets of foam insulation to create a protective thermal barrier. (I read that last part on the sheets themselves.)

Then the truck shown at the beginning of this post began shooting pea gravel to create a base for the concrete slab to come.

It’s not every day that you see a gravel geyser. A number of neighbors stopped to watch as they walked or biked by. My neighbor Dee, and Joel, whose crew was doing landscaping for Dee, watched the action from her patio.

The next step, covering the foundation area with plastic, came after lunch. As I write this, work has paused, waiting for a city building inspector to give the OK to continue. I’m expecting the concrete trucks will be back, just in time to entertain me during breakfast tomorrow.

Half an Anniversary

August 14, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

comments 2

Mostly Musings

Last Friday, my blog reached its six-month milestone. On Feb. 9, Home Sweet Abbey debuted with a post titled, “My Journey Home.” In it, I told how I spent three years casually, sporadically, looking at homes here at Maples at the Sonatas. It took me that long to work up my courage to make the commitment. Once I did, I spent less than two weeks making my purchase.

That same “delay-delay-delay-hurry up” pattern must be a habit with me. The history of this blog follows a similar timetable. In September 2011, I attended a Chicago Tribune seminar called “Creating Your Own Blog.” I left the class inspired. I would go right home and begin working on a homeowner’s blog.

But it took 13 months before I sat down to write a rough draft of my first post. Then, another four months passed before I would let anyone read it. Did I really spend almost a year and a half polishing one article of 670 words? Of course not. I do love revision, but not that much.

I spent most of that time working up the courage to pitch my idea to Wilcox Communities. I believed then—and I still do—that without their backing, I wouldn’t attract enough readers to make the blog viable.

So I set about writing three sample posts and polishing them the best I could. Finally, there was nothing left to do but take a deep breath and go for it. I emailed my three posts to Ember, marketing manager for Wilcox Communities, and asked if she would or could use my homeowner’s blog somehow. And…….

Ember said YES, she liked my posts. YES, she would help me set up my blog. YES, she would incorporate it into their marketing program. “We are excited about it,” she said. We meant someone else liked my idea too!

Six months worth of thanks

I have never enjoyed a writing project as much as this blog. I remain as devoted to it as I was six months ago.

I’d like to thank everyone who has taken time to read Home Sweet Abbey. Thank you to my neighbors, who let me interview and photograph them, who give me photos they have taken, and who suggest topics. Thanks, also, to those who have made positive comments about the blog, either to me personally or online.

Thank you to Jamie Wilcox. When he allowed me to write about him, and then his corporate office, he gave my blog a legitimacy that it was lacking.

Thank you to Sylvia, who clarified for me what I need to do. She said that I take little, ordinary happenings and turn them into posts. Once she put it in words, I understood that is exactly how I come up with ideas. I write little slices of life, Maples style.

And why not? Life is great here in Home Sweet Abbey.

Our Neighbors Who Don’t Live Here

August 7, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

comments 2

Wilcox People

I was sitting down at my computer to begin writing this post when an email came in. It was from Kathy, in our sales office, and began with this greeting: “Hi Neighbors.” The thing is, she isn’t—technically—our neighbor. But it sure feels like she is. And Kathy couldn’t have given me a more perfect lead-in to this post.

I’d like to introduce you to Kathy and three other people, each of whom meets all of the qualifications of a good neighbor, except for one. None of them lives in Maples at the Sonatas, or in Woodstock. They are all Wilcox Communities employees who spend their days with us because this is their workplace.

We encounter them doing their jobs in our neighborhood and in the clubhouse that we share with them. They always have time for a friendly greeting. They ask us how we are because they actually want to know. They celebrate our good news with us, worry when we are ill, and miss us if we move away or pass away.

Let’s begin with the sales staff of Carol and Kathy. Here they are on the day of our Spring Tour of Homes. Carol is on the left.

Carol, the sales manager, and Kathy, her sales assistant, are the first people newcomers meet when they visit this community. Carol and Kathy really are the faces of the Maples during the two or more months of the home buying process. They are very professional but also set the tone of casual friendliness that carries throughout our neighborhood. And after the buyers close and commissions have been paid, Carol and Kathy remain interested in seeing them happily settled in.

•••

New homeowners also meet the construction staff early on. Bob, the project manager, and Steve, the field project assistant, oversee every step of the building process. They also handle any warrantee work during the first year of ownership. Here they are, conferring with a contractor this week. Steve is on the left, and Bob on the right.

Bob and Steve also work to keep the customers educated and satisfied. I think it helps that both have wicked senses of humor. With multiple construction sites, these guys are hard to keep track of. One place you will seldom find them is at their desks in the office. They like to be out where the action is. On the rare day that they have time for a lunch break—and at the same time, no less—they might be found working on their golf game.

From all appearances, both pairs of employees are happy working here and happy working together. So, for the time being, everything is great.

But a nagging little worry lurks in back of my mind. These four “neighbors” are on loan to us. I try not to think about what happens when our community is built out. Instead, I’ll concentrate on enjoying them while they are here.

A Peaceful, Easy Kind of Growth

July 23, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Neighbors / Social Life

Most of us here at Maples at the Sonatas would not use adjectives like peaceful and easy to describe our neighborhood this summer. When we hear the word growth, we think of sales and construction and closings—all of which have been fast and furious.

But quietly, unobtrusively, another kind of growth is happening. This is the sweet, silent, delicious growth of plants in our community garden. Located near our parking lot—and directly across the street from Home Sweet Abbey—is a leafy, green oasis adding beauty to our neighborhood.

a sunflower last summer. Photo by Sylvia.

Now in its third summer, the garden is having its best season ever. This week, the green beans are ready to pick, green tomatoes are beginning to turn yellow, large zucchini hide under their luxurious vines, and savory herbs beg creative cooks to snip them. Sunflowers are drooping under the weight of huge buds that look oh-so close to opening.

Our neighbor, Sylvia, came up with the idea of a garden in March 2011. After living near a community garden in her former home in Hoffman Estates, she wondered if a similar one would work here.

Sylvia and Ollie, both members of our social committee, took the proposal to our builder, Jamie Wilcox, who supported the idea. He suggested a location for such a garden and offered to cover half the cost of starting it.

When Sylvia and Ollie presented their idea of a garden at the next monthly coffee, it was well received by the homeowners. Twelve of us chipped in to cover the remainder of the cost of hiring our landscaping firm to dig and prepare the 32- by 8-foot garden.

Sylvia then asked the participating neighbors what they would like to see planted. She was given a list with everything from parsley to sweet corn. But when it came time to do the actual planting and weeding, too many of us let Sylvia and a handful of others do most of the work.

our garden, last week. Photo by Kathy.

That first summer was a learning process. The soil quality was not very good, and some vegetables refused to thrive, or even grow. Nevertheless, a few things did well, and the garden yielded enough of a crop to keep us encouraged.

The next spring, 2012, Sylvia and her husband Joe worked bags and bags of mushroom compost and manure into the soil, improving its quality. She planted the vegetables that had done well the previous summer and eliminated others that hadn’t.

Also, early last summer, a handful of our hardworking men, led by Bob and Bob, extended the underground sprinkler system from our clubhouse out to the garden. That was a godsend, considering the extremely hot, dry weather we had. With daily watering, the garden did better than the previous year but still suffered from the heat.

This year is by far the best yet. Our crops include green peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, green beans, lettuce, collards, and a number of different herbs. The garden is completely enclosed by a row of flowers, with sunflowers along the back and marigolds on the front and sides. Those marigolds were a gift from Wilcox Communities, received during our Flower Power event in May.

our garden, last week. Photo by Kathy.

A final improvement this year comes in the form of willing, reliable help for Sylvia. Two neighbors, experienced gardeners, who moved in during the past year have really stepped up. Fred was a great help with adding compost and digging this spring, and Bonnie is a frequent weeder.

Sylvia suggested early on that the garden be for everyone to share. The plot is too small to subdivide into individual gardens, so it belongs to us all. There is no requirement of donating money or physical labor. The produce is there for whoever wants to walk by and pick it.

None of this would have happened without Sylvia. Under her leadership, the garden has become a beautiful reality for all to enjoy.

This zucchini was trying to hide from me yesterday. But I have plans for it, having signed up to bring zucchini bread to our upcoming potluck brunch.

Beating the Heat, Day 4

July 19, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Pictures

If the forecast is right, today will be our hottest day yet…but also the last before a break from the 90s. With this is mind, I’ve saved my heat-beating big guns for this moment.

Remember back to February 2011. It was my first winter here at Maples at the Sonatas—a memorable one that delivered our third biggest snowstorm ever. It was known as the Groundhog Day Blizzard, and, to use Groundhog Day lingo, it was a doozy. More than 20 inches of snow driven by high winds buried us. Here are a few of the photos I took. I hope they help you keep cool today.

I took all of these from my windows. I couldn’t get out my front door or garage until our brave snow removal crew made a timely appearance.

And yes, they really do shovel our sidewalks. It took three guys to move the snow from my sidewalks and a bobcat to open the driveway.

This is how things looked from my windows. Every one of them. Poor Angie couldn’t see anything but snow. She got so discouraged, she fell asleep on the bed.

So here’s a question for you. Would you trade this week’s heatwave for a big blizzard?

I wouldn’t!

Beating the Heat, Day 3

July 18, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

comment 1

Pictures

When it’s 91 degrees before noon, you know the afternoon is going to be another scorcher. So my heat-beater for today is the simplest of all. Stay inside in the air conditioning whenever possible. That’s what I’m doing, and my cat Angie loves having me home with her.

I sat down with a tall glass of ice water and The Tribune this morning, ready to take it easy. But I had neglected to put my cell phone within reach, so when it rang I had to get up. Within a second, there was Angie, hydrating with MY water.

As soon as I finished my call, I put a couple of ice cubes in her water bowl. But no, she still preferred mine. So I got her a glass of ice water identical to mine. Good. She liked it.

But she still liked mine too. It was back and forth for a while, her with two glasses, me with none. At this point, you may be able to guess how this story ends. That’s right. I will be running the dishwasher this evening. And I’m drinking ice tea, which the cat doesn’t like.

Beating the Heat, Day 2

July 17, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Neighbors / Pictures

The heatwave continues. So do my posts trying to combat it with cool thoughts, pictures, places, and people. Here is my heat-beater for today.

Tipsy stays cool(er) on her afternoon walk by hitching a ride with her human, Ray. This smart pooch will not be setting one paw on the hot sidewalk or asphalt driveway.

Tale of a Cat

July 12, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Home Elements/Decorating / Moving

Hello. I’m Angie, Caryl’s cat.

I’m here to give you my own feline view of this house where we live. If you want to get the unvarnished truth, always ask a cat. We’re known for our independence.

I was not so sure about this moving thing when Caryl first brought it up. I liked where we lived just fine. It had been my habitat for nine years, and I was comfortable there. I had stairs to run, a patio door that gave me a ground-level view of the great outdoors, and lots of comfy places to nap.

But then Caryl got this idea in her head that we were going to move. Well, it started out OK. I actually had a lot of fun helping Caryl go through drawers and pack up boxes.

But by the end, there was nothing left in our condo except my stuff. Everything else was in the garage or had been given away.

On moving day, Caryl left with everything except me. Sure, she said she would come back for me as soon as her stuff was in the new place, but I was kinda worried. I shouldn’t have been, though. She’d be lost without me.

When she came back, she put my cat tree, bed, litter box, bowls, toys, food, everything in her car. Then she scooped me up and stuffed me in my carrier. “Trust me,” she said. “You’ll love our new home.” We’ll see about that, I thought, and gave her nonstop piteous meows on the way over.

When we got here and she let me out, I was so disoriented. Nothing smelled right, and my belongings were all in strange places. I dived under her bed and stayed there. For two days, I let her worry about me and beg me to come out and bribe me with treats.

When it became clear we weren’t going back home, I decided I might as well make the best of it. So I strolled out from under the bed, shook myself good, and looked around like, so here I am. Where’s my food dish?

Once I started exploring, I found some good points in this new place that she called an Abbey. I figured it would probably do.

I don’t have a patio door, but there are some windows with good views. I really like the one right inside the front door that is exactly cat-sized.

And the sun room has more windows than we had all together in our old place. None of them go down to the floor, but Caryl put something in front of them for me to sit on and look out.

My biggest disappointment is not having any stairs to run. I need exercise to keep my svelte form, you know. But I’ve found that the top of the cabinets is a good place to run laps. I make a point of jumping up there when we have guests so I can hear them say, “Oh, look at the cute kitty. How did she get up there?”

Caryl does some fun things, and I naturally help her out with everything. We spend time working on this blog and on the book she is writing.

When she cooks, I have two places I can watch from without getting in trouble. One is a stool at the breakfast bar.

It’s barely high enough, though, so most of the time I use my other place. It is a handcrafted wooden tray that Caryl bought at a church bazaar. She says don’t tell the man who made it that I am using it. I don’t know why. He should be honored.

And sometimes we just watch TV. Here I am, watching a documentary about wolves.

All of this activity can wear a cat out. Luckily, there are lots of good places to take a nap. And I don’t mean somewhere as mundane as a bed. I like to be creative in my sleeping spaces. Sometimes I join some other animals on a shelf for a nap. They are nice and quiet but lousy conversationalists.

Or I might relax on our soft shag rug in the sun room.

And, of course, I can always sunbathe on our bistro table.

In the winter, I like to hang out on the cable box by the fireplace. It’s really warm there.

Caryl promised me we will never move again. That’s fine with me. I’d just as soon spend the rest of my nine lives here in our Abbey.

Big and Beautiful

July 10, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

comment 1

Pictures

Every time I go in or out of my garage, I pass by these glorious hydrangeas. Not having planted them, I take no credit. The little bushes were here when I came. Now in their fourth season, my, how they have grown.

Their location is perfect. I can even see them from my bed when I wake up in the morning.

Home Sweet Abbey

just became

a little sweeter!

‘I’m Home’—the end of Cathie’s story

July 6, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Growth/Sales / Moving

When I asked Cathie if she would let me blog about her experiences moving to her new home, I got a whole lot more than I expected. I thought I’d do perhaps three casual interviews with her and write up each as a post.

The three posts ended up being eight, as her story took more twists and turns than either of us ever imagined. And there was no interviewing involved. Cathie emailed me each post already written. I am very happy she did that because reading the updates in her voice rather than mine added so much to the story.

Now, here is the happy ending we have all been waiting for.

As I quoted in my first blog, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray”…and, oh boy…did they ever. When Caryl first asked me to chronicle my adventures of a cross-country move, neither of us had any idea how big an adventure this would become.

Last Monday, my lawyer called to say we were set to close on Wednesday at 11:30. I told her I’d believe it when I had keys in hand. I did nothing. I did not call movers, or tell the hotel I’d be checking out early, or make any other arrangements. I did close on my Abilene, TX, home on Monday, and all went smoothly there.

Wednesday morning I picked up my cashier’s check and headed over to the title company. Was this really going to happen this time? I signed all the paperwork and then waited for funding approval so they could give me the keys. And we waited…for 4 1/2 hours. I honestly believed for a while that I would not receive the keys and would have to return after the long weekend. But the approval finally came.

I immediately drove to my new home, and with a big grin on my face and my heart filled with so much happiness I thought it would burst, I opened my front door.

So we have come to the end of my adventure, as I received the keys on July 3 and moved into my new home on the 4th of July.

My silver lining is that every year, as I celebrate our great nation’s birthday, I will also be celebrating the anniversary of my newfound freedom in my very own home.

I want to thank all of you who followed me on my adventure (via the blog) and Caryl for providing a venue to expose the ups and downs of moving. A special thanks to Carol Lyons, Steve Downey, and Sharon Erickson (Wilcox Communities) who helped turn every crisis into something more manageable to bear.

I look forward to settling into my new community and meeting my great neighbors. For those of you considering a move to The Maples, you won’t regret it. The Wilcox family is not your average builder. They are waiting to help you make a new life in your new home at The Maples at the Sonatas. May your journey be not quite as eventful as mine.

•••

If you came to Cathie’s story in the middle and would like to read it from the beginning, you can do that by clicking on these links.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

A Very Happy 4th for Cathie

July 4, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Growth/Sales / Moving

Yesterday, after a 4+ hour closing, Cathie received her long-awaited keys to her new home. She is anxious to get settled but will write an update soon.

Close But No Closing—a Cathie Update

July 1, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Growth/Sales / Moving

It has been two weeks since Cathie last updated us on her purchase of a new Portico here in Maples at the Sonatas and her move from Texas. At that time, she was still in Abilene but was about to load her belongings on a truck for the move to Woodstock. When I look down my street this morning, I see her home, but Cathie still isn’t there. She explains why in this latest installment in her ever-longer saga.

Well, as I said in my last blog, my luck hasn’t been going so well. So what are the chances that there will be another glitch? Very probable…and there were several.

Break down

My husband and I made it two and a half hours out of town, to Wichita Falls, TX, before our first glitch.

A tire blew out on the U-Haul trailer we were pulling behind the U-Haul truck, the brakes seized on the truck, and something happened to the hydraulic assist and engine. U-Haul sent a mechanic from Lawton, OK, and it took 4 1/2 hours to finally get the truck and trailer to Wichita Falls, where I was waiting with my car.

U-Haul had to switch out the trailer, but they got the truck fixed and had us on the road by noon the following day. Did I mention it was 101 degrees and I had my three dogs with me in the car during this ordeal?

Back on the road

Wednesday morning my lender called to say everything was on track, and I would have closing costs soon so I could make arrangements (on the road) to get to a Chase Bank to arrange a wire transfer. I confirmed with the movers that they could off-load the truck on Friday.

We made our way to the Maples, where I met up with Caryl, and she let us into the home so my husband could see it. We left the truck in the driveway and headed for the hotel for some much needed rest.

Around 8 pm, Carol Lyons sent me a copy of an e-mail from my lender. Once again…we would not be closing. Up to now, I’ve been rolling with the punches. This time I cried.

Yet another game plan

First, I dropped my husband at the train station so he could make his own way to O’Hare. Carol Lyons came to the rescue again, arranging a release from liability so I could place my belongings in the garage. I made arrangements with another hotel to stay until July because I still have no idea when I’m closing. I finally calmed down enough to call my lender. It was their mistake and they were very sorry, but that didn’t help me.

We’re coming up on the July 4 holiday, and my divorce, with my name change, is final as of next week…just to complicate matters. No one is sure if we can make the closing happen before either of these events. On the other hand, the closing on my Abilene home is today so I had to turn my attention to coordinating paperwork with the title company.

So I’m still homeless and still waiting…

Cathie’s three dogs are living with her in a hotel room while she waits to close on her home.

Sunday in the Sales Office with Carol

June 24, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

comments 4

Growth/Sales

At 11:30 yesterday morning, I am getting ready to help Carol in the sales office, filling in for her assistant, Kathy, who is on vacation. I have done this before, and Sunday’s hours are only noon to 5. This’ll be easy, I tell my cat Angie.

But then I look out a window and see there is already a car in the parking lot. Without taking time to change into more professional clothing, I hurry over to the clubhouse. There, I find a neighbor keeping a prospective buyer company. “She wants to go through the models,” he tells me.

“Sure, no problem,” I say confidently. “Carol will be here soon, and I can take you around in the meantime.”

Before we can get outside into the heat and humidity, a couple arrives, also wanting to see models. We walk maybe 10 feet down the sidewalk when yet another car drives up. Another couple joins our group, making me feel like a teacher on a field trip.

I am relieved to see Carol drive past us on her way to unlock the models. I sneak a peek at my watch and smile. Only 11:50, and I am already showing five people around

As we walk through the Abbey model, I am politely peppered with questions. What are the taxes? The association dues? The utilities? Is this bedroom bigger than the other one? Can I plant flowers? And, my favorite, can you tell me why I should buy here rather than at Del Webb?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I can. And I do.

After walking through the Promenade across the street, I steer them back toward the clubhouse. They are moving on to questions Carol should answer, not me. I’m just a homeowner volunteer, I say. Undeterred, one guy asks, Well, can’t you just give me a ballpark estimate what this upgrade might cost?

No, as a matter of fact, I can’t. And I don’t.

By then, I am looking forward to a little break in the air-conditioned sales office. But when we walk by the parking lot, I see that won’t be happening. A couple more cars have pulled in while we were out.

Two new faces greet me in the clubhouse, but not Carol. I know she will be out on her golf cart, showing someone else around. So I reassure my first group that if they can’t wait for her, Carol will call them as soon as possible.

Then I welcome my new people, and it begins all over. There is always someone waiting for Carol, always someone for me to show around. Though most my memories of the next three hours are a blur, here are a few that pop out:

• I talk with two other retired teachers and another self-published author.

• Carol learns one woman lives on the same street that she used to.

• I am not insured to drive the golf cart, nor have I ever driven one. In the afternoon heat, a prospective buyer offers to drive his wife and me around, and I take him up on it, though I shouldn’t have.

• I overhear Carol saying she recently learned that 97% of home-buying decisions are made by women.

• Right after that, a guy comes in alone, saying his wife refuses to get out of the car because she doesn’t want to live this far out. Our chances of snagging him look grim, but we try anyway.

•••

Sometime in mid-afternoon, we order a pizza. It is an hour and a half before we are both free at the same time to share it. And before we finish, the front door opens again.

By the end of the day, we will have welcomed 12 groups of new buyers, as well as one under contract and another who has visited several times. By then, I am totally, unequivocally convinced that selling homes is a lot harder than it looks.

A little after 4, storm clouds begin building. I go out to wheel our garbage bin to the curb. While I am out, a neighbor approaches to talk to me in my role as resident trustee.

I am happy to do this because he has had complaints, and this is the first time he has discussed them with me. As we talk, the storm hits so we move under the roof, but with the wind, that doesn’t help much. Finally, we agree to talk again later. I hurry inside, my hair plastered to my scalp and water running down my face.

I look at the clock, which, blessedly, says 5. Carol thanks me profusely and offers me an umbrella. Exhausted, I trudge home with a deeper understanding of the expression “rode hard and put away wet.”

•••

But now, 24 hours later, here’s the crazy part. I realize I had a blast. I can’t wait to work again Wednesday. By then, I should have recovered from yesterday.

The Times and My Views—They Are a Changin’

June 22, 2013

by Caryl Dierksen

Leave a comment

Construction / Growth/Sales

For those of us who live in the midst of it, the rapid growth of Maples at the Sonatas has almost become old news. It takes someone who is here only occasionally to really notice it. I’ve had two groups of visitors in the past two weeks who have reminded me just how much and how quickly our neighborhood is expanding.

First, there was the visit from my brother and sister-in-law, who live in the Denver area. A couple of weeks ago, they made their annual visit. One of the first things they commented on was the new homes. Of course, they have said that the last three years, but this time the growth is more pronounced.

The same thing happened a couple of days ago when my girlfriends, Marylee and Margie, came to spend an afternoon in my bistro sunroom, as they call it. They had last been here in November. We sat out in the veranda sharing our champagne and strawberries—yes, we know how to enjoy retirement—and they too marveled at all the new homes that have sprung up.

That made me curious. Without getting up, I looked out a window and began counting. The numbers surprised even me. I could see parts of 13 homes from where I sat. Only one of them had existed when I moved in in October 2010.

Yes, there has been a lot of construction, but so far none of it has been within mere yards of me. I still have the same view of open land that I’ve always had. Now that is about to change.

Of course, I looked at the map of the community before I signed my contract. I knew that the empty field directly across my driveway would not remain empty. Each time a new Abbey or Canterbury was sold, I wondered if it would be the one that would make Building 3 necessary. This went on for a long time; the construction always ended up elsewhere.

But when the first home in Building 3 sold recently (to a couple I know), I accepted that big-time change was headed my way. I know it sounds silly, but here is my biggest concern: I don’t want to lose entirely my view of Ware Road. I so enjoy watching school buses travel that street. See, I told you it was silly.

But seeing those buses is important. It reminds me to appreciate my life as a retired teacher. If I am left with even a sliver of a view of that road, all will be fine.

It is still very early in the construction process, as you will see in the photos below. I wish I had taken a shot of that empty field when I moved in. The best I could find is this one taken through the blinds of my sun room shortly before I bought.

One day last week, this was my view.

The next day, I took this picture. To my untrained eyes, the lot appears ready for building to begin.

I know that the building permit is on file in our sales office, and I am ready. Let the process begin.

But, please, Jamie. Please, Phil. Just a sliver?

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: