I don’t know how much you “new-abcd-ies” (sorta like “newbies” -right?) know about my current “situation” or how far back in the ABCD Design archives you have dug… For those who have been following ABCD Design for a while, you know the deal. Forgive me for the “flashback” but there are new juicy details towards the end of the post, so please do keep reading!
A quick Lemons to Lemonade Update: My husband (I call him Mr. D) used to run an office for a London based firm. As part of his job, we’d spend about 2 weeks out of every 6 weeks across the pond in London. We did this for almost 3 years. That is why I started my little Bespoke Stationery company. It was a job I could work on – no matter where in the world I found myself. I can do my design work on the computer, all of the time.
When Mr. D’s company closed the NYC office in May, we thought we’d be shipped off to London – full time. Then they also told us the London office would likely be closed by the end of this year. That being said, we didn’t bother moving to the UK once our Soho apartment sold.
Mr. D’s mom passed away a week after his job ended. At that point we said “screw this stinky situation!” No kids, no real estate. Heck, we don’t even have a house plant to take care of. The world is our oyster, right? No sense in paying NYC rent if we don’t have to. We’ve been “virtually homeless” ever since.
Instead of hanging around in New York, we’ve been traveling. We went to Monaco and the South of France, Santa Fe, and Charleston. We’ve been splitting our time between family in Michigan and Tennessee. *Thank goodness my little business is mobile!*
Thankfully, things are picking up on the job front for him and we feel it is time to get back in the game again. The decision has been made against him going back to school. The opportunities he had outside of NYC have either fizzled out or relocated back to the City. Me = sighing a big breath of relief! I am delighted that we don’t have to start over in Los Angeles, Portland, Miami, or Washington D.C. How seriously difficult that would have been! Starting “life” over after 10+ years in New York? No thanks.
You may recall that we spent some time looking at second homes in Northern Michigan this summer … then we realized, the second home market outside New York City has been “hit” just as hard in this financial downturn. Why not take a look-see?
Our plan is to buy a “country house” where we can get out from out from under our pricey storage bill in the Bronx. (YAY! I can get my winter clothes, art, china, collections and cooking gear back. Let the nesting begin- winkwink!) He can continue to travel to the City as need-be until a job surfaces. I could not be more delighted to be moving back within a 90 miles of NYC! Once his job is situated, we’ll rent a little place in the City. We’ve made the commitment to return to NYC on a Monday-Friday schedule and to “weekend” in the country. It’s the very best of both worlds, don’t you agree?
*A special thanks to Uncle Beefy for Tweeting the link to the oh-so-fitting first image in this post! The fifth photo is also via ffffound. What an awesome photo source!*
Posted by ABCD / Nesting and Personal and Sealed with a Kiss and The Country House and Travel and Uncategorized
It’s a very exciting travel day for Mr. D and I. After 4 long months we’re headed to our home *sweet* home. Can you believe we’ve put over 12,000 miles on the truck we borrowed from my dad? 12,000 miles since August 1st! Not to mention, just think of all the distance we’ve covered on flights… We’re exhaust-i-cated.
We got word that we’re allowed to move our things into the new place on Thursday – however, we are not allowed to sleep there until the owner of the property (who resides in Italy) signs a power of attorney. Something about them being able to make the lease legal. Gotta love it. We’re staying at a friend’s place until it can be sorted out. The kookie things you have to go through to live in the Wonder City!
Mr. D stayed behind in the South for a few days of mountain biking in Asheville, North Carolina. Whatever the case, I am here to enjoy Anne and her sweet as pie daughter, Hannah. I might as well go soak up as much of them as I can while I am able, don’t you agree? Instead of sitting on my computer all day, I am off to explore my old stomping grounds.
