Feeling At Home

My 'regular' at the coffee shop: cinnamon-orange decaf teaI've spent part of every weekend since early November in the neighborhood I'm considering moving to. I've been feeling my way around, driving up and down streets, looking at houses, checking out the locals, walking through the parks. You might say I've been trying out the town to see if it fits and how comfortable it is. The place is winning me over in a big way. 

The owners and managers of the shops I've been in have introduced themselves to me and been so friendly, every time I go to the coffee shop someone engages me in conversation and I even went so far as to join a writers' group that meets at the local independent bookstore.  

I'm sort of moving in without the hassle of cardboard boxes and packing tape. 

Last weekend, I spent the entire afternoon there, enjoying the Christmas Walk in the downtown area. Most of the shops were open, which was a treat because they aren't normally open on Sundays. Everyone was offering specials and sales and free hot drinks and there were singers serenading everyone with Christmas carols on the sidewalk. A horse-drawn trolley took children to see Santa and Mrs. Claus and then everyone gathered at the park to hear Christmas carols by the church choir and watch Santa light the 30' pine in the center of the plaza. And even though it was an all-day event sponsored and primarily attended by the residents of the community, I was welcomed and taken in as though I belonged. It is so unlike the town I live in now, it's hard to describe. I've never felt quite so at home in a place so unfamiliar. It's amazing.

BeforeAfter

Looking for a Hug

When I moved into this home eleven years ago, it felt like me. It probably sounds ridiculous but the moment I stepped over the threshold the first time, it felt like the house hugged me. I knew I was going to buy it at that moment, before even seeing the rest of it. Thankfully, I loved everything about it, from it's angled walls and vaulted ceilings to its dark cherry cabinetry and curved staircase. Everyone who came over said the same thing, "It looks like you, Debra." 

I'm not going to say that the decision to buy this house was completely emotional because it wasn't. I also knew it was going to be a good investment. It has a two car attached garage, three bedrooms and two and a half baths so it is a perfect size for a range of buyers. It's also in a good location in a town known for the quality of its schools and affluent community. When I refinanced this year, the appraisal showed I had been right so yay, let's hear it for increased equity.

However, while I still love my place, it hasn't felt so much like me in recent years. I've been wrestling with moving for quite a while. Part of me wants to sell everything, quit my job and move to... and that's where I get stuck. Move to the mountains? The ocean? The city? They all sound equally appealing depending on my mood that day. And what about a job? I could quit my job and hope to find something in a place I would love to live which would most likely mean significantly less pay in a higher cost of living area. So, yeah. I had better love that new job because it would be the only thing I could afford to do.  I've looked for jobs within the company in many different locations but I'm either too far up the salary grade ladder or, you know, not an engineer, so the jobs options are slim the farther you get from headquarters. 

Or, my other option, and the one I'm favoring now, is to continue to live and work here so I can afford to do all the things I love to do... like weekends in Chicago and trips to Maine and the UK and whatever else I care to do. It just seems to make the most sense, financially and personally.

However, there's still the matter of this house and feeling the need to move. So, I think I've found a great compromise. There is a place here locally that I would love to move to. I've always gotten a great vibe from the neighborhood and last weekend I was able to spend several hours in one of the local businesses and actually witness the interactions of community members. It reminded me exactly of one of the Chicago neighborhoods that I love to visit. It has some beautiful little bungalows with wooden floors, dormer windows and enough character to keep me entranced for a long time and it has everything within walking distance that you could possibly need... restaurants, shopping, library, bookstore, grocery, drugstore... just like a city neighborhood. 

Now I just need to find a realtor and start seriously looking at homes. I don't have a pressing need to move so I should be able to take my time and find that perfect little cottage that will feel like the me I've become. And as crazy as it sounds, I'll know it's the one if I walk across the threshold and it hugs me. I can't wait to find it.

About Town - Freidalicious

Freidalicious is the kind of café you want in your neighborhood. Lucky for me, it's in mine. The food and service are amazing and if you don't have time to stop in, they have a drive-through window so you can get your caffeine fix before tackling your day.

Saturday morning the Peoria-area NaNoWriMo'ers group met there for a write-in and it was a perfect spot for that, too. There was plenty of room for the 11 of us and the other patrons of the café to sit comfortably and the WiFi was free. 

By the end of our four hours, the group had consumed a great number of items from the menu and we didn't find anything not worth raving about. I can't even begin to describe the flavor of the bread used to make the panini but trust me, you are going to want to try one. They have several types of panini available, both for breakfast and lunch, but when I asked for a plain cheese one they made it for me graciously, even though it wasn't on the menu. 

As a group, we shared hummus, which packed a great garlicky punch, and pita chips, and what I believe were homemade peanut butter cups and oatmeal-raisin cookies. They were perfect fuel for keeping us motivated and our fingers writing. I had the slaw with my lunch panini, which had a vinegar rather than mayo dressing and was really good. Someone else had the chicken and wild rice soup special which they said was really good, too. I had a cup of hot mint herb tea that was served in a glass mug and a glass of lemonade with lemons floating in it and both were hits with me. Others had coffee, hot chocolate and soft drinks and I don't think a drop was left of any of them. 

The owners were great about having us there and didn't seem to mind us squatting in their dining room for four hours or "borrowing" their outlets to fuel our laptops. It really is a writer's dream to have various local businesses that welcome people who need a change of scenery while they are trying to get the words to flow. Freidalicious seemed to be one of those places and I intend to go there more often now that I know it's there.

Freidalicious is located at 730 W. Jackson Street, Morton, IL and is open 6am-6pm Monday through Friday, 6am-2pm Saturday, and closed on Sunday. Free Wifi is available. They also have a Facebook page which has photos of their menu items in the Photos section. 

Photo shared from their Facebook page.

About Town - Eli's Coffee

The other day I spent five hours after work running errands, shopping for my vacation and watching an indie film at the Peoria Theater. By the time I got back in town, I was exhausted but not quite ready to go home so I decided to stop by Eli's Coffee on Jefferson Street. 

Eli's is a small, locally owned business in the heart of town and resides in a renovated two-story house. The yard and porch have tables and chairs for patrons who want to enjoy the summer breeze while they sip their iced coffees, and inside there are two small dining rooms downstairs and additional seating upstairs for people to congregate.

I have been to Eli's several times but this was the first time I was there late in the evening and I think it was the first time I've been there in the summer season. I was happily surprised at what a great business they were doing. When I arrived, all the tables on the yard and porch were full of couples, a group of women, and a family with small children. Inside, there were a few people quietly working on laptops or reading books and I was fifth in line at the counter. It was really bustling for this small town.

After receiving my iced decaf lemon tea, I settled into a table by the front window and watched the people. It was completely relaxing and pleasant. It would have only been better had I remembered to pack a book in my bag that day so I could have had an excuse to stay longer. As it was, I just finished my tea and headed home.

I'm looking forward to going back often this summer, to enjoy the superb service, great beverages and desserts, and perhaps getting to know more of my fellow townspeople. It definitely looks like the place to be.

Eli's Coffee is located at 205 W. Jefferson Street, Morton, IL and is open 6am-9pm Monday through Thursday, 6am-10pm Friday and Saturday, and 7am-5pm on Sunday. Free Wifi is available. 

Not Going to Miss This One

I always seem to get to September and have this lightbulb moment when I realize that the summer season is at a close and I have yet to enjoy it. I remember one extremely hectic work year when I did not even realize that the entire season had passed until I was driving through the country and saw that all the fields had been harvested. For some reason, I never really appreciate summer like I should.

Part of that is my own doing because once the temps and the humidity both reach about 100 (degrees and percent, respectively) I shut down. It is a miserable time for me because I cannot breathe in those conditions. Not to mention, it does Roseanne Roseannadanna-like things to my hair. It is just not a positive experience.

This year, I want to change that. I want to do things, see people and go places this summer. I want to spend more time outdoors (after doubling up on hair products) and find new things to experience. Even just riding my bike more, going out to take photos, walking to the movie rental store or whatever I can find around town will be welcome. 

In a few weeks, I will be in Chicago and a few weeks after that, I will be back on vacation for a week. Other than that, I have no plans. I would like to line up a few more things that will ensure that I stay motivated and looking forward to things all throughout the summer months. 

Some of the things I have on my list (you knew I had to have a list, right?) are the Farmers' Markets in Peoria and Bloomington, walking the great hiking trail in Bloomington, perhaps a concert or two at the riverfront, maybe a local community fair, and hitting both the zoo and the wildlife park for photo opportunities. Also on the list but with a great big hesitant question mark next to it is the outdoor climbing walls in Bloomington. I have never done that but I keep thinking it would be fun and a good test of my strength, both physical and mental. I may just talk myself into before long. 

I am looking for more ideas. What are your favorite things to do outside when it's warm? And, if you are local, do you have any favorite community events or outings I should consider? 

TMI

I do not know what types of vehicles my neighbors drive. Why this finally occurred to me after living here thirteen years or why I find it so absurd, I do not know. But it has and I do and I am not sure what it means.

I grew up in a tiny town, not much bigger than the neighborhood I live in now. Times being what they were then, I was allowed to ride my bicycle the entire length and width of the village limits alone. I used to ride by all the houses in town and I knew who was home by which vehicles I saw parked in the driveway. For the neighbors within a block or two, I knew when they should be home and always wondered where they were when their vehicle was not parked outside at the usual time. 

Vehicles were a rather significant source of information in a small town. We knew someone had visitors when we did not recognize the vehicles parked in the driveway. We knew who made it to church that week, who was hanging out at the gas station, and who showed up to the school basketball games, just by driving by and looking at the vehicles in the parking lots. We knew who attended the volunteer firemen meeting, who was a Mason, and who played softball the night before without a newspaper account or hearing about it at the post office. The vehicles told us everything. They may have told us too much.

I do not know what my neighbors drive. I have quiet neighbors, for the most part, and I know a few of them by sight. I have no idea where any of them work, what time they should be home or whether they play softball. If any of them needed a lift to the supermarket or to borrow a ladder, I would gladly oblige but I can limit my relationship to helping when asked and not investing in it the rest of the time. It is a different way of living but I like it.

I will ponder whether or not I should on another day.