A Tale from Happy Valley

Yesterday we spent an excruciating EIGHT hours in the car all in the name of a handshake and a preview. Of our new home, that is.

We headed to Penn State for one last verification of Matt's new job and so he could show me the farm and the house and the whole 'deal'. It was a fun trip on the way up-Corynn reading stories in the backseat while Matt and I discussed church doctrines, sacraments and ideals. I love a good discussion-it makes the time fly by. And I always appreciate discussions with MATT because I don't have to feel stupid saying the 'wrong' thing or asking something 'obvious'. The ride home was a bit more difficult. Mostly for me than anyone else. Wee Peanut got tired of travelling and so kicked me in the ribs every few minutes to remind me how uncomfortable he was. I pushed the seat back so as to stretch out as much as possible but I just couldn't be helped. I was a lost cause and was forced to bear it (though I won't claim to the grinning part of it.) Thankfully, Matt drove the ENTIRE TRIP...so I could 'relax'.

Did you know Penn State is called HappyValley? When I heard that I thought-how quaint! Maybe I will change 'Renaissance' to "Tales from Happy Valley'! But when I told Matt this, he chuckled and told me that the name came from all the drunkard college students. Yeah. Renaissance, it shall stay! Regardless of the 'bad connotation'-Penn State or at least the place where we will be living SHOULD be called Happy Valley-because looking out at the sprawling acres of flat or gently rolling farmland, the immaculate farms dusted here, there and everywhere, the horses, the cows, the blue skies and rolling landscapes, the beautiful homes...they all just make you feel happy from the outside in.

It is definately horse country-our 'next door neighbors' (who you can't SEE from our house) have horses along with everyone else out there. And the homes. Wow. Seriously, they pay more in taxes each year that Matt will MAKE in salary. Yowza! But they ARE beautiful!

I was very impressed with the area more than anything else. It feels like Matt is not only going into farming-but he is located in the HEART of it. A wonderful place to settle. There are farms sprinkled EVERYWHERE-many large farms but smaller ones too. There is even a 2200 cow farm down the road a ways. Regardless of the size, not ONE of them was junky. They were all NICE ones. Clean and well cared for. The actual farm, HIS farm, is no exception. The parlor was being scrubbed when we got there, the milk house was orderly, the floors were all clean and the 'cow trails' as I call them (where the cows walk from the barn into the milking parlor) were all freshly sawdusted. The grass was trimmed up around the entire premises, and there was no junk to be seen anywhere. Anyone who knows Matt, knows that is JUST how he wants his farm to be.

After the farm 'tour', Matt took me to see our house. OUR house! It is a mile off from the farm-on a hard road. There are no 'neighbors' in view except a house behind us but there are trees dividing us from them. In winter you can see the house but I imagine, when the trees are full this summer, we will be totally secluded. The yard is big and shows LOTS of potential for room to roam for children and animals and plenty of space to plant. The soil, I am told, will be a challenge to work with but I am hoping to overcome with some learning. The house was actually an old office for a local landfill and so the 'driveway' is actually a nicely paved PARKING LOT! It is sort of funny to look at, but will be WONDERFUL for biking, playing basketball, or roller skating.

Now for the house. It is a three bedroom split level ranch. The house is in two 'pieces'-the house part and an additional attached apartment house. The attached apartment house (on the left) had a fire in it a while back and needs to be rennovated. Until then, we will live in the 'house portion' but with the addition of the other part, our square feet will nearly double. Who knows what will happen in the future. Perhaps we will rent out the apartment house. I won't mind that as long as we can choose who resides RIGHT next to us. None of those kiddos who made 'Happy Valley' what it is, if you know what I mean! :-)

It is an interesting house-it definately has unique and regal touches in some places and country/ quaint touches in other places. The foyer has an octoganal window and dark spindles heading up the stairs. The whole upstairs is newly carpeted in fluffy burgendy carpet. It is elegant in the living room-but overpowering for the WHOLE house. The living room also has a bay window and exposed beams. Then, in the kitchen, the cupboards are an interesting kind of hard maple with country handles and locks on each cabinet. And the door to the basement looks like a rustic barn door. It was handmade by the owner. The basement is HUGE-perfect for Matt's pool table (I told him he could get one with our tax return next year but I wonder if he will be able to hold out THAT long....) It will be empty for a LONG time I think, because our furniture will only fill up the upstairs. It is carpeted down there but the carpet should be changed. And a drop ceiling should be installed too. It isn't exactly 'pretty' down there yet-but it definately has great potential. Eventually, we would like to convert to wood heat and so the basement will eventually house a woodstove as well.

One of my favorite parts of the house is the attached garage on the other side of the basement. I appreciate this for a number of reasons. Matt has longed for a garage and workspace of his own for entirely too long and I am so happy to see that he will have his OWN space to work on anything he might desire. Another reason I am so pleased with the garage portion is that it will serve as a mudroom-a MAJOR requirement for me as a farmer's wife. There is a sink down there so Matt can take off his farm clothes and boots and wash up before heading upstairs. This is important to me for several reasons. First, it helps ME a tremendous amount in trying to keep the house a house and not a barn. But also because, I react to too much cow hair. It is better for my allergies to keep things as cow-free as possible.

It will be very nice to move in and get things all situated how they should be. I am already envisioning lots of projects to better the house- when the house is truly 'ours'. A wrap around porch on the apartment house (The ONE thing I have wanted more than ANY other feature on a home is a big porch). Real wooden shutters on all of the windows (this is one of Matt's desires). A trellis over the garage door. White gingerbread trim on the rooftop overhang. A fireplace in the living room and a woodstove in the basement. And a white picket fence. Of course-NONE of these things will happen for YEARS. But I am dreaming and ENJOYING the dreams too! :-)

I took just a few photos of the house to share with you all. I was working on VERY little time (minutes) and very little camera space (room for less than 8 pictures) so the selections will be brief. But in all honesty, you will probably be sick to death of boring 'house' pictures as May rolls around. Anyway. I just have to figure out how to get them on this computer as we are working with a new system now. Hope you like the few I have to offer. :-)