The View from Here

Our 900 sq ft "Castle"

The odd thing about closing on real estate from a thousand miles away is that there is no culminating moment when someone rises from their seat to shake your hand and pass off the keys to your new castle.  Phone calls of Congratulations from both my attorney and realtor were surely appreciated, but it’s not really the same thing.  This said, and despite its somewhat anti-climatic finish, I am completely over the moon to be a bona fide Chautauqua Property Owner! (Pause for thunderous applause.)

Mama and Papa Chairs

Of course, as is the case with most properties at the Lake, our little abode came completely furnished and then some, right down to having tin foil in the kitchen drawers!  All in all, in terms of style and taste, we're dealing with kind of a mixed bag.  And while I am convinced that the previous owners were undoubtedly lovely people, I can’t help but wonder if they weren't also somehow distantly related to the Three Bears or at the very least, often had Goldilocks over as a guest for some porridge made atop the tiny stove!

Baby has it just about right!

Antique Dresser is Staying!

Yes, there is some truth to the lore that once furniture comes through the gates of Chautauqua it rarely leaves, and every year the Women's Club holds a massive flea market as a philanthropic endeavor proving the rule that one person's trash is another's treasure.  Admittedly, I look forward to doing a bit of my own treasure-hunting this year.  And if you’re in the market for a few items in which to re-create an iconic fairy tale or two, have I got a chair (and more) for you!

"Master" Bedroom's brick of a bed

Moving along, and in keeping with the Three Bears theme, the master bedroom’s mattress is as hard as a rock and the second bedroom’s two mattresses are as soft as slighly melted marshmallows.  While replacing them will have to wait, there will definitely be some purchases made of pads and toppers to make it “just right” or at the very least, all right for now.  Princesses requiring peas, please take note.

Second Bedroom with words to live by.

Galley Kitchen w/ Dishwasher (Yeah!)

Admittedly, the kitchen needs updating (as does one of the two bathrooms), but it's perfectly fine for now, especially since what I do cannot really be considered "cooking" by any real definition of the word.  And with a budget that amounts to a whole lot of nothing at the moment, my diamond in the rough is going to be staying slightly rough for the time being.  However, in addition to a little color in the way of paint, the paring down of a few things and some rearranging of a few others, I’m going for some immediate gratification via two chairs I have which are being re-upholstered in a fabric more in line with my own sensibilities.

To be re-upholstered in this

Albeit small, it’s a start. And a comfortable one at that!

But the pièce de résistance, and what ultimately sold us on the place, is the porch. Life at the Lake is all about a porch, and this one is a keeper!

Our Porch

With a mahogany floor and double ceiling fans to encourage the lake breeze, it adds a considerable amount of living space to our little nook of a place, especially during the summer season.  It’s just an ideal spot with a bird’s eye view of the lake in which to welcome family, entertain friends or simply curl up with a good book. I love it!!  Yes, there’s some need here as well (the couch is part of the Three Bears Collection), but as I’ve said, it's practically porch perfection!

It's all about a rocker.. and now I've got two!

Granted, patience has never been one of my strong suites, and it still applies today.  But back in 1995, I returned to the Lake with my three young children in tow after a seven-year absence.  I was never quite sure what had kept me away (beyond those small stumbling blocks of time, distance and money), but it was during this visit that I came to realize just how much I had missed being there.  I have rarely missed a summer since.  Chautauqua rejuvenates my spirit and fills my heart in ways I cannot articulate, although I have tried many, many times.  But with 16 years of wishing and waiting behind me, patience is mine!  There is time.  So for now (or as soon as the snow melts), I am going to take a deep breath, sit back, maybe rock away an hour or two, and simply enjoy my new view.

Our Bird's Eye View!

Late Summer Street View to the Lake