I've been writing since this blog began (in 2006) about my coming move to The Clare at Water Tower, a new highrise senior community at Rush and Pearson in Chicago. When I began, the building was not yet even a hole in the ground; by now it's a nearly complete 53-story building. In the meantime, I've visited the building site from time to time, photographed it (before the building got too tall for my small camera to capture well), attended meetings of future residents, and mused about the plusses and minuses of a decision I made back in 2004.Today, I'm still waiting. I've not yet been promised a move-in date, although I now asume it will be sometime around the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009. My Old Town condo is on the market now, suffering from the drop in the real estate market. I'm older and increasingly disabled by arthritis, although I still get around when I can. I'm beginning to consider knee replacements, but the uncertainly of my residential situation makes such plans nearly imposssible. I feel like I'm in a state of limbo.
I'm still happy about my decision to move. With few family members, none of them in this area, it's up to me to decide where to spend the rest of my so-called "golden years," and I love city living. I hope to move into my lovely two-bedroom apartment on the 35th floor, with the comfort of having assisted living and nursing facilities available in the same building, should I need them later.
So am I contented and calm? No, indeed not. I have a feeling of waiting for something to happen. Will I get an acceptable offer for my condo? The only one so far was much too low, and the price has already been reduced to a realistic level. Will I get a move-in date soon? What if my condo doesn't sell in time?
I've been promised, and I've received, lots of advice and help from moving coordinators and organizers and others provided or recommended by The Clare, but could I really handle, either physically or financially, a temporary move and putting my goods into storage? There are too many unknowns here. There's no one to blame, but I hate this uncertain feeling. Stay tuned as I blog my way toward The Clare and hope for a happy ending.
Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
Photo: The Clare in June, 2008. Borrowed from The Clare web site.
I'm still happy about my decision to move. With few family members, none of them in this area, it's up to me to decide where to spend the rest of my so-called "golden years," and I love city living. I hope to move into my lovely two-bedroom apartment on the 35th floor, with the comfort of having assisted living and nursing facilities available in the same building, should I need them later.
So am I contented and calm? No, indeed not. I have a feeling of waiting for something to happen. Will I get an acceptable offer for my condo? The only one so far was much too low, and the price has already been reduced to a realistic level. Will I get a move-in date soon? What if my condo doesn't sell in time?
I've been promised, and I've received, lots of advice and help from moving coordinators and organizers and others provided or recommended by The Clare, but could I really handle, either physically or financially, a temporary move and putting my goods into storage? There are too many unknowns here. There's no one to blame, but I hate this uncertain feeling. Stay tuned as I blog my way toward The Clare and hope for a happy ending.
Copyright 2008 by Marlys Marshall Styne
Photo: The Clare in June, 2008. Borrowed from The Clare web site.
4 comments:
Knee replacements. Oh my! I had two hip replacements over the past two-three years and am so glad it is behind me. They work wonderfully now--NO PAIN! I am so glad I made that decision, but the rehab afterwards takes time and concentration. It has been a year since the last one and I am now walking all over our hilly neighborhood, doing yoga, exercising five days a week and enjoying getting down on the floor to play with grandchildren. There are a few other body parts I would like to replace, but not anxious to rush into anything else at the present time. Good luck!
Thanks, Pat. I'm glad to get a favorable report about joint replacement. One problem for me is that I live alone, with no relatives nearby, so I'll have to move to a rehab center, and this hardly seems like the time to do that. Somehow, I have to get through all this. I would like to be able to walk more!
I'm thinking of you, Marlys. This kind of flux is stressful and exhausting. Limbo is a bad state! I would think that an interim arrangement would be extremely disruptive. I'm sending positive thoughts aplenty for the right buyer (they came at the last minute when we had my mother's house for sale after her death) who would be agreeable to a rent arrangement until The Clare is ready for you, if need be.
Marlys,
I am delighted to find your blogs & your starting to write at a relatively late age. Good for you!
After getting laid off last year from IBM at the age of 60, I decided to pursue a new career in writing, so you are a role model that it can be done.
I look forward to reading more of your blogs.
Beth
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