A little over a year ago, I wrote about my thoughts about living outside the city, “Is Living in the Burbs Really Worth It?” 12 months can Straight FLY!
Well, a lot has happened in the previous 12+ months in my life. I “helped” plan a wedding, tied the knot to the love of my life, bought a house (well condo), and now my wife and I are expecting our first little rock star. Baby-T, as he or she is called at this point. With these major life events has come “The Discussion”…How long are we planning on living in the city? Are we going to make the move to the Burbs? Baby #2? School systems? It’s a lot to think about in such a short time frame! I love city living and selfishly never want to give it up, which makes this a constant topic in our house hold. Also, I have been talking to a TON of couples/clients with and looking to have kids about living in the city or moving to the burbs. I am surrounded by this topic 24×7.
At the end all of these discussions, I kept thinking… I went OFF last year on Bostinno about my thoughts on living outside the city and working/experiencing life IN it. It is time to dive back into the Bostinno Blog and start writing. What a better way to start it with a response to my last entry at a different stage of life and a different perspective!
There is something to be said for that feeling you get when you arrive home after a long hard day at the office. Driving by the green grass in front yards, kids playing in the street, hockey nets and basketball hoops in the driveways, and parking in your very own driveway all create a certain calming feeling. The American Dream, some may say. I mean…lets face it, what wins: pulling into your own driveway or circling the block for over 30 minutes only to squeeze your ride into a space that you PRAY the Parking Mafia will not write you a ticket for or worse – tow you at 1am. The driveway will always win! I see my friends who live in single family homes post proud pics of their yards, the fire pit they just built by hand, and their kids playing in the sand box in the back yard. I attend their BBQ’s with the (insert envious/jealous tone) HUGE grill that is the size of my back deck in Southie. I play home run derby in their back yards, play pool in their basement, a.k.a. “Man Town”, and swim in their in-ground pools. When days like these end, I hop in the car with my wife and drive the 40 +/- minutes back to the city. Every time that ride happens, I ask myself “Do I want that?” I grew up with it. Today was a blast! Do I want it for my kids? That drive was nothing! It “only” took 40 min.
We shall see what happens… mowing the lawn and raking leaves are NOT my idea of a good time!
It is all about what is best for you and your way of life. Some people just know, the 2am standing on the corner and “selling your soul” for a cab is O-V-E-R!! Time to bring on having a nice Saturday planned: mowing the lawn, going to Home Depot to buy some wallpaper and maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, if there is enough time.
There are some amazing aspects of living on the outside. Having a home that you can open the back door and let your kids run around and not have to worry about them, because you can see them from the kitchen window. Having a dog run, so you do not have to pay a dog walker $30/day to walk them for an hour. Having a place to put that 72” TV you always wanted, because your 650sq/ft North End apt doesn’t have a wall that is 72”. Dinners that the food is just as good as anywhere in the South End, but your bill for 2 on date night is only $75… INCLUDING drinks. Parking your snowmobile, Ducati, and 2 cars in your garage, because 1- that would cost you $1000+/month in the city and 2- if you live in the burbs toys are a MUST HAVE! Having a full on BBQ with 30+ of your closest friends with the Back Yard Olympics (Polish Horse Shoes anyone?), because your hibachi on your fire escape is fully illegal and you cannot fit more than 6ppl in your living room. As you can see, I have put absolutely NO thought into this at all!
Living on the Outside can be worth every single second of that hour commute, in bumper to bumper traffic, moving at 5mph, and listening to Toucher and Rich in the morning! Just Sayin!
Chris
Next Week’s Topic – The young city family trying to never leave!
