Just Waiting...

I am starting to get antsy waiting for the contract to be drafted and the P&S to be signed. Granted, I would rather all of the details be worked out before the house is built, but I still just want to know with 100% certainty that Blueberry Hill is it!! This is where my lack of patience will start to get the better of me. Chris is definitely the patient one in the relationship :-)

On another note, it is our 1 year anniversary in 4 days....yay!! I can't believe how quickly the past year flew by. Hopefully by August 3rd next year, we will finally have been able to unpack all of our fabulous wedding gifts in our new home. Lord knows our basement in Charlestown isn't using plates, flatware and serving platters.

Follow-up to "99" Restaurant Post

Who knew???
A-Rod Gal Slay Witness at 99 in '95

Oh Yeah....the "99" Restaurant

To our surprise and delight, the good graces of Ashland have been blessed by a "99" restaurant. I can't believe I missed this on the previous post!!

As many of you know, the "99" is a favorite 19th hole destination (Lynnfield, MA branch) and post-billiards watering hole for Chris and his buddies. I think of it more as cheap-eats in Charlestown while sitting at the bar townie-watching.

Although I don't think the Ashland location will be included in the mob tour of Boston I wouldn't be surprised if it has its own set of characters similar to Charlestown. As long as they serve up yummy boneless chicken wings, burgers, and beverages, we will always be back for more.

About Ashland, MA

I didn't really know much about Ashland when we started our house hunt and honestly, disregarded it because we wanted to be closer in proximity to family in NH. But as we did some reseach we found that it offered more house for the money then other towns we were interested in (aka Southborough, Sudbury, Acton), a good school system, convenient access to suburban shopping (Stop & Shop, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Target, etc....and don't forget the Natick Collection), and nice neighborhoods right smack dab between Worcester and Boston. This being our first house, we had to make some sacrifices and thought, "hey,we can drive 20 extra minutes to NH if we have to and be okay if we get a Toyota Prius to save on the cost of gas" and "our future child reaallllly doesn't need to go to one of the best public schools in the state if we play an active role in their education"....... With that, here is what i've discovered about Ashland over the past few weeks:

Facts
Settled: 1750; Incorporated: 1846
Population: 15,000 +/-
Total Area: 12.9 square miles
County: Middlesex
Zip Code: 01721
Area Code: 508 and 774
Nickname: The Clock Town
High School Mascot: The Clockers

Area Cities and Towns
Boston 22 miles E; Worcester 25 miles W...yay for Chris!!; Framingham 3.6 miles NE; Holliston 4.5 miles S; Hopkinton 4.7 miles SW; Southborough 5.8 miles NW; Concord, NH 90.2 N; Manchester, NH 70.6 N

Accessibility
Rts 495, 90 and 9 are easily accessible to/from Ashland making it an ideal Boston and Worcester commuter location and a convenient place to visit. If public transportation is more your fancy, just pick up the Framingham/Worcester line on the MBTA Commuter Rail from Back Bay or South Station and you will be on your way to Ashland Station with a travel time of approximately 35 minutes. With these options, nobody has an excuse not to visit us!!

Historic Tidbits
Ashland was the original starting point of the Boston Marathon until 1924 when it moved to Hopkinton. The marathon route still passes through town each year on the 3rd Monday in April.

The Warren Synchronizing Timer was invented in 1916 by Ashland resident Henry E. Warren. Warren founded the company Telechron, which, in partnership with General Electric, manufactured electric clocks in Ashland until 1979.

The John Stone’s Inn, now known as Stone’s Public House, is on the list of allegedly haunted places in America. It has been reported that in 1845 there was a murder in the house and the victim was buried in the basement. Apparently bartenders have seen water taps turn themselves on, patrons have reported being tapped on the shoulder when no one is behind them, and one night as the assistant manager was re-finishing floors, birdseed feel through the holes in the ceiling.
Ooooo…spoookkky!! Let me tell you, I won’t be passing by Stone’s Public House on Halloween that’s for certain!!

Notables
Michael Fabbri, Prosecutor in Neil Entwistle murder trial
Karen Spilka, MA State Senator, 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk Districts
Henry E. Warren, inventor of the machinery necessary for the electric clock

Potential Outdoor Fun
Ashland State Park: Offers lots of fun for families in the summer months and cross-country skiing in the winter.
Mill Pond: Located within walking distance from Blueberry Hill and offers activities, such as kayaking, canoeing or even fishing.

Lot 16

The builder that we will be working with to build our new home had 3 lots available for sale on Blueberry Hill Lane (yes....we found our "thrill on Blueberry Hill"....believe me, I hum it, sing it, whistle it or just think about the tune in my head on a daily basis) and we chose lot 16. Lot 16 will be the most level and flat of the 3 which appealed to us. We wanted to avoid having to plow/snowblow/sand/salt a steep driveway during the trecherous winter months. Lord knows I have fallen down Pleasent St. in Charlestown multiple times on a dry day so exposing me to a steep driveway is an accident waiting to happen.

It is tough for Chris and I to envision how the house will look on the lot considering it looks like a rocky construction site with bulldozers on it at the moment, but, we are using our imagination and trusting the experience of the builder. Before the P&S is signed, engineers will be visiting the site to document where the house will reside on the land, the elevations, etc. This could potentially make or break whether or not we move forward. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed for positive results!! Are you?

"The One"

As many of you know, Chris and I have been house hunting for the past few months for our first home. Who would have thought that finding a house would be more difficult than finding a life partner?? I guess seeing 3 properties and finding the perfect match a la "Househunters" on HGTV isn't reality. Anyway, after researching every town east of 495 (and I have the Excel spreadsheet to prove it!), searching through hundreds of listings, attending endless open houses every Sunday since April, venting complaints to family/friends and torturing our real estate agents we are confident we have found "The One".

If all goes according to plan and we actually go through with signing the P&S, we will be new residents of Ashland, MA come December 2008. A new colonial perched at the end of a cul-de-sac will be the home of many new memories, family gatherings, holiday celebrations, girls nights (and guys nights), BBQs, and maybe even the site of a cute little baby nursery for a new family addition.....or just a Pug. We are very excited!!

Anyone interested in helping with the move or offering decorating advice, I'm taking names :-)

Wish us luck and a fabulous tax break come April 2010!! Yay!!