1st Trip to Charlestown Navy Yard

Cooling off in the soft grass

We've been busy, busy these days and I've had some serious low back pain to contend with soooo the blog hasn't been high on my priority list.  Photos of our vacation in northern NH will be coming soon, but first, Evelina's 1st trip to the Charlestown Navy Yard a couple of weeks ago.   
 
We couldn't let a beautiful Sunday pass by without taking the opportunity to introduce Evelina to one of the most historic spots in the city, a place that used to be our "backyard".  She even got to experience her first taste of ice cream...yum-o!!  

Pretty archways and blue hydrageas

Old Ironsides

1st taste of ice cream at Emack and Bolio's

Now that's a big ship!!

Fun!!  I wonder how big Evelina will be next year?

Final Weekend!!

It is our final weekend in Charlestown which seems kinda weird. Lots to do and lots to pack!! We are all ready (well, almost) for the closing on Tuesday, just waiting for our final packet of information so we can be sure we bring everything we need to. This week, the home inspection went fantastic and I am sure the painters have been scurrying throughout the house finishing up with all of the touch-ups that we listed on our walk-through punch list. Next week at this time, we will be waiting for the movers to arrive while most likely still being full from Thanksgiving dinner.

Charlestown Top 10

We can't make the transition to suburbia without me reflecting on what we will and won't miss about our current home.

Top 10 Things We Won’t Miss

10) Hooligans – If there is one thing that Charlestown has a lot of it is teenagers. Teenagers who like to hang out on Main St. and once everyone is retired for the evening, empty all of the newspaper stands into the street and vandalize public property. Their parents clearly don’t care where they are. You’d think that one of the many cops who patrol the area would intervene, oh wait….they are too busy in the projects (see #6).

9) Slowest Dunkin’ Donuts and CVS Service in the Country – Chris and I have had endless venting sessions about the Charlestown Dunkin’ Donuts and CVS and have walked out of both on numerous occasions due to the long lines and slow service. I can only hope a drive through of each is available near BHL.

8) Spiral Staircase in Winter – Can you say deathtrap? Going down the spiral staircase in the winter to get the trash was quite an adventure through the years. Metal and ice isn’t a good combo.

7) Entering Fort Knox (aka the apartment) – I have never had to unlock so many doors to get inside my home before. 3 locks seems a little unreasonable especially while carrying groceries, shopping bags, dry cleaning, boxes, mail, etc. I guess I can think of it as good practice for once we have kids and have to lug that gear around.

6) Projects Close by – Who wouldn’t miss murders, drugs, car break-ins, purse snatchings and burglaries? It isn’t surprising why Charlestown has one of the highest car insurance rates in the state.

5) Carrying the Laundry Up and Down 3 flights of stairs – I am getting winded just thinking about it. Hallelujah for first floor laundry!!

4) Street Parking – For any of you city dwellers reading, you know the feeling; driving around to find a spot where you “think” your car will be safe from a ticket, towing, street cleaning, vandals or other parallel parkers. Once the snow comes, a decision is made to not have to drive anywhere from the first snowfall thru April or else the spot you spent hours clearing will be taken by somebody else who just 4-wheeled out of their spot without even taking out a shovel….jerks!!

3) Scary Looking Bugs – Chris has heard me freak more times then I can remember when our other roommates drop by - - the scary bugs. I had to deal with my share of bugs throughout childhood, but I have never seen a bug that gives me the heebie jeebies like these bugs. I don’t even know what they are; I have done endless internet searches and have come up with nothing. Just writing about them makes me feel like one is crawling on me. The worst part is that they are so unpredictable. They can be in the basement scurrying across the floor, in the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, walls, hardwood floors, just everywhere. I hope we don’t pack one by accident and then they breed in our new house.

2) Unfriendly Neighbor(s) – Yup, you all know what I’m talkin’ about. Crazy cuckoo!!

1) “Piss Alley” – Related to #2, the sidewalk outside our front door smells like a porto-potty that hasn’t been emptied for weeks. Now, there are lots of dogs in Charlestown but only a few relieve themselves in front of our door every single day, multiple times a day. I have tried pouring diluted bleach on the spot to deter the pooches or drown out the area with extra water from our flower pot but nothing seems to help. No matter what, if you walk up the sidewalk to our place, you have entered “piss alley”. It is disgusto, nose-holding worthy and the #1 thing I will NOT miss about Charlestown!!


Top 10 Things We Will Miss

10) People Watching – There is nothing better then people watching in the city and that includes sitting in our leopard chair, peering out the living room windows and watching the comings and goings on our street. I wonder if our new neighbors will be as exciting or if we will create nicknames for them?

9) Glitters – Hands down the best manicures and pedicures I have received in MA….and cheap!!

8) Renting – Equals limited responsibility; when something goes wrong, we just call up our landlord. I will miss these days when we have our first issue with the house.

7) The History – The Bunker Hill Monument, Charleston Navy Yard, USS Constitution and the Freedom trail all in our back yard. We have been so fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of this city so rich in history. On any day you can just walk and walk to take in the sites and act like a tourist among tourists. It won’t be the same not seeing the Bunker Hill Monument all a-glow perched up high every night signaling that we are almost home. We will have to make visits frequently and maybe one day, I will actually climb it to take in the view.

6) Reverse Commute – I don’t typically hit one pocket of traffic on my way into work from Charlestown to Waltham and it is glorious. On the way home is a different story but it doesn’t bother me considering my door to door evening commute is only 40-45 minutes. One of the reasons we chose Ashland was its central location between Boston and Worcester since we wanted to avoid long commutes at all costs (long commutes in Boston could be up to 1 ½ - 2 hours one way!!). Chris will have it easy to Worcester but it may be a bit of a struggle for me to get use to Mass Pike traffic (and tolls if they continue to increase…ugh). Without traffic it only takes me 25-30 minutes to get to Waltham so it can’t be that bad with traffic right?

5) Endless Supply of Pug Sightings – For all of you out there that know about Chris and my love of pugs you know that when we see pugs being walked around town it just makes our day; Humphrey and Hailey, Louis and Petunia to name a few. They are such cute bundles of joy and now since we won’t have a clause in our contract that prohibits pets, we can’t wait to bring one into our new home (hopefully early next year!).

4) Unlimited Restaurant Possibilities – For foodies like us we are definitely going to miss having unlimited dining options. We have so many favorite places to dine in and around the city and have made a plan that we will visit some of them this weekend…it being our last in Charlestown of course. We already went to our fave Mexican place, Ole, last night and we couldn’t move away from Charlestown without stopping at Figs and seeing our favorite waiter, Anderson. We are already getting recommendations for places in and around Ashland so we will have to check them out. That is after we know what we can afford once the first mortgage payment is sent!!

3) Being Near the Water – Chris and I have always lived closed to the ocean. Now it isn’t like Ashland is far from the ocean when compare to landlocked states but still, it will be an adjustment for us as we always find ourselves driving north along the coast of MA but rarely west. The great thing about Charlestown is that since the Navy Yard and Boston Harbor boarder on the east, the sound of foghorns and seagulls and the smell of the ocean air are always apparent. I have no doubt that on the weekends we will be driving east as much as possible.

2) Friends in Close Proximity –It is nice to know that friends are only a cab ride, bus ride, T ride or quick drive away anytime you need them. Hopefully the transition to suburbia won’t hinder anyone from taking the quick 30-minute drive out to Ashland for a visit…or even the commuter rail which is super convenient. And on a positive note, my Charlestown resident sticker is valid for another 2 years so I can always drive in, park on the street and take advantage of the Orange Line.

1) Happy Memories – Chris and I have had so much fun living in Charlestown and starting out our life together. Our current apartment was the first place we moved into together, it’s where Chris proposed, it was the site of many girl’s nights, family and Lilly visits, and the rooms are filled with our tears and laughter. When the couch is hoisted out for the dining room window next Friday and the last box is loaded into the moving truck we will be sad but filled with happy memories. But we know that BHL is the beginning of the next chapter of our lives and we can’t wait to foster more memories and achieve new milestones there together and with our family and friends.