Updates: Greener Pastures

It's been a while since posting, a lot has transpired. Obviously, as of this writing, much of that involves a world pandemic, trying to stay safe and adjusting accordingly. But on a more personal level it has been about prepping my house for market and moving out of Chicago.  After 20 years there, it felt time.

It wasn't any one event that brought about the decision, it was more incremental in time and the pros for moving only compounded. A lot can change over 2 decades, inside and out.  Empty-nesting, a surplus of space, increasing property taxes, the toil of restoring and maintaining a 125 year-old Victorian, ..after 3 consecutive old 'fixer-uppers' I was ready to throw in the towel for a mid-70s ranch.

Chicago itself will always hold a fond place in my heart, and it's still only a little over an hour from me, but the city I love has also transformed over that time.  Even my charming Bohemian neighborhood of East Rogers Park was becoming gentrified.

Having been raised in the immediate burbs I already knew I wanted to skip over those, to a more remote and scenic setting; ultimately Ottawa, Illinois. Ottawa is best known for its proximity to Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks, located in the heart of Northern Illinois. Both are large, beautiful, and exquisite to hike. Partly due to the convergence of the Illinois and Fox rivers, the area is quite lush and hilly, with bluffs and cliffs throughout.  The kind of topography you might expect to find in Northern Wisconsin, or the Ozarks.

Contrasted with the surrounding farmlands (still scenic but relatively flat), it is a charming little hamlet of a riverfront town. With its antiquity and a population of little over 18,000, it has its 'Mayberry' vibe.

The house I landed in suits me far more these days. Much easier to maintain, single-story, brick exterior. No boilers or radiators, far more energy efficient.  That's important in this region, it gets pretty frosty. And since I work from my home studio I needed a level of tranquility that lends itself to that, even a place I could eventually retire to. At age 59 that's not too far off.

Fortunately I found the house, and the move happened just before COVID lockdown in early March. I'm grateful for the lucky timing there. Getting unpacked and settled went surprisingly quick. Doing a lot of purging prior to the move helped, but it's also like everything I brought just fell into place, as if the house was waiting for me.  It didn't have cable or internet, so I did have to get that installed, but I was wired up within a couple of days, online and fielding incoming work. 

What do I miss most about Chicago living?  The great restaurants and cafes. Many of my favorites are gone anyway, making it easier to let go,  but small town living doesn't offer the broad ethnic fare you grow accustomed to in the big city.

I would even kid about my own neighborhood;  East Rogers Park is very culturally diverse, with tons of ethnic restaurants. .. It's like EPCOT but with a higher crime rate.