Back to upstate NY...

I adore Mike. He really and truly wants to do the right thing for both himself and his family. He doesn't quite however know what this is so he's very easily influenced. Not, however by his beautiful wife it seems. Oh no. Never mind that I've been trying to find places in NY State that are on the train line that allow him to to be dropped off in Grand Central Station which is across the street from his office (I'm not even sure he has to walk outside to get into his building from GCS. They might have a corridor of some sort.)
Thank God I'm patient.
Through a conversation with people at work, he's now on the right side of the Hudson River and I can start finding the homes I've wanted all along.
I'm afraid I won't get my Victorian here as they are just out of reach price wise but I will get the character and charm and picturesque town I'm craving.
The school system is also extremely important. My younger son Brian has been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Non Specific. Without boring you with details he needs a school with a strong special needs program.
I've found two.
One is in Hyde Park and I'm thinking that this might be the best bet because of it's location to the commuter bus and the train and shopping. The research I've done is showing me this is a really nice area. The Vanderbilt Mansion is here as is the Culinary Institute of America.
3 bedrooms, 1 bath $239,000 2100 sq feet.






The other house I've found is in a town called Millbrook. Apparently Millbrook has lots of old money.
Again, very cute town, lots of charm and character. Mike would have a bit of a more difficult commute though because he would have to drive to the bus to the train or just drive to the train which would require the boys and I driving him or us having two cars. I guess it all depends on what the final accepted offer would be to determine what is left in our budget.
Did I mention I haven't driven a car in 10 years? Yeah...there's that to consider too...
Everything seems to be within a mile or two of this house as well.






Cute no? She's not huge 1400 sq feet (small to some but it's double what we have now and that's huge to us) but the taxes are super low and with an asking price of $350,000...
Again, it's that character thing. She's got the charm I want and the yard. I see beautiful space for gardening in the back. (Something I've always wanted to learn how to do)
Something very strange is happening to me with this house hunting stuff.
I'm finding curiosity for things I never thought I had. Gardening is a big one. I'm also finding myself wanting to learn how to cook. Maybe it's the proximity of these homes to one of the finest schools for chefs in the country but if I have a good kitchen that I like with room and the right equipment, I'd really like to learn how to feed my family. I'd like to make dinner at night for Mike when he gets home from work. Good lord, if I buy a pearl necklace and anything from J. Crew people shoot me.
Seriously. I can feel the Stepford wife in me coming out... I really can. ::Shudder::