A New Home

Yesterday's trip to the Chicagoland area involved a whole lot of driving. Seven hours, to be exact. Plus, we took Jack's car, so the journey felt much longer. His car has sports-suspension so we felt every piece of lint on the highway. I must give Jack a gracious shout-out right now, as I'm endlessly thankful for the sacrifices he is already enduring. Yesterday, that meant he drove me wherever I wanted to go, as I barked directions gleaned from my zillions of maps, guidebooks, and notebooks strewn about the car!

I hoped this sightseeing trip would have revealed the clear choice in my apartment selection process. I was extremely confused before we left, running on recommendations, word of mouth, and glitzy brochures promising utmost safety in urban Gary (sense the irony?). The trip only deepened our confusion and I consulted my NWI friend, Epistemological Doorknob, for more advice. With her counsel, we narrowed the search to four potential properties:



My personal vote is for the igloo...we all know how hot and humid the Chicago summers can be!

All joking aside, none of the properties within my preferred geographical areas fit the bill in terms of safety and cost. I'm suffering from sticker shock and culture shock! I resigned myself to the possibility of a 45-minute commute from an apartment community that will cost more than my current mortgage payment. However, Jack and I are shelving this decision for two weeks and we will not formally decide my financially-threadbare, commuter fate until Easter!