About four years ago, Janet and I began looking for an apartment complex that was a little nicer than what we were living in that would be closer to where we worked in southern New Hampshire. We searched all the communities within a 10 mile radius of our respective workplaces and were disappointed to find nothing that really caught our eye. So, we expanded our search to northern Massachusetts and found a couple of communities that really met the criteria we were looking for. We settled on the Lodge at Ames Pond which was a beautiful wooded complex on the banks of a small lake.  The Lodge was good for us, but after three years it seemed that the cost of living in Mass. was growing faster than our incomes.

Last fall I noticed that a new development was being built in Salem, NH. Tuscan Village will be a multi-use area of residences, businesses, restaurants, and offices in the place of the old Rockingham Park horse race track. The new development sits right next to one of the largest malls in New Hampshire, and a new theater is being built in the area as well.  Probably the best part of this complex is that it sits almost perfectly between our two places of work.

The apartment complex was still being built when we took a tour. Looking back, I think that the construction hindered our ability to make a fair judgement because we left disappointed we didn’t like it better. Throughout the winter we continued looking in Nashua and Salem at other new developments. We found one in Nashua that we really liked and in February I aggressively began pursuing a lease. I tried for two months, but it always seemed someone else got there first. Knowing our lease at the Lodge was coming due, we turned our attention back to Salem.  We scheduled another tour in the now finished building and and were pleasantly surprised. Though a little smaller than we’d wanted, there were many features that really tipped the balance in favor of this new place. We signed our lease and prepared for our move.

Our movers were amazing, and they saved my sciatica inflicted back from a lot of pain and suffering.  They moved everything into its labeled room and left us to rearrange our lives. That’s when the diminished size really began to make my blood pressure rise. I couldn’t figure out how it was all going to fit. The Lodge had over 200 more sq. ft. than the Corsa apt., and many more walls to place items. This apartment was very open and would require some creative efforts to make everything fit. The second night in our new home my head was teeming with ideas, and I stayed up till 1:30 AM devising a plan to make it all work.

The next morning I shared my plan with Janet, rearranging items, and adding more furniture rather than discarding. I’m not sure if she was excited, or just willing to go along with my crazy scheme. Thank goodness for Amazon, Wayfair, and Overstock.com for their quick shipping. In two weeks we were able to have all the boxes unpacked and everything in place, so let me take you on a tour.

We’ll start in the entryway.

As you walk into the front door you are greeted by our beautiful family of which we’re very proud. Facing the family is our antique secretary and lamp handed down to Janet by her grandmother. On the adjacent wall are four cross-stitched angels representing four years of Janet’s skilled craftsmanship.

My bathroom is the first room we come to. This is also used for guests.

The second room is our den. We use the second bedroom as a TV room and guest room. The sofa has a trundle that pulls out to make a queen sized bed. It’s hard to imagine that when we lived in Missouri we had four bookshelves filled with volumes. By going digital, we’ve downsized so much that one shelf also holds boxes of office supplies.

Every wall seems to be made for art of some kind and I found the perfect place for one of our cruise ship art auction purchases in the hallway outside the Den.

Turning toward the great room we found a great place for our china hutch.

The great room is a large space that includes the kitchen, dining area and living room.  The kitchen has granite counter tops and lots and lots of cabinets and drawers. 

An island provides additional prep space and we added some bar stools for extra dining. We spray painted our freezer to appear stainless steel and blend into the rest of the room. 

Our dining area sits next to the sliding glass doors that open to the patio.

In order to keep the chaise lounge chair, I decided it needed it’s own space. We ordered a six foot shelving unit to sit on top of the sofa table and create a room within the room. The piano fits nicely against the wall and can be used when needed. I bought a little corner shelf to display some of the special souvenirs we’ve purchased over the years. It’s a cozy little space with it’s own rug

We bought our sectional sofa for the space at the Lodge. When it first came over, I wondered if it was going to work in this smaller room, but I think it turned out nicely. Our elephant in the room is nicely lit by the track lighting as are the city prints we enjoy. The rug is probably one of our favorite pieces. Though we love the wood laminate  flooring, it’s often cold and hard. This rug has a nice deep pile that feels great on bare feet.

Our final stop is our bedroom. Of all the rooms, this was the least of my worries. I knew our bed, my wardrobe, and a cubicle unit would fit nicely. Some changes were made though to accommodate other rooms, and I couldn’t be more pleased. Janet has a large walk-in closet opposite my armoire, and her bathroom completes the suite.

As with many apartments, overhead lighting is scarce. I took advantage of my Google Home and purchased a set of smart outlets. All the lamps shown in the pictures are controlled by telling Google to turn on the lamps and turn them off. It’s not only fun, but is much more convenient than trying to manipulate switches on all the lamps.

Two weeks have flown by quickly, and we’re proud of the new look. We’re eager to see our Tuscan Village grow and see the amenities it will provide. Now that the move is over, we can go back to exploring New England!!

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller