We drove up to Big Rapids, and after driving around a bit, confused over the differences between Milton Drive and Milton Avenue (it turned out they were the same), we wound up driving on this washboard gravel road that just about shook the fillings out of my teeth. We turned at the driveway to my new landlady's house. It's a narrow driveway (a little road, really) that ends at her house. It's definitely an old house, but the style is less Victorian than Farmhouse. However, it did seem well done inside, and she showed me a beautiful little room with a double bed, a wing chair, a dresser/bookcase, a closet, and (I think) a bureau. The bathroom is down the hall (I hope I remember the way through the maze of halls!). I'll be sharing the bathroom with Betty and possibly with a male boarder, as well.
The negatives are that the house doesn't seem to have air conditioning, but it was quite cool on the screened porch. Another negative is the very large, very FRIENDLY dog, half Rottweiller. There doesn't seem to be much room to park, and there will be no garage to cover poor Bonnie Blue. The kitchen is tiny, but sufficient. There are a couple of large rooms with sofas and chairs and fireplaces that seem formal and yet comfortable.
Betty was very friendly, warm, personable. She's my age or a bit older, and her 33-year-old son lives with her temporarily. She also has a grown daughter. So we wrote her a check for $300 to cover Aug. 15-Sept. 15. I have a week of Orientation that will require me to be on campus each day from Aug. 18-Aug. 22, then the department has meetings the following week. I'm not sure just which days.
Another positive (besides Betty's disposition) is that the house is in the middle of 20 acres. I can walk if I want to, and there's a tiny pond and some nice landscaping. Apparently our department has a Christmas party at this house each year, which would be fun. I'm going to do as much of my work as I can during those three days at her house so that my husband and I can enjoy our weekends together. I won't be distracted by tv or household chores or cooking or just chit-chatting (unless Betty turns out to be one of those talkative people who keeps me from working, but I don't think she will be).
Tomorrow is my son's 33rd birthday. I'm glad he's not like Betty's son, whom we met briefly. His name is Thaddeus, and he's a handsome young man, very muscular and tattooed, but not really friendly. My son is far more gracious about meeting people. But then, I have to cut Thaddeus some slack--he was just returning from visiting his father in Chicago (Betty is apparently a divorcee, not a widow, despite what GW said). His father is having heart surgery and treatment for colon cancer, so I imagine it was a long, tiring drive and a traumatic visit. The young man may be charm itself once I get to know him a bit better. He is the real owner of the dog (named Sasha), which he allowed back into the house (apparently angry that his mother had penned the dog while she had guests). The first thing the huge thing does is jump up on my husband, nearly knocking him down. But the dog just wants to be petted and loved on, so I don't think I'm in any danger of being chewed upon in my sleep. I guess I'll just remember to bring chew toys and dog biscuits each time I arrive there on Monday afternoon since Betty will be teaching a night class on Monday nights. It wouldn't do to have Sasha keeping me penned in my car half the night, would it? At least the new coffee shop across from campus is now open, so I'd have a place to hang out. S.
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