Chapter 4 - Nothing's Too Much Trouble

[Stephanie]

Please post your comments and questions about Chapter 4 in this thread.

[DSaff]

I loved the description and stories of this house! It reminded me of the movie, "The Money Pit," which someone else already mentioned. With some hard work, money, and lots of love, this house went from just a house to a home.

[Stephanie]

Buying a home in a small town is not like buying one anywhere else, especially if you're a newcomer, or, as it were, an outsider.  When Amy describes her family "accidentally" dropping by and seeing Amy and Emily on the porch with the real estate agent, I had to laugh. 

I think the whole town of LaFargeville turned out (however surreptitiously)  to watch the movers unload the two huge semis (they were very loosely packed!)  that pulled up and blocked Rt 411 (Main St, but not called such) on a warmish day in July four and a half years ago.  I have since made my escape back to warmer climes but I think the small town experience was good for my children for a time. 

So when Amy talks about Freeville, I think of LaFargeville, which, for those of you who do not feel like looking it up, is about 75 miles north of Syracuse.  The house she bought sounds suspiciously like the one across the road from us. 

[Tarri]

I believe she bought my first house, we even paid the same amount.  However, at my first house it was $5000 not $1000 to fix everything.   Does everyone buy the same first house? 

[cocospals]

I really had to laugh at the description of the hourse the first time Amy spotted it.  The writing almost had a Rodney Dangerfield-ish quality to it. "The house looked like a child's drawing of a house if the child had no talent and was in a hurry. It was the house equivalent of a guy who had gone on a bender and been kicked out of rehad. If this house had parents, they would have disowned it and moved to Buffalo...."  Great one liners!

[Tonya]

Someone hit the nail on the head when she was describing the house she just bought as a second home, being like the one in "The Money Pit." That is such an accurate description. I had to laugh when she was describing the ceiling fans and the carpet on the stairs, and then sliding down.

Amy really has a way with words and leaves you wanting more.

Chapter 5 is calling me!

Tonya

[shopdaisy]

I really enjoyed the way she described the first time she saw the house, the description of the inside, and the issues with it.  There are so many things that is great about this chapter but the one thing that got me was that she bought a second home.  It makes me realize that no matter what life hands you, there are so many opportunities out there.  You just have to recognize it and do it.  I love the intimacy of her family, the way they are there for her and so involved.  I think it is great to have such a small community. 

[tabcat]

Great title for this chapter!  Nothing is ever too much trouble when it involves your child and especially your child's happiness.  Buying a house in Freeville and offering Emily the opportunity to get to know her family despite all the hardships for Amy was a wonderful thing to do. 

Amy has a great sense of humor and it really shines in this chapter.  I don't often laugh out loud when reading, but the front door falling off and stair slidings were hilarious. 

Cost to replace/repair anything associated with the house....$1000.  Cost of sharing her experiences priceless!

TC

[PCGator]

I also enjoyed both the descriptions of the house and the trick-or-treating stories (very timely since Halloween is day after tomorrow!)

This quote from page 70 stood out to me, ... my leave-taking didn't seem to take.  I always seemed to travel in the same direction, even when I didn't specifically intend to - my personal compass was permanently set toward home.

That rings so true!  I had ambitious plans after graduating from school - leave Florida behind, live in a big city, pursue exciting career, etc. etc..... and sure enough, I wind up years later settled down less than 20 miles from my own home town.  It reminds me of the scene in the original Star Wars movie, when Luke and Ben realize they are involuntarily being pulled toward the Death Star.  They were hopelessly caught in a tractor beam, being reeled in even though that's not at all the destination they wanted or had intended.  And yet, that is where they must go, and in the end that's where they needed to be to complete their life's story. 

Carol

[gl]

Like shopdaisy, I really enjoyed the way that Amy described the way that she'd first seen the house and the processing of buying and settling into the home.  

"In retrospect, I realize that I didn't exactly inspect my little house in Freeville carefully before buying it, though Emily and I went through it together and noticed that certain houselike elements, such as doors, a staircase, toilet, and the sinks, were in fact present."

We just bought our first apartment in NYC and when we first saw it we had a general impression of how much we liked it and that it had the basic elements.  Though after we made an offer, I couldn't exactly recall the details of the place and it took several return visits and actually moving in to slowly discover everything that we missed.

I love the way the chapter weaves so much humor into these personal milestones! 

[m3girl]

---

Stephanie wrote:
Please post your comments and questions about Chapter 4 in this thread.

---

I love the description of the house she bought for $58K!  Where all the repairs - regardless of what they are cost $1,000!  Sounds familiar!  Too funny and too true.  I'd love to hear Amy read from this book as I bet she'd be quite entertaining.  The house anchors her somewhat in Freeville while she still lives in DC and I hope it ends up being a good decision.  Time to pull up the carpeting on the stairs!!  And hope that there is a good oak surprise below!

I also enjoyed her contrast with some of the other students in college and how those that have family money and an allowance just assume that everyone else does too.

The Halloween stories bring back memories - those stories always scared me so much - perhaps why I am not a fan of camping (the hookman) -  preferring the people and noise of the city.

The relationship between Amy and Emily is once to be almost jealous of - there is a mutual respect and friendship.  I hope it endures when Emily is in her teens.

Susan 

[Stephanie]

Susan,

I know just what you mean when you say that Amy and Emily's relationship might make one a bit jealous!  The relationship between them might have been filled with angst, but it seems Amy found just the right balance between being involved and letting Emily do her own thing.