Two Down, One To Go

[BasketBaller]

Go you for scheduling a visit to Fallingwater and them for falling in love with it once they saw it.

 

It was amazing, and so was their reaction. I think they had the exact response Frank Lloyd Wright wanted, as we walked toward the house they got quiet, sensing something special. The first glimpse of the house, and the tour inside it, were big hits. Both said they want to see more FLW work and that they "want to live somewhere like this." Good luck with that!

 

Best wishes for your adjustment to a truly empty nest.

 

Thanks, I'll be fine. (I think!)

[rvwnsd]

It was amazing, and so was their reaction. I think they had the exact response Frank Lloyd Wright wanted, as we walked toward the house they got quiet, sensing something special. The first glimpse of the house, and the tour inside it, were big hits. Both said they want to see more FLW work and that they "want to live somewhere like this." Good luck with that!...

You and DePaul son can catch the FLW studio and homes tour in Oak Park, just 9 miles west of the loop. Do it when you visit for fall - the colors should be stunning. You can also do a walk-by/drive-by in River Forest, the next suburb west of Oak Park across Harlem Avenue. Most of the FLWs are west of Thatcher Rd, but the non-FLW homes in River Forest east of Thatcher/north of Lake St are pretty spectacular, too.

[+ purplekow]

It was amazing, and so was their reaction. I think they had the exact response Frank Lloyd Wright wanted, as we walked toward the house they got quiet, sensing something special. The first glimpse of the house, and the tour inside it, were big hits. Both said they want to see more FLW work and that they "want to live somewhere like this." Good luck with that!

 

 

 

Thanks, I'll be fine. (I think!)

I have wanted to see Fallingwater and now it will move up on my list of places to see. Maybe that long drive will lead to the conversation you are going to inevitably have with each of them. Life is change and is seems you are doing a lot of living right now.

[gallahadesquire]

You and DePaul son can catch the FLW studio and homes tour in Oak Park, just 9 miles west of the loop. Do it when you visit for fall - the colors should be stunning. You can also do a walk-by/drive-by in River Forest, the next suburb west of Oak Park across Harlem Avenue. Most of the FLWs are west of Thatcher Rd, but the non-FLW homes in River Forest east of Thatcher/north of Lake St are pretty spectacular, too.

 

It's Thatcher Avenue. I grew up there. There's not a whole lot of River Forest west of Thatcher, save the woods, and the Winslow House

[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winslow_House_(River_Forest,_Illinois)][/url]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winslow_House_(River_Forest,_Illinois).

 

http://www.trbimg.com/img-585ad636/turbine/ct-elite-street-flw-house-river-forest-1225-biz-20161221

 

Oak Park is better for FLW houses ... most of which we ignored when I was growing up in the '60's.

 

One example of a noted resident of River Forest (I don't think there's a term like "River Forester" or "River Forestian") was Paul Harvey of "Paul Harvey News and Comment."

 

It's a great place to be from. Of Oak Park, a noted resident, Ernest Hemingway, said:

 

"Oak Park: A village of wide lawns and narrow minds."

I don't know if it's still true, but Oak Park was the largest village in the world (at 60,000).

 

Oak Park and River Forest share a public high school, Oak Park-River Forest High School (OPRFHS), and are frequently considered as kind of one community.

 

And, for clarification, I grew up south of the Tracks, in the Hamburger (not the Sirloin) section of River Forest. On Thatcher.

Edited August 4, 2018 by gallahadesquire

[gallahadesquire]

I have wanted to see Fallingwater and now it will move up on my list of places to see. Maybe that long drive will lead to the conversation you are going to inevitably have with each of them. Life is change and is seems you are doing a lot of living right now.

 

Fallingwater is probably best seen when there's been a good snow pack that's melting, so that the water is running well.

 

I remember going to see it, and getting the impression, while standing on the outside deck: There's a house around here, somewhere.

If you go, do try to take the "in depth" tour, which takes you into further recesses of the house. It costs more, and is early (8AM as I remember) but you get a real feel for the place.

[+ FreshFluff]

I'm glad you had a good trip to drop off your other twin and that you got to see Fallingwater.

 

I'm curious: How is the view of the waterfall from inside the house? It seems like the view is most stunning from outside.

[gallahadesquire]

I'm glad you had a good trip to drop off your other twin and that you got to see Fallingwater.

 

I'm curious: How is the view of the waterfall from inside the house? It seems like the view is most stunning from outside.

 

It's almost non-existent. There is a hatch ... about 2' high, with a sliding top and a door, that takes you down the stairs (outside) to where the falls are. You can leave it open to hear the water.

Otherwise, iirc, you can't see the waterfall AT ALL from inside the house.

WIth your back to the hatch:

http://cdn.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Fallingwater-sitting-area.jpg

 

I can't find a better one than this:

 

http://cdn.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/leisure-room.jpg

 

Ah. the fireplace is off-frame to the right;

 

 

On decidedly gets the feeling that there's a house around here somewhere.

[+ FreshFluff]

Thanks for the photos, @gallahadesquire . It's unfortunate that there is no view of the famous waterfall. I guess that wasn't what FLW was after.

[gallahadesquire]

A final, that finally puts it all together:

 

 

The hatch to the waterfall is on the left.

 

What can I say? When I grew up, FLW houses were just all over. My stepfather's house was a half-block from one. ALso from a Mies van der Rohe glass box.

[+ quoththeraven]

It was amazing, and so was their reaction. I think they had the exact response Frank Lloyd Wright wanted, as we walked toward the house they got quiet, sensing something special. The first glimpse of the house, and the tour inside it, were big hits. Both said they want to see more FLW work and that they "want to live somewhere like this." Good luck with that!

 

Thanks, I'll be fine. (I think!)

 

Your eldest can see a reconstructed FLW room with its original furnishings in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

[BasketBaller]

I just checked out and after a bite to eat will drive back to DC.

 

Dinner on Sunday with DePaul twin, his roommate, and older brother was okay, everyone obviously aware of the looming goodbye but in control. When we took the two freshmen back to their dorm roommate shook our hands and called both me and older brother "Sir," and then twin hugged us both and said "Call me soon." No "be happy" moment this time. Like his twin, he walked into the dorm without a glance back.

 

Monday morning Oldest and I drove to NY, and the talk got serious, but not in the way I (or probably you) expected. He's been in a relationship for about a year, the first really serious one he's had. He wanted to talk about that, and about me and his mom. I was about his age when we got engaged, and he wanted to know how we knew that was the right thing to do, how we knew each other was the right one, etc. He's thinking about where to go from here, how to know what to do next. Now, we got married younger than anyone would have advised, and had kids immediately, so I don't know if my input is the best, but I tried to tell him how it was. He knows his mom was pregnant when we got married (although we were engaged already). He said he'd been jealous of his little brothers because they'd had such strong relationships in high school and he hadn't, which totally surprised me, he'd never given any indication of that. But he's clearly very much in love with this young woman, and she is lovely, but they're juniors in college. I mostly listened, but told him about how it felt when his mom and I got serious. He threw in that they were thinking of moving off-campus together at some point, so I guess that question's been answered.

 

Tuesday morning we picked up his stuff from storage and moved him into his dorm. He's had a great roommate the past two years, who was a huge help when he broke his leg, and they are moving into a suite with two others this semester. One of the new guys had his parents there and allow me to digress and say his dad is hot as hell.

 

We didn't go to a show last night after all, just a farewell dinner, where he did indeed gently express concern about me being alone. I was honest and said I don't know how it will be, but assured him I'd figure it out. I know some of you think I should open up to the boys and I intend to, but I really want to do it when we're all together. But since he'd brought it up I reminded him that they used to badger me to start dating, and I asked why they had abruptly stopped. He got very serious, and said that we'd all been at the table and he and the twins had been boisterously suggesting women for me to date. I'd laughed it off, but when I left the room, he said I had looked sad. (I have no memory of this at all.) He was 15 and the twins 13. He told his brothers he thought they were hurting my feelings, and they all agreed to leave me alone. Then he said will you maybe start dating now? And I said I think I might, and he nodded.

 

He is the cynic in the family, the unsentimental one, and when I took him back to campus I expected a handshake or manly hug at best. But before he got out of the car, he reached out and touched my face and said, "Call me soon, too." I just nodded, and off he went.

 

Last night at the hotel was hard, but I'm okay. I slept late, which I never do. I've written this over a late breakfast, and while I typed I've had texts from all three. Now, back to DC.

[TruHart1]

I just checked out and after a bite to eat will drive back to DC.

 

Dinner on Sunday with DePaul twin, his roommate, and older brother was okay, everyone obviously aware of the looming goodbye but in control. When we took the two freshmen back to their dorm roommate shook our hands and called both me and older brother "Sir," and then twin hugged us both and said "Call me soon." No "be happy" moment this time. Like his twin, he walked into the dorm without a glance back.

 

Monday morning Oldest and I drove to NY, and the talk got serious, but not in the way I (or probably you) expected. He's been in a relationship for about a year, the first really serious one he's had. He wanted to talk about that, and about me and his mom. I was about his age when we got engaged, and he wanted to know how we knew that was the right thing to do, how we knew each other was the right one, etc. He's thinking about where to go from here, how to know what to do next. Now, we got married younger than anyone would have advised, and had kids immediately, so I don't know if my input is the best, but I tried to tell him how it was. He knows his mom was pregnant when we got married (although we were engaged already). He said he'd been jealous of his little brothers because they'd had such strong relationships in high school and he hadn't, which totally surprised me, he'd never given any indication of that. But he's clearly very much in love with this young woman, and she is lovely, but they're juniors in college. I mostly listened, but told him about how it felt when his mom and I got serious. He threw in that they were thinking of moving off-campus together at some point, so I guess that question's been answered.

 

Tuesday morning we picked up his stuff from storage and moved him into his dorm. He's had a great roommate the past two years, who was a huge help when he broke his leg, and they are moving into a suite with two others this semester. One of the new guys had his parents there and allow me to digress and say his dad is hot as hell.

 

We didn't go to a show last night after all, just a farewell dinner, where he did indeed gently express concern about me being alone. I was honest and said I don't know how it will be, but assured him I'd figure it out. I know some of you think I should open up to the boys and I intend to, but I really want to do it when we're all together. But since he'd brought it up I reminded him that they used to badger me to start dating, and I asked why they had abruptly stopped. He got very serious, and said that we'd all been at the table and he and the twins had been boisterously suggesting women for me to date. I'd laughed it off, but when I left the room, he said I had looked sad. (I have no memory of this at all.) He was 15 and the twins 13. He told his brothers he thought they were hurting my feelings, and they all agreed to leave me alone. Then he said will you maybe start dating now? And I said I think I might, and he nodded.

 

He is the cynic in the family, the unsentimental one, and when I took him back to campus I expected a handshake or manly hug at best. But before he got out of the car, he reached out and touched my face and said, "Call me soon, too." I just nodded, and off he went.

 

Last night at the hotel was hard, but I'm okay. I slept late, which I never do. I've written this over a late breakfast, and while I typed I've had texts from all three. Now, back to DC.

Here is yet another sincere, heartfelt post from you, openly sharing your love for your sons. I was quite moved while reading this. You are a great father and a wonderful human being, @BasketBaller!

 

TruHart1

[mike carey]

BBaller, thank you for continuing to tell us about your journey. I shed a tear reading your post, and I don't apologise for that. I won't presume to offer advice, you know more than anyone else where you should go.

[BasketBaller]

If you go, do try to take the "in depth" tour, which takes you into further recesses of the house. It costs more, and is early (8AM as I remember) but you get a real feel for the place.

 

I'm definitely doing that next time.

[BasketBaller]

Your eldest can see a reconstructed FLW room with its original furnishings in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I told him that and he said he'll go! There's a small FLW house open to the public in Northern Virginia, the Pope-Leighey house, that I've been to but I think the boys haven't so that's another one to take them to.

[gallahadesquire]

Check out the FLW tours that happen in May in Oak Park, Illinois. They're over a weekend, and rather fascinating.

 

They also started after I moved away.

[gallahadesquire]

I think you're going to have some VERY interesting times over Christmas Vacation.

[BabyBoomer]

@BasketBaller

 

How's the home alone thing going?

 

~Boomer~

[BasketBaller]

How's the home alone thing going?~Boomer~

 

Thank you for asking, my friend. It's-- okay. But it's weird!

 

I mentioned earlier that the last night at the hotel in NY was hard, and I had dreaded the drive back to DC. For some reason I thought that would be painful, but it really wasn't. I played music loud, sang along, and was home before I knew it. Walking into the house was a little emotional, but not tragic, I just didn't like it. My folks had invited me to dinner so I went there, and having been texted by each of my sons during the day, I got called by each of my brothers during the evening. I think they had conferred about me being alone and decided to keep me talking.

 

At home it was quiet, and everything was where I had left it-- what a change, LOL! The only bad moment was waking up the next morning and blurrily thinking I needed to get the guys going, and then remembering. And eating alone is not fun.

 

This is okay. I already miss them, of course, but to a normal degree. I worked today, and worked out before coming home, and that helped. I have no familiar routine now, no typical day, and I have to develop/discover those. And I will. All four of us are moving into new phases, and are dealing with something, loneliness, homesickness, uncertainty about the future. We'll be fine.

 

But oh man, does it help to have all of you to "talk" to about it. Thanks for listening.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

Hope your adjustment to being home alone is going well

[BasketBaller]

I think you're going to have some VERY interesting times over Christmas Vacation.

That's my guess, too!

[BasketBaller]

Thanks for the photos, @gallahadesquire . It's unfortunate that there is no view of the famous waterfall. I guess that wasn't what FLW was after.

As I understand it, The Kauffman family bought the property with the intention of having a house built that was across from the waterfall, with it as a view. Wright upended that, building the house over the falls. The view of the house from where the Kauffmans expected it to be built is stunning, in the house and on the terraces, it's the sound of the falls that has an impact.

http://arizonaexperience.org/sites/arizonaexperience.org/files/base_images/frank-lloyd-wright_fallingwater.jpg

[BasketBaller]

Hope your adjustment to being home alone is going well

Thank you, it's... going. I'm keeping busy and that helps. It's strange to have no one else in the house, as I posted earlier, I went from living with my parents and brothers, to college roommates, to my wife, to my wife and kids, to my kids, and never spent any appreciable time alone, except a few stretches of the boys at camp or visiting their mom's relatives. I think I'm subconsciously pretending they're gone for something like that and will be back in a week!

[kewtex]

From previous posts, @BasketBaller, I gather you loved your wife, and may have enjoyed being an empty nester with her. Yet, life being life, you get to try out that role on your own. I'm excited for you. Unlimited possibilities await you.

 

You're only getting a temporary break from your sons. Enjoy it while you can. The boys will be back before you know it.

[Bargara Leatherboy]

It struck me today that you are in the unique position of being able to choose the daily routine you want to create.

 

So think deeply about that. What activity have you always wanted to do but never had the time, money or freedom to be.

 

Don't rely on previous routines or habits, you can create whatever you want, so Carpe Diem.