#rivervale_lodge

Hm. Does that mean there's an upstairs bathroom? She goes hunting. "Cool!"

THere is an upstairs bathroom. It has a tub, but ...ugh, it is not a troll sized tub. Showerhead means she can shower in it.

She checks her height against the shower.

"I admit it, I don't like the exterior that much, but the interior seems good." His voice is approaching, "mm bed room is missing a door knob"

"I broke it. But it's a cool room, isn't it?"

"Actually very cool" He says "Sorry about the dust. "
//Darn it, the shower head lines up with her forehead

"Could we get a new shower? Or is that too expensive?"

Jaymes peeks his head in "Depends. Frank set up a spa, I'm sure he would have ideas for..." THen he sees the problem, "Yeah that blows."

She climbs out of the tub. "I could duck?"

"Well, we got two more houses to look over so don't get too set on one yet. We want the one that will be the best when we'rre done with it for the least money. I want you to look at all three before we decide." yes, he actually says we.

She notices, that earning a little smile. "Yeah."

One wall does have what looks to be a crack in it, in the hallway upstairs. He frowns at that, and makes a note "Thiat could be nothing, it could be bad."

"Like the house sinking bad?"

"Stress fracture MAYBE, don't worry, that we can test pretty easy with the right equipment. " He says . They check out the rest of the house, the kitchen and so on. Save for the Saffron explosion situation and the plants trying to invade, so far things are good. The kitchen is nothing great, but not bad. However the pantry is huge.

"I think I know where the closet space went"

"There's plenty of closet spce..."

"Think of all the food you could stash here?"

"I was joking about how big this is, but yeah. I wonder if someone were worried about a famine"

"Well, you never know. Good to be prepared."

"Well, trolls need sustenance so it works" Jaymes says "Okay, ready for the next House?"

She nods. "Sure thing, boss."

A smile slips out of his ordinary stoic situation, then they get into the truck.

"If we painted everything it might be half-decent, for sure. Is the next one close?"

"About five more miles" He says as they drive, and it gets a bit more 'towny' but that's compared to that one and the lodge, "I tried to stay close to the lodge area and the browns house so you wouldn't have to change schools"

"Good. I like having Symon and Sylvi around."

"Yeah, they like you too. So why break up the band?" They arrive at the next location

"Yeah..." Hopeful.

"I still have trouble believing this one is a 'house' , I haven't been in it, apparently it's art deco, whatever that is"

The area was clearly meant by realtors to be a boom area, but 2008 was not kind to it, and investing in unusual takes did not pay off. Rather than the gardened neighborhood it was meant to be, it's gotten scabby

She wrinkles her nose, looking around.

The building itself is..well, it's exterior needs a fresh coat of paint but at least it isn't over grown, and if one likes the odd, it's exterior certainly fits. "Just me, or does it look like a square space ship?"

"It looks like a toaster."

He snorts and chokes a bit "YEah, it kind of does. Let's see what it's like." Looks like high ceilings again, damn good thing. That was clearly a must from the get go to even make it to the semi finals

"Tall, I guess." A touch wistful. "Wish there were trees..."

"We could plant some saplings, " Jaymes says "Almost required really. " as they look in, it is a lot newer, and in better shape over all than the last one, but it's also incomplete. Some sections of the floor weren't done all the way in one of the bedrooms. "Yup. Like they said, half done. That brings the price down."

"Yeah..." A grunt-shrug.

"Now there's a patio and grill that comes with it, and a small walled in yard..." He notices her shrug "mm nice thing about it being half done is we can finish it our way, but check out the bedroom will you?" A motion upstairs

She glumly trudges upstairs.

There are two rooms, both nice, really. Great walls, good closet space, but...they're perfectly square, and look almost identical. she could take either one, but while the walls look solid and there's space, the windows are... well, small. IT's all rather boxy in the FEEL.

"Hmph."

"Okay, this place is really in good shape" From the master

"...Yeah, I guess."

If she checks the bathroom, well, the tub is larger, and the shower head is actually over her head.

She grumbles, checking the window there - small, again.

Downstairs she goes, the upstairs feeling too.. boxed in... too white and flat...

"KItchen pantry isn't as huge, but the kitchen itself has better stove and all"

"...yeah." She peers out the back door at the walled-in yard, despondent.

He looks at her, then says "You know, I ah, don't think this house has a good future. I mean, we got to think ahead right?"

"It's in better shape than the other one."

"I mean, clearly someone wanted some sort of development here, and if it hadn't flopped, it would have been packed." He continues "Lots of houses real close. Oh sure, walls and gardens, but .. what if we salvage this place? Others might move in to do the same, and then bam... we're crowded. I'm not sure that's for me."