BS: Mudcat Rooming House

Subject: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 04:39 PM

I think that Joe Offer has it right in his post to the Mudcatter you'd like to live with thread. I didn't respond to that, because it seemed too weird. Many of us had roomies in college, and they varied from great people who became long-time friends to serious jerks. The only person I want to live with is my wife. I can't stretch my imagination beyond that.

But, a Mudcat Rooming House (with apartments for married couples) I can at least get a handle on. Given a choice, I'd prefer living right where I am, but for the sake of discussion, I can think of a lot of Catters I'd love to have in the Rooming House. My list could never be inclusive, but I know that I'd have to have Art Thieme, JimmyT, Joe Offer, Ron Davis, Elmer Fudd and Ebbie in there. Probably ColK and Leadfingers... oh yeah, and.....

How about a Mudcat small town, where everyone had their own place but no one was too far away not to get together within twenty minutes?

In lieu of all these possibilities though, I think I might stick to a kitchen table. At least until I could see people in person..

If this is too similar to the other thread, Joe, you can just move my post over there. You don't need my permission, or to notify me.
I hereby bequeath all powers upon your worthy head..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 04:47 PM

Never did like the idea of communes, frat houses or whatever ... human beings get too 'politcal' when grouped together in tight spaces ... when it comes to daily living arrangements prefer my own space, my own way, just me and my wife of many years is ll that is required.

sIx

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 05:28 PM

Well, in light of what Jerry said, there is an obvious answer...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 31 Jul 06 - 05:29 PM

..thats if you can stand living 'with' John Prescott.....

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 03:09 AM

So if we're going to have this huge, rambling rooming house, can I have a top floor room with windows to the east and south and a skylight please?

And can I bring my kitties?

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Little Robyn
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 06:35 AM

Some friends of ours thought of this scenario, tho' more as an old folks home, and wrote a song about it, to the tune of The Apprentice Song.

Old Folkie's Home by Liz Merton, Mary Hubble & Ruth Birnie

Come on Folkies, bring your music,
Leave the suburbs to your kids.
Here's a home for your retirement,
You can jam all day instead.
Keep your eyes on the older folkies,
They're the ones who know their stuff.
One day you will play like they do,
If you stay here long enough!

Come on Folkies, bring your songbooks,
Just in case your memory fades.
Bring your CDs, tapes and records (& mini discs and DVDs)
And be sure they will be played.
Never mind if the volume's fading,
Hearing aids are all the rage.
We'll still party to the small ones,
Celebrate our growing age.

Wake up dear, it's time to party,
Here's the gear to change your drip.
Fill the damn thing up with whiskey
And we'll have a groovey trip.
Nearly time for this evening's ceilidh,
Are your wheelchair's brakes alright?
Don't want any nasty crashes,
No more skid marks, like last night.

Rediscover your libido
when you lose the stress and strain.
Double rooms are there for sharing,
Lots of time for fun and games.
People say 'Life begins at 40'
Here you'll see the living proof.
Practise makes your playing polished,
Let us pity callow youth.

Robyn

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 09:21 AM

Dunno about dibs on rooms Liz, but OF COURSE you can bring kitties.

If people werent bringing kitties, we would have to acquire some.

Paul

(missing his Cat badly)

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: freda underhill
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 09:36 AM

i agree jerry - I'm still getting over the loss of my beloved bbaxter, & can't envisage anyone else taking his place. but i like the idea of a village - with a sunny courtyard, tables, and a few musicians sitting around...

yes, cats, as well as catters...

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: MMario
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 09:38 AM

a nice communal barn for dances and jams

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: freda underhill
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 09:40 AM

yes!

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 09:42 AM

And a hill on the edge of town where you could watch the sunset, all by yourself. And a river walk where you could catch the sunrise and watch the otters catching a fish for their breakfast..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: freda underhill
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 09:43 AM

..watching the kangaroos sunning themselves in the long yellow grass, and a flock of pink and grey galahs fly past..

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 04:17 PM

And a LARGE MATRIX on the refrigerator dividing up the household chores. You know, thinking back on old Rivendell Co-op in Lansing, Michigan, I have to acknowledge that the bathrooms and kitchen were kept to a much higher standard of cleanliness than any other household I have subsequently lived in.

There needs to be a cupola, large enough for star gazing. There needs to be a decent shop with some real woodworking tools. There needs to be a huge kitchen, with room around the table for a dozen or more, instruments included.

It would be nice to have this place sited in the countryside where one could watch the sunset, and the roos romping across the fields and the wombats flitting among the trees. And it would nice to have a bit of shore where one could keep a boat and maybe take a swim on a hot day.

And it would be really nice to have maid service...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Bert
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 04:20 PM

We had a Mudcat retirement home thread at one time.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: MMario
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 04:20 PM

and air conditioning. with seperate thermostats in every room.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 04:37 PM

I happy to do yard chores (gardening) but I don't do plugholes and I don't iron underpants.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 05:53 PM

LtS--

I don't iron underpants.
Puts me in mind of this Zoe Mulford song:

http://www.zoemulford.com/music-4.html

Life Is Too Short to Fold Underwear

There's one piece of wisdom that sticks in my head
I heard it someplace or it's something I read
about someone or other whose grandmother said
that life is too short to fold underwear

CHORUS:
Life is too short to fold underwear
Life is too short to play solitaire
Get off your duff - it's time to begin
There's good deeds to do and there's sins to be sinned
and there's not enough time to fit it all in
Life is too short to fold underwear

Life is too short to eat processed cheese
or mealy tomatoes, or third-rate Chinese
or to live someplace dismal without any trees
and life is too short to fold underwear

Life is too short to spend it alone
or with folks that are mean, or a long way from home
or to serve an obsession that isn't your own
and life is too short to fold underwear

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 06:09 PM

WHO would bloody iron UNDERPANTS?

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 06:32 PM

Maybe we should just move to Takoma Park, Maryland, Jerry. It's known as the "folk ghetto" of Washington, DC. I stayed nearby in Gaithersburg a few years back (1999), and was introduced to a remarkable music community of people who all live within walking distance of each other.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 06:41 PM

Well, I made the obvious suggestion, way back up at the top of the thread....*G*

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 08:43 PM

From Fred Small's "Housewarming":

We are building a house growing tall before our eyes,
Stone on stone watch it rise;
We are building a house with our hands, with our songs,
May it stand as long as our lives.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 10:39 PM

Prices are ^up in Takoma Park, Joe; I'd hate to have to buy there right now.... but since we are wishing, it would be a good place to start.....except that it is surrounded by The Greater Washington suburban nightmare! We do have all the music you could shake a stick at, however....and plenty of cats.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Sorcha
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 10:41 PM

Hell, come to Wyoming, prices are CHEAP compared to elsewhere...and Wyoming NEEDS us folkies!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Aug 06 - 11:43 PM

Paul in HUll, I have a friend, born and raised in NYC who comes from a Puerto Rican background. When she turned 16, her parents sent her to PR for the summer to live with her "aunties" who taught her all kinds of domestic things. Her tutelage included how to iron ALL clothing, including her underpants, which she and her daughters do to this day!

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Aug 06 - 12:15 AM

Sounds like some of you need to get over to the Mudcat Tavern (or swing by the adjacent Mudcat Recovery Ward, if you feel the need). Just watch out for the squid in the tavern and Nurse Ratched in the ward.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Mooh
Date: 02 Aug 06 - 07:09 AM

As in the Mudcat Retirement Home thread, my offer stands to clean the toilets. There's no hero like he who willingly cleans the loo.

Otherwise I'm not interested unless there's good fishing nearby and live music 'round the clock.

Can I bring Rosie The Wonder Dog and Cosmo The Other Dog?

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 02 Aug 06 - 09:15 AM

You know, these threads are a lot of fun and I enjoy them. But the best thing about them is that they make me realize just how much I love my life, exactly as it is. Sure, I'd love to see kangaroos bopping about in my backyard, but then I wouldn't be able to watch the otters cavorting in the river when my wife and I go on our early morning walk. I've had some wonderful years living in a rooming house when I went to college and made a few life-long friends out of those experiences. But, I have no desire to put my life in reverse. I'm enjoying the drive too much. I don't think that I could deal with wall-to-wall music either, no matter how appealing it might appear to others. I like silence, too. It would be great to be able to see some of my friends in here more often, and my family that is scattered all over the map, too.

I've had stretches in my life where I dreaded going back home. If someone had told me "You can't go home again," I would have said, "Thank God!." No matter how much I enjoy meeting Catters and having them visit here or how much I love to travel, the real blessing is looking forward to getting back home.

All this said, the one place that draws me more than any is the D.C. area. If it only was somewhere else... :-) Plenty of inexpensive housing up here in Derby, Connecticut.

And then there are the otters, too..

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Mudcat Rooming House
From: open mike
Date: 02 Aug 06 - 11:53 AM

I DO live on a large piece of land in the country - a partnership with 8 members. I think Marion may be the only mudcatter to have seen this place but it has lots of elbow room and several cabins and camping space. i do hold a weekend fook music camp out at a camp ground near here on the shores of a lake surrounded by tall trees. Come joim us
on the first weekend in June...and experience a weekend in utopia!

I have lived communally for many many years, simce my college days.
And continue to do so. I subscribe to Communities magazine, and have
lived at a place that helped to edit6 this periodical. I am a true believer...it DOES take a village!

http://www.ic.org/ -- you can find a link to the magazine here.

Intentional Community is an inclusive term for ecovillages, cohousing, residential land trusts, communes, student co-ops, urban housing cooperatives, and other projects where people strive together with a common vision.