Chouses

I went through a bit of a phase awhile ago. Part of my unusual real estate fetish. I kept looking at old churches for sale - I nicknamed them "chouses". I didn't know what "chouse"actually meant, or even that it was a word. But it actually is. It is a verb that means to trick or cheat. Needless to say, my chouse is a noun, and is short for "church-house".

The first one I looked at was a sad little church that even I couldn't save near Medicine Hat. Bad energy. Then I almost bought one, well, two really, in a small town outside of Calgary. But then I didn't. Long story. Then I went down to see one in Claresholm, but it was a former Masonic Hall. Talk about bad energy (with appropriate apologies to all Masons out there - I'm a Rotarian, you see). But I still keep looking, as a type of hobby. There are a surprising number of decommissioned churches for sale, and even convents come up occasionally. There was a convent for sale in Leipzig, Saskatchewan a few months ago, that had been partially converted into a commercial bakery. That had many of my academic friends buzzing about buying it and starting our own private university. The University of Calgary at Leipzig - has a nice ring to it, no?

Now even my friends point out these churches to me. Perhaps hoping that I will actually buy one of them one day and they can come and stay. But I'm not sure chouses are really me after all. I have my eye on a nice little renovated cinema with a two bedroom apartment above it. Now that would be fun - Fred Astaire festivals every year!!! Hey, a girl can dream ...

Comments

zouzou said…
Hey, what about the CAVE?! Of course you could buy one of everything and be the Queen of Caves and Chouses. But maybe the list would get too long as you bought things. Perhaps Grand Potentate of Peculiar Privvies... Nah, that focuses on just one aspect (critical though it may be) of a home. All the alliteration sounded so good I couldn't resist. Happy Hunting! (And yes of course we all have every intention of foisting ourselves upon whatever residence you choose, why do you think we keep egging you on?!)
Sarah Elaine said…
Leipzig, Saskatchewan?? I never even knew there was such a place.

How about a chouse in a cave? Of course, your chouse would have a mouse... and a cat to scare the bats...

Hhhmm....I'm thinking we could get a new Dr. Seuss book out of this!

As I reflect upon an earlier post, I love the somewhat sacriligeous idea of having poker nights in a church-turned-home. Bring on the licorice all sorts - amen!

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