Oops, I did it again. After 3 years in a small stand-alone condo, I realized that I needed just a little more standing room, just a little more space, just a little more elbow room. The neighborhood, the proximity to hiking and bike trails, national forests, and waterfalls were all wonderful things. All except one. The majority of my friends--they didn't live anywhere near me. They were all between 20 and 45 minutes away. And most days, I would end up driving an hour and a half just to do things and have fun.
It was an easy decision for me. So I started looking for another house that better suited our needs. OK, my needs. I must admit here that this little condo met all my husband's needs. It was the right size, it came with lawn and snow care, and it was close to nature — yep, all his needs were met. And, none of mine were. Fortunately for me, he understood my plight and joined in the search. Actually, he did want a single-story home, so I had that going for me.
I just needed more. I needed some land, a nice yard for my dog to run and play in. She's only 3 years old, and she needs some playtime. A real doggie area. Not just walks with mom and dad. Real live chase the birds, chipmunks, and squirrels time.
I needed a basement, somewhere where my grandkids could congregate during winter. Our winters are long here. It's horrible to feel couped up. There was nowhere for them to play before. Now there will be. They'll have a TV, games, puzzles, books, and a place to have fun.
I needed more rooms-- a reading room, a dining room. This open concept thing just isn't for me. When my kids came to visit and wanted to watch sports (did I mention that I hate sports, all sports, any sports), I wanted to have a separate room to go to and have an intelligent conversation or even sit down with a book or laptop. I needed more rooms!
And then there was the good Ol' knee thing. I wanted a ranch-style home. No more stairs for this old lady. With this knee replacement, stairs are not my favorite thing to do. Not that I don't do them, I do. I just don't prefer them, and I don't want to do them 10 times a day.
So, a hunting we went. And within just a few short weeks, we found her. A small single-story home set on 3/4 of an acre. She's got charm and personality, she's cozy (another term for small), and kinda cute. Some brick and white siding, a big porch, and tons of trees. So many trees (read: leaves here), so I am buying my husband a riding lawn mower — my gift to him. He'll love it. He'll be like a kid with a new toy. The house is in a well-established neighborhood and feels very welcoming. Just my style. It's my little grandma's cottage.
As I sit here this morning, finishing up my blog, I am at my son's house. We are staying here for a few days while we are homeless. Our old house closed a couple of days ago, and the new one won't be in our name for a couple more days. It's like a vacation staying here. He owns a big, beautiful home situated on the most gorgeous lot. It's very peaceful. However, it's the calm before the storm. Because after we move--well, it's gonna get busy! Crazy busy.
Our new place needs a new kitchen and new vanities in the bathrooms. Not a big deal. I have everything picked out. So now we wait — for the cabinets, countertops, and flooring to be installed. We wait for the new furniture to be delivered. We get to know our new home, new neighbors, and new surroundings. I'm not really new to the area, though--our old church is down the street, my friends live close by, and I've been coming out this way for almost 19 years. It's just that I'll be living here now. And that makes me so happy.
I'm looking forward to this move. I'm not really giving up anything. My friends are all around me. My kids and grandkids are still here (except for my daughter's family, I'm praying they move here!) I'm getting a cute little house to decorate! The last of many things we'll be doing, as far as house stuff goes. For this will be the last move before the old folks' home. This is the house we will retire in. This is it! We won't be slowing down. That's not our style. We are movers and shakers. At least we like to think so. We just don't want to move homes again. This will be the 10th home we've purchased in 44 years. I'm done. Done. Done. We now just want to sit back and enjoy life. Hang with friends and family. Be part of a community. And settle in for the long haul.
So, if you see me on the street going for a walk with my little sheltie, if you see me riding by on my Townie Go, if you see me sitting on the porch of my little grandma cottage drinking coffee — stop on by and say hi! The coffee's on.
