moved

It feels like it's been a very long time since I have sat down to write something and I guess that's because it has been a really long time.  Over 2 months now that I actually look at it.

Since mid-December, we've been busy getting ready to move, doing some renovations, moving and then doing more renovations.  It's been exciting and exhausting.  So exhausting in fact that we both got good and sick last week.  Our extra-long family day weekend was spent trying to keep warm / keep our noses from running / keep our stomachs from doing weird things, etc.

Not fun.

Until late January, I'd managed to get through the fall and winter without getting sick. Odd for me but I liked it.

Two days before we were scheduled to move (moving day was Monday, January 21), I came down with the flu.  I was shocked that this happened because I'd actually had a flu shot this year (I don't normally).  Fortunately, because I had the shot I suspect, the flu didn't stick around too long.  It did knock me out of commission for moving day though, which also happened to be US Inauguration Day so, while Mark was supervising the movers and freezing his butt off (of course our moving day was one of the coldest days of the winter at that point), I was at my mum & dad's house, watching the festivities in a nice warm house while the dogs were groomed and had a day at doggie daycare.

Poor Mark.  He was just exhausted.  I had done a lot of the packing but he did most of the heavy lifting and was in charge of things like installing new floors (in this kitchen and the kitchen at what I now call "the rental house"), figuring out plumbing problems (new house), and making sure that the rental house was ready for our tenants.  

How we didn't get sick then I'll never know.  Last week though, we both kind of hit the wall and our immune systems gave in and we both felt crappy all weekend.

I wish I had a bunch of fabulous before and after photos to post of the new house but unfortunately, the things we have had to do to the place aren't fun or sexy.  On the morning after we took possession, I spent $1000 on locksmiths, replacing the locks and repairing the doors on the house.  They were beyond messed up and I have no idea how the previous owner was able to use them.  We've also spent $1500 on plumbing repairs.  Again, not sure how a person can live without a properly draining, leaking, kitchen sink/faucet but I guess you can.  We've replaced the fixture, the traps, had the dishwasher properly installed and done some other repairs that Mark coordinated. 

Now that the plumbing is done (you have no idea how much I love not doing dishes in a bucket!), we're going to get some quotes on electrical work. We want to replace the panel and have new light switches installed in the main part of the house.  It's got some funky 12 volt relay system which is annoying and part of it doesn't work at all.  Until that is all done though, we can't do any painting (because there will be drywall to repair).  We'll also need to look into a couple of replacement windows but they may have to wait a while.

Slowly though, we're unpacking and getting settled in.  I can tell that the dogs are totally grooved into the new place and they love their gigantic backyard. 

The first few days we were here, I was pretty angry about the condition of the house.  The kitchen was filthy, just gross.  Thank goodness my mother very kindly helped me (I say helped but she did most of it, I was coming down with the flu) clean the cabinets out.  They were absolutely disgusting.  I was in shock by the amount of dirt we found in the cabinets.  That's right dirt, soil, dry mud.  Gross.  One should never have to clean dirt out of cupboards or hoover sand out of utensil drawers.  Personally, even if I lived like that, I would never want anyone to know and would NEVER leave a house in a state like that.  Be a pig in a privat but why leave that mess behind for someone else to see.

Yuck.

Fortunately, with each day that passes, my anger fades and this feels more like our home.  We're really happy here.  Once I can paint and get new window coverings up, I'll feel even better.  In the meantime, we're just taking it one day at a time.

suddenly

This past few days have been a whirlwind.

Quick as you'd like, we have had an offer accepted on a new home.  We weren't even looking and this happened.  How can this be!?

A couple of weeks ago, we decided to head out to visit my parents who were working at the annual Tea and Sale at their church.  On the way there, I noticed a house for sale.  It was a house I'd driven by my whole life and had always admired.  The home is located in a neighbourhood I never thought I'd be able to afford to live so I left it at that.

Maybe a week later, I looked up the home on the MLS website.  I noticed that it was actually in our price range.  Some of the features of this new property (septic system, not sewers, no central A/C) were an initial deterrent to me.  Eventually, I went back to the listing and began looking into septic systems.  The other morning, on the way to work, I mentioned the house to Mark in the car.  He immediately responded, without blinking, "let's go see it."

On Saturday, we saw the house and on Sunday, prepared an offer.  After a little bit of back and forth, our offer was accepted.  We're working on meeting the conditions but hopefully soon, it'll be officially ours.

It's a really fun house.  it's a ranch-style bungalow and it seems to have been built in the early or mid 1950's and has never been renovated.  It's been maintained to a very high standard but it really looks like something out of Mad Men.  The property also has a massive lot so the dogs will basically have a bigger space to run in than our neighbourhood's off-leash dog park. Like I said, FUN.

Of course, we'll still have the issue of dealing with our current home but I'd like to not think about that right now.  I shall just focus on my pinterest decor boards and how much we're going to love putting our stamp on our new place!