Homebound...the Last 7 Days

Last Saturday - Our first outing with our realtor.  I have a bit of a hangover from last night's visit from friends.  One house we visit smells like dog pee.  Third home, walking distance to Chris' work, unexpectedly knocks our socks off.  At the top of the stairs of this cute little Cape, Chris whispers to me, "I love this place. We should bid on it right away."  I can't argue. It feels like a happy house. At our last stop, we run into a nice young couple also shopping for a home.  We wish them luck.

Sunday - Chris & I sit down to make an offer on the happy house, but are ready to play hardball in the bidding process.  Our realtor informs us that the couple we met yesterday are putting in a bid as well.  Now we're trying not to blow it.  We offer asking price and put down the largest down payment possible.  The sellers have until 6pm tomorrow to respond.

Monday - I haven't slept in two nights and am going crazy at work.  Chris calls just after 1pm to say we got the house (much rejoicing).  I celebrate with co-workers, Chris joins us, and we go home and crash.  I still can't sleep.

Tuesday - Did we just buy a house in 3 days?  We can afford this, right?  Did we make the decision too quickly?  Can I take a mental health day tomorrow?  I can?  Thank you so much.

Wednesday - Mental health day = shoveling snow, doing taxes, and meeting with the mortgage broker again.  Paperwork paperwork.  How do we get home owners insurance?  Schedule the inspection as soon as possible?  I sleep well for the first night this week.

Thursday - We continue to gather funds, by requesting an advance and looking into borrowing against our 401Ks (first time home buyers have little and sometimes no penalty).

Friday - Chris is on the phone all day comparing insurance estimates. We meet with the realtor again, re-read the fine print, and sign the purchase and sale.  I think we just bought a house.  Well, if everything goes well tomorrow.

Saturday - We spend over 2 hours at the house inspection.  The happy house has no major issues and the inspector gives us a 101 on oil tanks, gutter maintenance, plumbing, termite prevention, and how to get discounts for more efficient insulation in the attic.  I see so many great details that I missed the first time through. Chris says "Doesn't this already feel like home?" 

Since moving to Providence we've spent thousands and thousands on rent.  Now we'll have more control over the results of our work (and paychecks), which in turn leads to more freedom down the road.  We got really lucky.  We love this city, the housing market was ideal, the mortage rates low, the list goes on and on.  We also couldn't have done this were it not for the friends here who have made this city feel like home, and the supports of family and friends who have helped us emotionally through life's dramas, and financially in our pursuit of non-profit careers.  Not for a minute could we even think that we got to this place by ourselves.  And I know the respite of this home will enable us give more when we're outside of it.

golden eyes

Roshi-sitting while E is away.

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Are we now art collectors?

A few months ago, my friend Anne told me about the art culture in Omaha, and how collectors (which neither of us are) see their purchases as both financial investments and aesthetic investments that impact the day-to-day (because they only buy artwork they enjoy).

We purchased our first piece of artwork from my co-worker a few months back (gorgeous!) and we were lucky enough to take home our second this past weekend. Given our jobs (especially my working in the non-profit sector) and aspirations, we'll never be rolling in dough; but how great is it that we have stumbled on two opportunities to bring interesting and affordable artwork into our home. This awesome art door will be up on our wall as soon as we get the rigging. So glad we could support a talented teen artist (we have two of her screen-printed shirts) at a fundraiser for teen artists that happens to be my previous place of employment.

They're doing impactful work that empowers teens who unfairly carry burdens that most of us will never know. I feel fortunate that we can support an organization that gave me so much during my time there.

another day at horseneck beach

plus, blogging from the beach is silly.

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Garden on the Deck: Pretty Beets

8/7/10.

I'm sure that most local farms have harvested their beets by this point in the summer...but since our first attempt at pulling them up revealed tiny beets, we're leaving 'em in. Aren't they pretty? Unexpected color for the deck garden.

North Hampton Best Weekend Ever

7/3/10.

Long weekend in Northampton, and me with a brand new camera phone (all pics in this post!). A friend recommended the town, and I am grateful for it.

This fall Chris & I will have been together for 9 years, and I don't think we've been on a trip by ourselves since..since... uh. 2004? We're both happy to spend our vacations with our family and friends and wouldn't do it any other way. At the same time, the long weekend reminded me that we have to get away just the two of us, at least once in a while.

Northampton, 7/3/2010.

On Smith College's campus, 7/3/10.

Botanical Gardens at Smith College, 7/4/10.

Crazy succulents.

never ending greenhouses.

an outdoor garden.

campus

Kathy's Diner.

sushi.

Off to fireworks in Springfield MA, 7/4/10.

Lovely morning

From mom's visit:
Green Onion omelette with garden chives, 6/20/10.

Goodbye Red Couch

...you served me well for 10 years. I bought you and your companion chairs at a garage sale in St. Louis in 1995. You went to college with me, back to St. Louis, to Boston, to the Bronx, to Manhattan, and then to Providence. If the bottom hadn't fallen out of your left side over a year ago, I would've held on. Thankfully, someone carted you away, before the sanitation people came. I hope that you will be rebuilt and reupholstered in all of your great red velvety-ness.

Buying Art

Today I purchased my first piece of art. The artist is a talented photographer (with whom I work) and whose photos were recently featured (here). I love her non-traditional portrait photography and this will look great in our home. She graciously sold this to me...what a gift! [See Corey's website for more of her work].

Cloche

Today I'm crushing on this hat. Of course, it's (too expensive) includes wool, as do most hand-made hats. Fingerless gloves from Craftland? Forget it. Wool wool blended-wool wool. For all you wool wearers out there...I get that wool is warm. If I wear anything close to wool my skin bursts into flames. Then again, when I come in contact with a lot of things, I feel like my skin is on fire.

Hat (and photo) found here.

Christmas tree up at work. Loving it.

8 Years and Counting...

Victoria's in Boston, taken 10/4/09.

After many years of debate, Chris and I settled on October 3rd as an 'anniversary' date for us to celebrate. Chris and I were friends before we were dating and neither of us have much interest in formalities... While there was never a specific day when we 'started dating,' last year we pinned down October 3rd as an important day in our history.

Figs, taken 10/3/09.

It was only this past Friday that we actually added up the years and realized we're celebrating our 8th anniversary. And since an anniversary is a great excuse to leave town or unplug the phone, I'm very much on-board. This year, Chris and I headed to Boston to celebrate and spent the weekend in Beacon Hill and the South End. I could walk those streets for hours. My HHonors Amex covered the hotel (free!).

Figs 10/3/09.

Victoria's 10/4/09.

The whole weekend made me feel very fortunate--to be spending my life with Chris. Here's to the unexpected and to many more years of happiness.

Bundle of Thyme

Bundle of Thyme from the garden.
(Used in the French Onion soup recipe).
Taken 5/27/09.

Heart Bokeh

Today's Share: I keep coming back to isphotography's page, to drool over her prints. So pretty.
My favorite (left) seems to be out of print or missing from the listing, but you can see it in her 5x7 sale ad - soft lights strung through the street. I'm guessing...created with a heart shaped lens cover to make the heart bokeh.

Update: My fav (Looking for Love) is once again in-print. I just love the tones in it. But, to be fair, they're all gorgeous.

Bedroom Bokeh

Bedroom Sun Bokeh, taken 2.5.09.

Even Robins Love the Snow

A robin in the parking lot of Dunkin Donuts.
Providence, taken 1.29.09.

Peaceful Glaze

Today's share:
A gorgeous photo set from Kristybee.

Boca? No, Bokeh.

Bokeh, from the lights on our tree (12/7/08).

Around the Neighborhood

Carnival on Atwells Avenue, taken 10/10/08.

Door on Westminster Street, taken 10/24/08.Gas Station on Broadway, taken 10/25/08.

Mill on Carpenter Street, taken 10/25/08.

High Heeled Shoes

Anyone who knows me well knows that I do not own or wear high-heeled shoes, on principle. I have a pair of boots that take me (maybe) an inch off the ground, but I live in flats and stylin' sneakers. I cannot explain the fact that I brought *these* puppies home--they're sooo Sarah Palin. I'm either getting old (and thus losing my refuse-to-participate-in-objectionable-cultural-practices attitude) or the gorgeous fall weather made me do it.