Mountain Valleys

 Our house hunting expedition was not fruitful but we were successful in accurately identifying features that we don't like. Trying to remain optimistic, I keep reminding Scott (and myself) that we learned a lot and made progress towards our dream home simply by discovering where we do not want to live and what we do not want to have to manage in a house and yard. We were hoping to fall in love with one of the homes we saw yesterday but were instead left feeling deflated and worried. What if we never find a house as much as we have loved this one?

As it turns out, neither Scott nor I like 'mountain living.' We aren't fond of dirt roads that are relied upon by residents who live up the mountain.  Driving up the gravel and dirt roads, Scott and I couldn't help but focus upon how we would feel doing this drive several times a day. Not only would it be miserable, but our cars are not equipped to live up a mountain. We would need new 4-wheel drive vehicles, which would add to our expenses.

We are not mountain people, we are mountain valley people. We are now seeking a home that looks out at the mountains, not down upon them. Hopefully narrowing down this huge difference will help us find our home.

Wish us luck this weekend!

House Hunting

 This morning Scott and I are heading out the door on our house hunting adventure. I'm excited because we have never really been house hunting together. We have lived in our current home for nearly 20 years and it was only the second we toured. This time we have 6 houses scheduled throughout the area today, so we will be busy and productive. Our goal is to narrow the field to two or three so that the boys can go and tour the options this weekend.  

Scott has spent hours scouring house listings within our preferred areas. While we are open to different lay-outs and concepts, we are staying firm on a few details. For one, I'm asking for all of the main living features to be on a single level. While I'm okay with a loft/rec room being upstairs or downstairs, I want to eliminate as many stairs as possible. I'm only going to get older in this house, and I want it to be able to accommodate us as we age.  

I also really want an office- a proper space with a door that actually closes. Scott wants a yard with a view but with minimal trees within the center of the yard. He is fine with trees on the perimeter or clustered together, but would prefer that large trees not be planted randomly around the house and in the yard. We have sustained too much damage to fallen limbs over the years and are not keen to worry through any more wind storms. 

I'm excited about our house hunting adventure. I have a new notebook and we hope to be able to record our thoughts as we drive between homes. Wish us luck, this is starting to feel very real!

Flippers

Timmy had a school vacation yesterday, allowing him to spend the afternoon outside in the gorgeous weather. I decided to make the most of the opportunity. (Timmy being idle and the weather being warm) by hooking up the pressure washer. It took him about 45 seconds to get the hang of the wand and to control the spray. As predicted, he loved the job. He spent 3 happy hours drawing pictures into before completely obliterating the dirt from our concrete stairs.

Our steps look fantastic, which is fortunate because today we have the first two realtors coming to evaluate our home. These realtors come from various "we buy your home in any condition" flipping companies. While I don't think we will end up going this route, we wanted to be fully educated about our options. It has been a long time since we have purchased and sold a home, and we are discovering that so much has changed.

Wish us luck!

Blue Dragon

This past weekend saw more boxes being packed for donation or the move and bags being filled with trash. I cleaned the closets in a small rec room off of our bedroom. Although the space was small, we managed to fill it with a lot of stuff over the past 20 years. I feel like I have finally hit a groove and have discovered the sweet spot between sentimentality and the need to downsize and clean. Of course, I'm sure I'm still packing more than necessary.

I had planned to spend the weekend at home packing while Scott worked at the mall selling FlexyFriends. Unfortunately he didn't feel well, so I ended up going along with him on Sunday to provide breaks and relief. I don't mind going to the mall to sell, but it makes for a really long week with no break. Robby was able to go with his Dad on Sunday, providing me with a day off at home. 

While we were selling on Saturday I had an incredible experience. A family approached our table with the middle aged dad leading the charge. He reached over everything to grab a small blue baby dragon towards the back. As I watched the smile wash over his face I was optimistic for sale, but I did not expect the story that followed.

Grasping the baby dragon and choking back tears, he sent his wife to the other side of our table so we could speak quietly. Usually this is done to protect gift privacy, so Scott took up his role of entertainer while I finished the transaction with the dad. It turns out the dragon was not for his children, but was a precious gift for himself.

Holding the baby dragon next to his chest like a child's plush toy, he explained that his dad died suddenly when he was 6 years old. One of the strongest memories he holds of his dad was receiving a blue dragon from him, a toy that he absolutely loved. After his dad died his mom struggled (he recounted childhood trauma for nearly 5 minutes), she ended up throwing away everything the dad had ever provided, including the dragon.

Obviously this is not the same dragon, yet it evoked such a strong response in the man that he vowed to keep it in a space of honor in his home. He thanked us for the toy, explaining that he hasn't felt this connected to his dad since he died. After searching for a way to connect with that childhood memory, he found it through our little blue dragon.

I just thought that was a fun story to share for a Monday morning. Have a great week!