A Little Closer

Home ownership is looking somewhat more likely this week, despite a few setbacks.

The home inspection turned up a rather serious issue that we have been going back and forth with the sellers over. Looks like today, for the first time, there may be light at the end of the tunnel that is NOT a train. I'll know more probably next week on the issue.

On the home front, my Everlasting SoulMate and I have been going through the arduous process of sorting through five-plus years of detritus we've collected in the house we're renting. This is of course in preparation to move it to another location. Actually, we don't WANT to move it all, so with a heavy hand and at times a heavy heart, we are creating three piles. One to keep, one for donations to various worthy charities, and one for the stuff that is not even worth donating. I am still at a loss as to why that third pile is as large as it is. If it wasn't such good stuff in the first place, why did we end up keeping it?!? I wish I could find a way to curb my pack-rat tendencies, but I haven't been able to do that in more than forty years...what hope do I have now? Anyway, packing is progressing slowly but steadily. In about three years, I am confident we will be ready to move. :-) I'm kidding, it will only take two and a half years.

I am still shaking my head that someone is actually willing to say they will lend us over $200,000 to buy a house. I never thought that day would come, especially sitting in college classes, racking up student loan debt faster than I could learn all the stuff they were trying in vain to teach me. Of course, I thought I'd be a bachelor the rest of my life at that point too...and look how that turned out! :-) Hi, hon!

We've been doing some wishful thinking and planning out a few changes for the place. Little things like new colors for a few rooms, new light fixtures, and demo-ing the basement. Somehow that third one just doesn't seem as small as the other two, does it? Doesn't to me, for sure. But, looks like it will need to be done. When you buy a thirty-plus year old house, and the original owner probably finished the basement in a weekend the first week they owned the house, it's bound to have a few issues. And boy, does THIS one have issues! I think they started on the beers a little bit before they were done.

However, all the back-breaking work of undoing the current basement does have it's upside...I have tentative approval from the boss (my ESM) to finally build something I've been dreaming about for a long time. My very own home theater! I know, I know...we still have to get to closing before that dream can even hope to be fulfilled. I am also very aware that this will be one of those work-in-progress things for a couple of years, only moving forward when I can afford to. But, that isn't stopping me from doing a little online "window shopping."

In other news...there is no other news. "NEW HOUSE" is blazoned across the entire virtual sky in my mind and imagination in huge, bold, fiery letters, with no way for anything else to really grab any attention. Which is a shame, as I would really like to spend more time with the CitiesXL beta. Maybe I can sneak away from packing this weekend and take a little gaming break. Oops, I think I just let that cat out of the bag. Drat.