Wrap-up

I realize that it has not been quite fair of me to drag all my friends through the past nightmare of a year--and then, to abandon the playing field, so to speak, without providing a conclusion. That conclusion is this week. We have received a signed copy of the buyers' final walk-through, and all that remains is for the title company to release one last check. Now done and deposited.

So. After the de-cluttering and cleaning, the spiffing up and the disposal of unnecessary items, after the organization of storage spaces east and west, after the packing and moving and the planting and the watering and the constant attention to how everything looked...after the sale and our bizarre purchase of another townhouse, sight unseen...how have things worked out?

Perhaps it is simply our tendency to bloom where we are planted, or our fairly flexible attitude (who, us?) we're doing great. We are glad to be out from under the endless paperwork and forms to be signed and sent, the uncertainty of open houses and realtor visits, the roller coaster of hopes and fears that accompanied every second-visit by a potential buyer. We are SOOO over keeping the house in perfect (well, as close as we get...) order 24/7, and hearing the nit-picking complaints that visitors come up with. But now...it's done.

We have been in our new house (new to us, at least) for two months. That is hard to believe. I have learned many things, the most important of which is that I am no longer able to pack and move and re-establish a household in a couple weeks. My memory is not what it used to be; nor is my eyesight, my upper body strength, or my stamina. A night's sleep or an hour's rest is not enough time for my body to repair the damage I do to it when I am lifting, bending, stooping, and climbing on and off stepstools. Moving is harder work than I am used to, and it shows. Thank God we didn't wait another ten years or so; we could not have done it. Or at least would have required substantial help.

However, now that the lion's share of the work is done (though please don't open any closets!) I can safely say that we love the house, are delighted with the neighborhood, and are finding new reasons every day to be glad we moved.  When we drive out of our street in the morning, we see the park and the river, and--if we are lucky--the sun sparkling on the water, and a blue stretch of sky. There's a lot to be said for starting your day with something beautiful. We have wonderful walks to anticipate: upriver, toward the old canal lock and the gorgeously landscaped business centers along the river--and downstream, the path toward King Street that meanders through yet another park or two. We are a couple blocks from our favorite supermarket, a block or two from a few good restaurants..even Starbucks and Trader Joe's are not that far away. Our kitchen window overlooks the Mt. Vernon Trail, which is buzzing with bicyclists and joggers and strollers all day long. I am never alone in my kitchen, unless I drop the shades.

The house itself is bright, with lots of windows (which may make it chillier in the winter, but we also have a fireplace to warm things up..) and faces south, with windows on the east and west sides as well. The garage is terrific--and is the first time we've had a garage we can use for cars instead of just storage. Wonders never cease.

The kids have even visited for a week, and, except for some cat-mandated reorganization, there is room for both kids and adults to sleep. And in this house, the laundry room is well-placed, neither two flights up or two flights down, but on the floor where most of the clothes are. What a concept. When I describe the layout, I generally say it's the 'Goldilocks' house: not too big, not too small--just about right for us. I have some issues with kitchen storage space, but I have a lot of kitchen stuff, so I can't gripe about that. Much. And I am making do. So the hall closet shelves hold my bigger appliances, and the ones I use once a year are in the garage or in storage? I can deal.

The important things are that we each have room to work (when we want to), that the minor everyday irritations are small, that Jake has a sunbeam or two that he can curl up in on a regular basis, and that I have a patch of green to look at that will inform me of the passing seasons and make me smile. Check, check, check, and check.

I no longer consult Realtor.com over my morning cup of tea. Our realtor, much as I love her, is no longer on speed-dial and I do not miss the daily messages. I'm getting to the point where I know (again) where to find things, and where the boxes are no longer planning world domination, starting in the living room. I am sleeping through the night again without 2 AM rides on the mental hamster wheel of 'what do I have to do today?" I can leave dishes in the sink, or laundry in the hamper, or towels on the bathroom floor if I want to.  Ah, normalcy!