Best decision of 2022
Discover more from Autumn Diaries
Hands down buying this house!
Now I feel a disclaimer is due here: this wasn’t so much of a decision as it was something that we reacted to - an email from a friend with a link to the listing - and from there everything happened so quickly that we barely had time to take a breath. The way everything fell into place – in a real estate market that was rapidly changing - made me feel like we were just riding the wave. And that this was absolutely meant to happen.
Here is another disclaimer: we love the house but we also miss our condo. This is perhaps not so surprising at this time of year as the condo was always very cozy and comfortable in the winter, plus there are still areas in the house that need to be “homified”, like hanging up art work and getting furniture for our bedroom which looks like a massive empty dorm room right now. I am also not so sure about my office which is such a big room with high ceilings, I do feel a little lost in here, I am not used to so much space. This house is generally a little too big for two people, even though at 1,950 sqft it’s not that big by American standards!
Nonetheless. I still think that this was the best decision we made this year.
Here is why.
I think this house chose us. When I first saw it I had an immediate sense of recognition. And then I had my vision about the garden and felt tearful every time I thought about that during the purchase process.
This is where we are meant to reconnect with nature. I think this house will really shine in the warmer months when we can go outside and sit or work in the yard. Nature (ocean, mountains, islands) is never very far where we live but there is something about owning your own little piece of land where you can dig into the soil with your own hands and grow your own vegetables and flowers. I feel both thrilled and intimidated by this, I have never been a gardener after all. But I am not afraid to learn and I have a very strong sense that this is what I am meant to be doing.
This house will heal us. Both my husband and I have lost our way with regards to our health journeys. This house kinda forces us to be more active and especially the yard will offer plenty of opportunity for workouts! And I don’t know why, but I think we will love it! Then there is our cozy kitchen that has my favorite layout (U-shape) and a window above the sink overlooking the garden, something I’ve always wanted. I am not (yet) too much of a winter cook but once spring and summer arrive I can see many happy, healthy meals being created here. And finally, I have space for an exercise area! Right now it’s filled with art work that still needs to be hung, random furniture and items that need to be returned to Amazon. We will clear it out over the next month or so and then this will become my own dedicated yoga and strength space. I am a little terrified of that (no more excuses!) but also quite excited.
It will expand our lives. Let’s not forget one of the main attractions of this house: the runway at the end of our property! We are waiting for a rental hangar to become available but in the meantime Ginger (our plane) has a good home in our hangar at Bellingham airport. And it is very cool to have my husband fly up here and pick me up more or less next to our house! We are also starting to meet people in this airport community and they are lovely. I have a feeling once we’re back on track with our health journeys we’ll also be enjoying more adventures in Ginger. I still want to get my pilot’s licence, which feels pretty daunting, but living here and becoming part of this airport community makes it feel more possible.
Life here feels calm. If you know me you know I’m all about calm! We basically moved to small town America, a quiet and safe community. Definitely a tad too conservative for my political leanings but that’s ok, I am not afraid to speak my mind and to be a counterweight. Our town also has the best coffeeshop in the county! It’s almost like something that could be in New York and it’s only a short bike ride away :)
This was the best decision because we ultimately followed an intuition. It doesn’t come without grief over leaving our beloved condo but I know we are where we are meant to be.
“All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”
― Anatole France