in between days

Ok, so I’m really sick of corporate housing.

It’s nice enough & all, but sometimes it hits me just how much we’ve had on our plate this past couple months and just thinking about it makes me exhausted.  Birth, the 2 days in the hotel before flying up to Seattle, the flying up to Seattle, the holidays which had my parents here for a week and being in this temporary corporate housing.

It’s hard right now because I realize it’s high time that I start getting out & about and being semi productive but I feel stuck in limbo.  I’d like to get out walking every day, but it’s hard to do here because we’re on the second floor of an apartment building & we’re right off of a main road and there are some SERIOUS hills to walk up, which are good for me but I’m not quite ready for yet.

It gets dark early, which wouldn’t be so horrible were it not for feeling like I’m stuck in this little apartment without much light.  All our stuff is not here so I can’t even be all that crafty when the mood strikes.  Eating is a pain in the ass because there are very few supplies (what can I do with ONE frying pan and ONE pot, really?) so it’s a lot of takeout and prepared foods, which I HATE, even if they’re organic and such.  I want to head to Pike Place & load up on everything I can find there, break out my huge stock pot, and get cooking.

Sigh.  Not much longer yet.

So it looks like we’re getting the house, for sure.  We went back and forth a bit because we had it inspected (while my Dad was here, too, who used to build houses & knows more than most inspectors) and it turns out that we need a new roof, some electrical work and more little cosmetic things than we originally thought.  So we gave them an even lower offer, they came back with $5k over that and we said fine, on the condition that they clean out ALL the shit they left behind in drawers & closets & the entire garage.

It’s kind of stunning, the condition they left the house in, considering they’re desperate to sell.  For us, it’s worth it because it’s affordable, we’re in love with so many things about this house, and the location is wonderful. I’ll be able to walk Nugget to school when he starts.  Even now, we’ll be able to go for walks every day – there’s a national park practically across the street.  And there are gazillions of horse farms in the area.  I’m itching to ride again.  I used to ride way back when, competitively, and was a year away from trying out for the US Junior Olympics Equestrian team.  Why I didn’t?  Teenage bullshit & knocking heads with my dad.  I cut off my nose to spite my face.  But ancient history, that.  I’d just be happy to start riding again now, for fun. It would truly be a dream come true – to this day, I actually get misty eyed and weepy every time I get near horses or smell leather.  Leather reminds me of tack rooms.  Bridles and saddle blankets and knee-high boots.

Sigh.

I love it here.  I really, really love it here.  It suits us.  Mr Nikki & I went out walking a few times – the air was so crisp and clear with the smell of chimneys & burning leaves.  You’ve no idea how much I missed that smell.  There’s massive pine trees every where you look.  And they smell wonderful, too.  We had three days of rain, and yesterday, when it was sunny, it was glorious. I so appreciate the sunny days now.  In LA, it was the same old bullshit every single day.  Nothing to appreciate.  I was so desperately sick of the constant sunshine.  There were a few days, right before we left, when it was cooler out & felt like winter.  They made me ache, because I knew it wouldn’t last.  I knew that the next day, it would be 70 degrees.

Yuck.

So anyway.  The house.  I’m plotting paint colors (it can get dark inside, on gray days, so I’m getting rid of their wacky color scheme and going with all neutrals – shades of beige and off-white.  Except for that awesome brick red color in the hallway.  It fits the log cabin atmosphere.  I’ve been going through old Pottery Barn catalogues.  Me, Pottery Barn.  Did ya ever think?  This place is ripe for it.  We both want a heavy, dark leather arm chair.  The kind that looks broken in and stitched together.

There is a bit of work to be done, but we both feel it’s worth it.  ‘Course, upon recommendation (a wise suggestion, I think, and thanks! You know who you are!!) , I’m asking Mr Nikki about getting a lawyer to go over things with first.  These people are desperate to sell the house because there’s many, many a tax lien against them.  The woman apparently owns a business (a dance school) that’s been losing money for years.  YEARS.  We got a copy of the paperwork on all the money they owe.  It’s obscene.  You’d think if you had a business that was failing, year after year, you’d sell or close up shop?  You’d think?  I have no idea what I’m talking about here, this was told to me – they didn’t incorporate or become an LLC or something, which would have kept their business & personal assets separate.  Now, the bank can go after their house.  I suspect that they came back to our offer with that additional 5 thou’ because that’s how much they need to pay things off.

I’ll tell ya what, I’m glad I married someone like Mr Nikki.  He’s been saving to build/buy a house for a decade and he knows all about this kind of thing.  He’s a genius with money, as far as I’m concerned.  He even invests and all that.  Couldn’t be a better match for me – partly because I don’t care much about money and won’t try to spend or take all his (haha) but mostly because I am, have been, and always will be, a fly by the pants kind of person.  I just finally did some work to get my credit cleaned up (and how! My score is fabulous now), but I don’t invest, have barely ever saved, no nothing & understand nothing about financial stuff.  I’m flighty & carefree & spontaneous and if left to my own devices would rent for the rest of my life.

We’ll close around the 20th (assuming we don’t have to worry about the bank saying, “Wait, you can’t have that because they owe us.”) and maybe I can finally start to feel settled by the time my birthday rolls around on the last day of the month.  That would be nice.  Am so tired of feeling on the move.

4 thoughts on “in between days

  1. sarah

    I swear to god it’s like we lived semi-parallel lives and I hope you don’t think I’m a crazy single white female because I keep saying – DUDE! me too! to so many things you talk about. This time? I rode horses FOR YEEAARS and if it weren’t for an ill-timed injury for my poor pony I was on my goddamned way up up up! Funny how things fall apart sometimes.

    Anyway, since you’re the buyer, an attorney will prob run you less than a grand, and buy you peace of mind.

    So excited for you!!!

    Reply
  2. Nikki

    No way!!! That’s so funny. I know a lot of girls go through “horse phases” but I rarely meet people who were serious about it. We definitely need to meet up in Boston!! (Much as I love the Seattle area, I still can’t wait to get to Boston and closer to family.)

    Reply
  3. sarahmica

    alright!! congrats on the house!

    ugh…LA sounds like Groundhog Day. blech.

    and if you ever *are* in the Boston area, you better give me a ring-a-ding, too! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Nikooru

    HA HA! Ground hog day! It totally was.

    And you KNOW I’m comin’ to see you whenever we get to Boston!

    Granted, we wouldn’t move there for another 5-10 years, but we’re planning on getting out that way just for vacation/fun long before that. SOON, hopefully!

    Reply

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