9 Days Away from Closing

On September 15, I toured 3 houses. On September 19, I (we) made an offer on one that seemed to meet our needs and fit our budget. On September 20, they accepted the low-price offer. Ever since then, this has been a series of open doors & positive answers.

I am buying a house in 9 days.














This picture was taken from the website http://www.indianamls.com/

It's been a long time since I started looking that actually owning a home seems surreal.
I spent so long looking for my dream house, and I thought I could never buy a house unless it was perfect. Well, after realizing that I wouldn't want to own my dream cottage with my roommate, only to have to move out of it later whenever I got married, I have felt very content and at peace about this house. It meets our needs & that's what is important. Investment expert Larry Burkett, in his book Investing in Your Building Years, says that a home is the wisest investment to make for a person my age. Through that, and in other ways, I've gotten a lot of confirmation about this purchase. Yay!

There are only two bumps in the road between now and closing: convincing the sellers to install a high-efficiency furnace (because the existing furnace is broken) and convincing the insurance company to insure the co-owner's belongings (she's not a member of the armed forces--neither are her parents--so she can't become a member of my bank/insurance company). Other than the thought of spending my current savings in the first month of owning the home, I am so excited to own a home!

I am buying a house in 9 days. I have to keep saying that to myself so I can believe it.

Well, I've got to get back to work.

i think i'm in love...

with this website:
http://minlillaveranda.blogspot.com/

oooohhhh aaaahhh so beautiful and restful.

I think I'd add a punch of color here & there, but the mix of painted white & vintage is so laid back, old-country chic.

And check out the floral arrangements here:
http://freshfloralart.typepad.com/

I think I love hydrangeas now, too.

Whistlestop, Moving on, & ToL

I was just surfing some blog sites & found this wonderful link:
http://whistlestopcooking.blogspot.com/index.html

And wonderful gifts can be found here:
http://www.whistlestopcafe.com/

Plus, if you're interested in starting your own Whistlestop Cafe, you can get details there.

I love the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" and Fannie Flagg's books, too.
{Confession, I haven't read any of them, but I listened to "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl" on tape once.}

Well, I've been pretty busy at work, so I haven't updated much.
The house thing: right now, with the house we had made offers on, well, we were rejected. We were going to take a break in the searching, but then I saw a house I wanted to look at. So we're back on the hunt, but with some experience behind us and a fresh perspective: we are OK with renting a little while more, just not in our current rental because of the mold problems. It would just be really, really nice to find a house that suits us for a price we can afford in a good neighborhood. We saw a home yesterday, but it was full of wood paneling & dropped ceilings--everywhere! It was like there was a sale on wood paneling & the home owners went crazy! It's even in closets!!! Ever heard of drywall? yikes! So anyway, for the price of the house, it's not the best option. But our realtor is AMAZING! (at least, better than the previous)

Oh and in more WONDERFUL news--my favorite, first-job-out-of-college cafe, Tree of Life, is bringing back soups! (It's like "bringing s*xy back", but much more hoped for, anticipated, dreamed about, and wanted! at least by me and my roomie) I nearly pulled my car over this morning to cope with the excitement and surprise. So, I'll be chomping down on potato bacon soup in no time! ****little blessings****

Ripple along!

I can't wait until I get a few more projects done so I can start a ripple blanket. Take a look at some of these beauties at the "no end in sight ripple along" blog:

http://neisripplealong.blogspot.com/

There are
so many
fun color
combinations
to try
with a
ripple crochet
project!

Granny Squares!

The coolest granny squares can be found on this website:

http://www.grannyalong.blogspot.com/

and here is a link to one design that I can't wait to try:
Daisy Granny Squares
http://www.warmingfamilies.org/crpatt9.html

Better Homes and Gardens

The January 2007 issue of BHG is probably my favorite issue in so many ways: funky pancake recipes (I loooove pancakes!), black and white color schemes that don't look excessively modern, a gooooorgeous bedroom with turquoise & brown, instructions for terrariums, and other bits and bobs of interest.



My mom always used to say that I shouldn't be so nit-picky about the way the house looked because "Better Homes and Gardens isn't going to be photographing it any time soon." Well, if they were to photograph my house, I'd love for it to have the same feel as the January 2007 issue, starting with the turquoise/aqua blue dresser (or in my case, enclosed desk-turned-wardrobe).


Well, I musn't flit about anymore because I have stacks and stacks of work to be done. Enjoy the blue! I know I do!

Things I'm liking more and more

Aren't these the most beautiful candleholders? *sigh* They have all the elements of decorative things I like: painted white, candles, bird motif. I'm definitely saving up for these (or something I can buy in the states). Found at LauraAshley.com.






Also, these plates are adorable. I want to use them together, mix 'n' match. We're going for an "Italian Bistro" theme in the kitchen, but these might find their way into the cupboard. Found at Target.com. (but I saw them first at www.rosylittlethings.typepad.com).

I'm a Snapdragon--which happens to be one of my favorite flowers

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

Also, I'm working this weekend, which means no time at home to declutter, clean, and pack for moving. Yes, I'm signing a final offer on Monday (this is the third one...blargh!). We're praying that the appraisal and inspection will be positive so that we can move by the beginning of next month!
I'm one step closer to moving into the house! I've been trying to think of creative names for the house: Pennsylvania Cottage (b/c it's on Pennsylvania St.) and Pussywillow Cottage (b/c we both love pussywillows). That's all I have now...I'm needing some inspiration.

See the bottom of my blog for my 101 in 1001 list; I've only got a few on there, but if we move, I'll have about 1000000000 more. :-)

A dress a day--what a great idea!

http://www.dressaday.com/dressaday.html

I just discovered this blogsite & I've got to say that I love it...so many vintage dresses....sigh...

I found this awesome idea at http://justenjoythejourney.blogspot.com/ :

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (represent some amount of work on my part).Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities. Need help figuring out your ending date? GO HERE.

The Reward: Personal satisfaction of a job well done...and lots of things accomplished you really needed or wanted to do!

I will post a list next week. Maybe I should add that to my list. ha ha ha.

Home: the search, loneliness, and a storm

Update on house:
The bank countered our offer, so we countered their offer. And they countered that offer and I'm not sure what will happen next! It's exciting and scary.
In other news, my roommate is gone for the week, so I have the whole house to myself! I have enjoyed it, but I get a bit lonely. So I've been cleaning, decluttering, and watching WAAAAY too much Gilmore Girls. I'm sooooo glad I bought the entire collection; I'm on the 4th season now. Long story:
Last night there was a HUGE thunderstorm that actually woke me up (I can normally sleep through anything: tornadoes, trainwrecks, screaming babies, fighting cats...etc). When I woke up to horrendous thunder, I realized that my cat, Tussa, was still outside. The other two cats came in before I went to bed, but she was being a wild thing & didn't come when she was called. So I grabbed my blanket (don't know why, but i did) & walked towards the front door which is where they usually come in. As I passed by the kitchen, I saw my roommate's "old man kitty", Couddles, sitting on the windowsill, staring at Tussa, who was outside, as if to say "It's ok; I'll wait with you until help arrives." Her presence at the window was reassuring because standing on my front porch, calling "Here Kitty-Kitty" for all the neighborhood to hear just didn't appeal to me at 1:18am. So I ran to let her in through the back door (through the garage in my bare feet--which is not something I enjoy doing). When I opened the door (which is 5 feet away from the windowsill where she was sitting), she was not there. I assumed she ran around the front door. So I opened the overhead door and called for her...then a small branch fell and scared the snot out of me! Finally, Tussa came in crying and whining and went straight to her food and chowed down. I dried her off and went back to bed.
Yay. I'm alive and so is she.

US Redneck Special Forces

Please read the following news bulletin:

The Pentagon announced today the formation of a new 500 man elite fighting unit called the US REDNECK SPECIAL FORCES (USRSF).
These North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Tennessee boys will be dropped into Iraq and have been given the following facts about Terrorists:
1. The season opened today.
2. There is no limit.
3. They taste just like chicken.
4. They don't like beer, pickups, country music or Jesus.
5. They are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for the death of Dale Earnhardt.

This mess in Iraq should be over IN A WEEK.

--I found this in an old e-mail from my dad who got it from one of his Navy buddies.--
I would add to that list some of the good ol' boys from Indiana. There are plenty of rednecks here. They are always asking if they can use the fridge on my front porch, but I have to tell them: that's where I keep what I've caught on my hunting trips: squirrels, 'coons, catfish, sandals from the 2 for 1 sale, single men, etc.

Also, (although I don't think I have any regular readers except my roommate and my aunt) I would hope that no one takes offense to this post thinking that I am belittling our military. I firmly believe that our military is making the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom; they are using their talents and gifts as their government has asked them to.

Blue Mood

Inspirations for my bedroom:
I also love this simple, elegant floral fabric from Rachel Ashwell (although I'm not typically in love with rose prints).

From a B&B somewhere: I looooooove the black-white-blue combination!

Un-hip parenting

This is one of my favorite essays about modern parenting that I've read lately. I'm not entirely sure how I found it, but I really like what the writer has to say. It's not terribly profound, but it makes a strong statement about selfless love in a selfish world:

http://www.beingdaddy.com/archives/000740.html

We made an offer on the house! I'm so excited and nervous...will the bank accept the offer? Will the inspection reveal that everything is in good enough shape for us to tackle? Will all the financing pull through? Ack! I was nearly sick to my stomach on Friday when we went to Kokomo to talk to the realtor, and now that I'm thinking about it again, I'm getting some butterflies inside of me. I'll post more info soon!

On the random side of things:
Although I'm not getting married any time soon, this is for a guestbook at a fall wedding--and it is the neatest idea I have seen today:
Basically, the guests write their names and messages on leaves, and hang them on the tree, then the couple places them in a frame around a wedding photo.

(courtesy of B2bFall2005 http://www.theknot.com/co_profileview.htm?profilename=B2bfall2005 beautiful do-it-yourself details in this wedding!)

Also, I've also decided that I want to have a "craft swap" with some of my creative friends. Not quite sure about the details, but it will involved bringing out some of my items that I haven't put to good use & trading with friends! There will be food involved of course, and maybe a craft project for that night. hmmmm

I'm trying to FLY!

www.flylady.net
This website is a home grown get-yourself-out-of-a-rut, self-help group. I'm just fluttering right now, but I'm trying to truly FLY (Finally Loving Yourself) as I create some healthy patterns to combat the clutter in my life.

All pre-approved with no place to go, yet.

We're pre-approved for a mortgage! Now we have to get the house before somebody else does. But the realtors are out of the office, and their e-mail addresses are wrong. I'm so excited and nervous and everything all at once. I'm not quite panicked, but getting close to it.

Oh, on a lighter note, last night I/we celebrated the longest day of the year by sitting outside and reading The Dawn Treader until the sun had set entirely. It was as close to bliss as I've felt in a long time with a cool breeze through my hair and the fresh air filling my lungs and exotic lands running through my imagination. I'm really enjoying the books as I have not read the entire Narnia series before now.

Applying for a mortgage

So she said--let's buy a house, and I said--ok.

She said--I want to find the perfect house. Then I said--I can't afford to buy one now.

Two years later...
She says--here's the perfect, affordable house. Then I say--let's go for it!

The bank says... who knows???

Stay tuned for the continuing saga of "How to Buy a House when You are an Unmarried, Poor College Grad (who lives with her best friend)"!


There are way too many details involved in buying a home, but I think having an attorney on my side would be a good idea.

Some people say that life wasn't all that great "back in the day"--but I think that obtaining a home/property was probably simpler. Consider the original European settlers: Maybe I could just exchange some pretty glass beads for a nice piece of property overlooking the ocean or something. Or what about the farmland lotteries in the wild (mid)west? Instead of wading through piles of paperwork and talking to people who think you are crazy for wanting to buy a house ("you're so young. live it up! don't settle down. you're not even married; why don't you just rent a nice little apartment?"), I could hitch up my horse and buggy and ride across the Oklahoma plains in search of a nice stream next to which I could build my log cabin and plant some crops.

Maybe I want to have a nice little home to call my own in a small town where everyone gets into each other's business and the most exciting thing going on is the new lampposts being installed in the downtown.

No sense in arguing. It all comes back to: not my will, but Yours be done, Lord.


But sometimes, I just want a little cottage, like this one:

testing to see how this works...

Although I've done blogs before and never did anything with them, I've decided to start one again. Nothing too profound, just a place to store things I've thought about, found on the internet, and questions I want to present to the internet universe.