The New Fort

I've been doing some long distance house hunting recently and the pickin's have been pretty slim in the area we wanted. However, luck was on our side and we've decided on the first (and only) house we were finally able to look at last Friday. It's located in what used to be my second choice school district but after doing a little more research I'm convinced it's the best by far. The house has bigger bedrooms and high enough ceilings to allow for ceiling fans. The house we're in now must have been built by acrophobic oopah loompahs because the ceilings aren't even 7' high. At least it's easy to heat, I guess. The new landlord seems super nice and helpful and has allowed us to keep out cat (not a big selling point with me, but I can make sacrifices) and he'll let us paint and do what we want with the yard. All major factors in helping us decide to agree to the lease. The neatest part of the house is the finished attic. It will be great for storage, it's cute, and Geof will have a great hideout. The only problems I have with the place is the fact that the kitchen and bathroom are hideous. Also the dryer is in the kitchen and the washing machine is in the bathroom. Weird. Of course we're used to odd washer/dryer placement because ours are both in the kitchen in our current home. I think it's a popular placement for homes built before Christ and then retrofitted for modern conveniences. All in all I'm very pleased and am looking forward to moving. First things first comes the cleaning. I'm estimating that I'll have a solid two days worth of cleaning to do before any of our belongings are relocated. I'm very anal in some respects about cleanliness but you wouldn't know it by looking at my house right now! Something about moving into a place that has been occupied by strangers gives me the willies, but it's nothing that a little bleach and elbow grease won't cure!

This will be the first time I've lived somewhere...other than my room at my parents house...where I can paint the walls. I'm very excited about this and have been losing sleep thinking about all the possibilities. The next chance I get I'll take and post some pictures of the place. I'm going to need a lot of inexpensive and innovative solutions for the kitchen and bathroom. You'll understand what I mean once you see the photographic evidence. I've even considered writing Oprah to ask for Nate's help! It's a bit overwhelming, but I like a good challenge!