It's Been One Year...

One year ago today, my husband and I purchased our very first home. You may say, wait Beth, haven't you been living in New Jersey together for nearly 30 years? The answer is yes we have. But for most of those years we were renting that home from my mother. Several months before she passed away, she gave me the house. Technically you could say that I purchased it but it was really more of a gift to me. 

This house in the Poconos came as somewhat of a surprise. My husband and I were not ready to buy what I hope will be are forever home but sometimes things just happen. We sold my parents’ house at the New Jersey shore after finding this wonderful home in the Poconos. The timing was not great but we both felt that this was what we needed to do. And so we did. And it was scary. It's still a little scary. But here we are. 

I remember walking through the house prior to the closing. The previous owners had packed up and moved away two days earlier. There were a few things that they had left behind that we had agreed to, like the pool table in the loft. (I'm still amazed that they were able to get that up there even if it was in parts at the time. I can't imagine trying to get it down. So that's where it stays.)  They also left behind items they had not meant to (if you're using movers to pack items, double check your closets and cabinets) which I shipped to their new location. We also purchased at a very reasonable cost their outdoor patio furniture. Unbeknownst to us, they left a few things in the garage (actually make that in the two garages) and the shed. Much of that stuff is still there and I'm not sure what to do with it. 

  had never done a walk-through before. Neither had my husband. Everything seemed fine. For the most part it was, but now that I've done it once I think I should have made a list of things that I should have focused on. We also should have taken a little bit more time, but... 

We went to an office to complete the transaction. I had a check for an incredible amount of money from the back. My newly enriched savings account went from bloated due to the sale of the Jersey shore home to practically deplete upon purchase of this house. Again something that I had never experienced and was a little bit freaky. The whole process was relatively quick and before I knew it we were the owners of this lovely home. 

Although we purchased the home that day, we didn't stay. There was no way that we could close and move most of our stuff in one whole day. So after spending a little time in our new house, we went back to New Jersey.  We had already packed up much of what we wanted to take.  We were taking a lot, but not everything, as NJ is still home as well.  (I never understood how you can have two primary residences...now I do.  My heart is in both places.)

Early the next morning the movers came.  For them it was a light load as we weren't taking a huge amount of furniture.  Plus they had already picked up items from the shore house that we wanted to keep.  (In hindsight I should have taken more, but you know what they say about hindsight!)  It took them less than an hour to get boxes and what little furniture we decided on into their truck and on the road.  We also panicked at least one neighbor who thought they had missed something and that we would be gone for good.  (No...We’re not that easy to get rid of.)

Then it was on the road.  We arrived before the moving men.  We arrived before the Sleep Number bed.  We arrived before the plumber (but only because he had been told not to be at the house before 9.  He was actually directly ahead of us for a good length of time, but stopped before the turn off to our house to go to the bank.)  It was a long (and expensive) day.  It was a beginning.

So here we are a year later.  The house is almost fully furnished.  (We probably should do a little more with the guest bedroom.)  I'm still making tweaks to little things.  (I just rearranged a shelf in the kitchen to display some stoneware that I have recently come to purchase.  Remember how I fell in love with a pattern after attending a local yard sale?  Well I now own a complete dinnerware set for 8 which I found on sale at the company's website  and then stumbled on a teapot and coffee pot at the local thrift shop which I snagged for $1 each!)  We've encountered problems. (Plumbing issues, a/c breakdown and the fish devastation to name but a few.  There have been in this one year than I could have imagined.)  We've spent more money on things than I would like.  (I've never spent more on electric and oil.)  And there is still more to do.  (The fence needs replacing and getting a fencing company out for a quote is harder than pulling teeth.)  There are still things I need to figure out.  (What do I do with the detached garage?  And how do I afford making any changes.)  Even a year later there are still question as to what things are or why they are. (Why are there two outlets one on top of each other on the outside wall of the garage?  How do you turn on the giant light near the top of the outside of the detached garage?)

Unlike last August 29th, this morning is cold.  If I didn't have the system turned off, the heat would most definitely come on.  (I sort of wish it would, but...)  A year ago the morning was warm enough for me to wear a sleeveless blouse and capris. This morning I am in sweatshirt that our real estate agent gave us and a pair of sweatpants. (And it being the beginning of Labor Day weekend, pumpkin spice coffee is a must to warm my insides.

)  So things are different than they were, in some ways.

 There are days when I wonder if I've done the right thing.  Days when I doubt myself and our decisions.  I'm guessing we all have them.  Don't we? 

But most days I am happy.  When I sit in the yard (ignoring the weeds; how I despise that spotted spurge) and the only "noise" is that of the birds, things are good.  When I feel peace that the outside world does not pierce, life is good. 

Here's hoping for many years of peace in this place of calm.  I hope that everyone is able to find their own special space of calm, whereever it may be because we all need and deserve it, especially in these times of turmoil.  (ESPECIALLY in times to turmoil, when we really need calm to keep our mental health from flying off the cliff.)  To whomever happens to stumble on this post, be well and take care.