Let's Just Call This One "The Pipe Dream"

Before Ernie got so sick, Walker and I took care of my sister's dogs every day.  My sister is a teacher at a private Catholic school, but she also mentors, volunteers on several committees, assists in recruiting new staff, and serves as a chaplain of sorts for the girls' sports teams.  She often works long days and the dogs were more comfortable here, with Walker and me, than home alone all day with just a brief visit when someone would come to let them out.

Back then I would walk the dogs around the neighborhood once or twice a day.  On one of these walks a neighbor's house caught my eye.  It's tucked into the back of a quiet cul du sac, nothing grand or flashy about it.  I don't know why it appeals to me so much, but it does. I remember thinking that I wished I could see inside.  Every time I walked the dogs down that road we'd go into the cul du sac, past the house.  A few months later, I was startled to see a For Sale sign in the yard.  I went home an told Walker, who was less than thrilled.  We'd been in our home for about a year and were knee deep in remodeling.  My old house was on the market still.  There was no way we could entertain the idea of moving.  He was right, I knew, but I decided that I would tour the property anyway, when the seller had an open house.

Except they never had one.  The house sold too quickly.  I figured it was for the best.  No sense falling in love with something I couldn't have, right?  I still admire that house every time I go down that street, and I still haven't been inside.  Only now, this week, the house went back on the market.




This house is a little smaller than our current home.  It has more finished square footage but no basement.  The big draws, for me, are the two things we can't add to our current home:  a two car garage and a back yard.  It would be so, so nice to be able to park both of our cars inside during the winter months.  For that matter, it would be nice in the summer, too, when there are storms in the forecast.  We got lucky this summer that the tornado and the mega hail didn't wreck our cars.  We have a single car garage right now, with no room to enlarge it.  It's currently home to a lawn mower, a snow blower, the back seats for Walker's van, the patio furniture.....we don't have room to park inside.  And the only way we'll ever have a back yard here is if we buy the next door neighbor's house, LOL.  The back yard of this home has gorgeous landscaping, plus room for kids and dogs to play.  Sigh.

 

Look at all these cupboards!  My current house has a grand total of seven cupboards.  This one has at least twice as many, probably more.  I can't tell what's on the left. I don't love the terra cotta walls but I can paint.  It has a fireplace, too, in the living room.  And there are two full bathrooms.  I wouldn't have to share with a boy!  I would paint my whole bathroom pink and get a cheetah print shower curtain just to ensure that no boys would ever want to enter my territory.  Maybe I'd better go have a chat with Santa.  I really have been good.......