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In the interest of providing a bit of background, this is a blog entry from April 17tn 2010…
I can’t rant today.
I can only Do the Happy Dance!!!
I am approved for a modest home loan to buy a modest house in a gritty Tacoma neighborhood.
Ideally, it will be a cute little craftsman fixer upper.
I will have a garden and a greenhouse again.
I will have bird feeders so that BadKitty (an indoor cat) will again be able to watch birds (her favorite activity), chatter and run around like a maniac. (maybe she’ll drop some of her “small apartment pudge”)
I will have a guest room so my friends can have a comfortable place to sleep when they come visit.
I will have a real dining room in which to serve my (day after) Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve meals to friends.
I will have a hot tub and a BBQ grill (I have budgeted for these)
I will no longer share walls (or ceilings or floors) with people not of my choosing.
At this time last year, I could not even imagine this.
I am going house shopping today after work.
One year ago today, the plan dream I laid out here came true (and then some).
One year ago today, I closed escrow on my gritty little house on Tacoma’s hilltop.
Not only do I have the old house with the original wood floors, dining room for entertaining, fabulous garden and a kitty who is happy, healthy and fit, I have found a wonderful community up here.
Words can’t do the last year justice, so I put it to music in a slide show…
In a weak attempt at words, I wrote this last June
This old house has stood for nearly 100 years
It was occupied by Italian immigrants in 1917
It housed families during the great depression
It has seen troops return from two world wars
This old house was built from the forests of the Pacific Northwest
Its beams are thick and sturdy
Its floors are old growth Douglas Fir
Its roof grows moss if not well maintained
This old house is in a historic neighborhood
It has been the home of the Crips gang
It has fallen into disrepair
It has been lovingly restored
This old house is guarded by lion statues in the front
Its old Bay Laurel tree in the back is home to a nest of crows
It is in a vibrant, revitalized community
It is surrounded by friendly, caring, proactive neighbors
This old house will be warm and welcoming
it will host many holiday gatherings
it will offer hospitality to friends, family and neighbors
it will be filled with love
This old house is flawed
This old house is beautiful
This house is a work in progress
This old house is loved
If only this old house could talk
~L
Mood: Happy 
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Wow, Lisa! Amazing! You have done soooo much this past year–congratulations! Your place looks so wonderful. What a great home you have created for yourself.
Woohoo! Now the house will have so many happy years to come. Congrats on your year, your hard work, and your committment.