It's been over a week, and I haven't had time to write any blog updates, but oh, there are so many things to write about. And so far, all good.
I'll just say this for now - all my doubts from before escrow closed have dissipated like morning fog on a warm, sunny day. We love our new home! It really feels like home, already, too. Oh sure, there are lots of projects, but they seem less daunting than fun, at least at the moment. :)
Discoveries
Neighborhood! We have been so amazed at the neighborhood - everyone we meet is so nice, and they all say "it's a great neighborhood" - we feel like we've moved to Pleasantville (in a good way). More on the specific neighbors later...Views! We didn't really notice that there were any views from this house when we looked at it before, but there ARE! From the master bedroom, we can see the Sierra over the houses across the street - it is so wonderful to wake up and sit up in bed and see Humphrey's and Basin Peaks glowing in the sunrise light - Mount Tom is also there, but a little hidden by our tree. And I love my "sewing room" (I put it in quotes because I don't know how to sew - yet) - it may become my office and work room - it has views of the White Mountains and is sunny and bright - the brightest room in the house.
Security. There is something safe and wonderful about owning a home - the saying "safe as houses" didn't come out of nowhere, I guess. We are comfortable with our mortgage and feel like it's a decent investment (at least in the long term, since who knows when the housing market is going to stop its downward slide?). But it's our HOME, and we are not paying off someone else's mortgage in rent payments, but are building equity in something solid and real. I guess that's why they call it "real estate" isn't it?
Belonging. I feel a sense of belonging that I haven't felt yet in Bishop - it wasn't there at all in the RV Park, that's for sure. Now I feel like part of the community, and part of the neighborhood, and like we've started to sink roots. It is a wonderful feeling that is hard to express without sounding sappy, but there it is.
Who knew that buying a house would bring us that joy?
