I'm [kind of] back

Alas, I have an internet connection. We moved last weekend and after three failed attempts by Telus, they finally showed up for our install. You'll notice I don't have a new monthly banner up, but that's only because I'm not acknowledging that December has officially begun until we no longer have stacks of cardboard boxes in our kitchen. This move-in has been exhausting. Let me give you a taste...

We got the keys last Wednesday and did nothing more than show up and rub our faces on the granite countertops. Thursday we painted. By we, I mean not me. I was at work while Luc and my Mom handled the painting. Friday we started installing the crown mouldings and new baseboards. And by we, I mean our finishing carpenter who happens to be my old baseball coach and who, I have to say, did an impeccable job. Saturday was moving day—out of the old place, into the new. Saturday was also part two of the moulding/base board installation. Sunday was the Grey Cup and, to the dismay of my CFL-fan husband, we didn't have a TV signal. So, despite walls to be painted and boxes to be unpacked, we got mildly drunk downtown watching our dear Saskatchewan Roughriders crumble once again. Monday I was at work, distracted by the to-do list awaiting me at home. After a long Monday, the crowns and baseboards were done. Tuesday through Friday were spent unpacking and organizing, and this weekend, I'm happy to report that we're 80% moved in and organized. 

We're moved in enough to relax in front of a fire with a bottle (or two) of wine this evening. Our TV and internet were at long last installed this afternoon so I have some catching up to do! The December banner is on its way. The monthly photo is coming down the pipes. But forgive me if it takes a while, I'm bloody exhausted!

#16 - We're Home Owners!!

16: Buy a home

When people say that buying a home is stressful, I think they actually mean unnerving. I found it incredibly disconcerting to fall so hard for a condo and not know whether or not we could actually have it in the end! Because no matter how much you want it, someone else just might want it more (throw down a bigger offer if you end up in competition,) or just have luck on their side and get their offer accepted first (like we did!)

We got word of this place from our realtor the morning it was posted on the market (for realtors' eyes only), but before it was actually available to the public. We booked a viewing for the next day, and when we walked in, I believe my words were something like, "whooaaaahhaaOOOHH myyy god. Wow. Can we get it? I think this it, I want this place, Luc...I WANT IT!" Something resembling a little kid seeing a power wheels car for the first time. The really nerve-wracking part though, for me, was after signing countless documents with the realtor to get our offer in writing....then waiting to hear back from the sellers. Would they counter? Would they outright reject our offer? Would they accept right away?? Needless to say, it was a rather sleepless night and what followed was a distracted day at work, wherein I checked my cellphone more often than I check my twitter feed.

We had put in the offer at 8pm on Monday night, and by about 3pm on Tuesday afternoon we had received a counter from the sellers - and word from our agent that 3 other viewings had been arranged for the next day, two of which were second viewings. The good thing was, the counter-offer was fantastic, so we accepted it immediately, signed the documents, and were whisked away into more paperwork...a home inspection...more paperwork...yadda yadda yadda, we move in on November 24th!

The night that we accepted the offer, Luc and I played a little game called, "I'm most excited for..." The list was long and included things like:
-Having an island in the kitchen
-Being able to blow dry my hair without shorting out all of the power
-Being able to walk to work rather than take 2 skytrains and a bus
-The enormous patio (and the BBQ that we're going to put out there)
-Having in-suite laundry rather than battling it out with neighbours for washer time
-A concrete buliding...meaning, no worries about noise
-Having an ensuite bathroom so I don't have to walk into the dark, scary hallway at night

The only hard part left...waiting another 6 weeks to move in!!

On some recent accomplishments

It's been a while, yes, but I'm back from wedding mania and home from the honeymoon and I have lots to report. I'm just going to start with some things that I recently knocked off my 101 Things To Do in 1001 Days list.

Let's start from the top...

#13 - Get a job in publishing
Check! I was fortunate enough to be offered a full-time position by the company I did my internship with. I start in a week and I couldn't be more excited. Although working full time means writing my thesis will take a bit longer (pushing graduating to a later date), this is the kind of opportunity I've been hoping for since I went back to school. And bonus, we can finally start looking for our own condo! So maybe that "buy a home" item on the list will be the next thing to be checked off?

#26 - Order room service
A honeymoon is the perfect time to indulge, so I'm happy to say that this item can be checked off several times! Pictured below is a champagne breakfast on our balcony. This is moments before I shot the cork off the champagne bottle into the pool area below. Whoops!

#47 - Read 100 books
I'm getting ever closer to my 100 books. My most recent conquest was "Committed" by Elizabeth Gilbert, the infamous "Eat Pray Love" author. I received it as a birthday gift and thought it would be an appropriate post-wedding read. Maybe not, though. Although Gilbert eventually comes to peace with her second marriage and finds her own nesting spot in legal matrimony, the entire book is basically her squinting skeptically at the strength and longevity of modern marriage. There was a bevy of fascinating historical information on marriage, but it was a little bleak for a beach read.

#54 - Swim at the bottom of a waterfall
We left our resort for one full day, and on our agenda was climbing a waterfall. We took a tour bus down the North coast to Ocho Rios, where we climbed Dunn's River Falls. It's a 700 foot high, unique waterfall that is broken into several shelves. Many spots involve linking hands in a human chain to increase stability when scaling the rocks. The most fun was swimming around at the bottom of the falls and the spot where the rocks had formed a waterslide.

#73 - Watch a sunrise
It's pretty much against the rules of vacationing (let alone, honeymooning) to get up at 5:00am, but after watching several amazing sunsets, we really wanted to take in the sunrise as well. We actually snuck onto the roof of the hotel...and it was worth it.

#80 - Take Luc to the spa for a massage
Not only did Luc get a massage, but we also did the sauna, steamroom, hot tub, water therapy, freezing cold plunging pool, and couples facials. He probably doesn't approve of me telling my blog readers that...but after my lengthy absence, I'm not even sure how many of you there are left!

#98 - Go an entire week without checking the stat counter on my blog
Needless to say, with the wedding and the honeymoon I've been pretty disconnected from everything digital. And it's been a nice break. But make no mistake...it's nice to be back!

I think I was born in the wrong country

Watching House Hunters on HGTV makes me want to move to the US. A young couple not unlike Luc and myself were searching for their first home so I figured it would be a particularly relateable episode. I read the blurb in the TV guide before watching the show and it said "a new couple search for a home that reflects both their personalities." But the home buying experience is significantly different in the US, and especially different from Vancouver! It's funny the things that the couple was quibbling over: "A 2 car garage? I would have liked 3..... Hmm, no sinker tub in the master bathroom? ......" When we've gone to see condos it sounds more like this: "Is there a dishwasher? I don't think I could live without a dishwasher. Could we fit a queen-sized bed in the second bedroom?"

One of the houses was a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 2800 sq foot house with a huge backyard with a pool, master bedroom with a fireplace, walk-in closet....the list goes on. And the price? $380,000. You can't even get a tiny 2-bedroom condo in Vancouver for less than about $425,000. In the end, they chose a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom, 2600 sq foot house, completely updated and beautifully landscaped for $303,000. And then I threw the remote at the TV and poured myself a drink.