all better now

I went back to work today for the first time in two weeks. And we're under contract (again), pending inspection (next Tuesday) and the sale of our house. I'm trying to not be completely in love with the new house or mess with whatever good karma seems to be enveloping us at the moment. To have bounced back from losing the house, finding another, and negotiating our way into a contract before the tax credit deadline means we have some good vibes working in our favor.

I don't look at this so much as an issue of God or blessings; it feels more like a shifting of energies. We've focused positive energy on finding ourselves an appropriate new home, and that seems like an act of free will. God doesn't necessarily want us to be in this particular house, but He wants us to do right and be happy.

It's been hard to curb the ill will Tom and I both feel toward the unreasonable seller of the first house. But we have to let it go. Moving on with "the rebound" has made that easier, but I'm having to concentrate on not being hurt or angry. Have to keep the energy positive and keep the good real estate vibes strong!

--Jennifer
Oooh, look, shiny things! 

I don't like Mondays

Yesterday I posted at about 1:00 a.m., so it still felt like Sunday. Not until after I went to bed, got up, and started trying to get some work done (new week, new me) did the Monday-ness kick in.

Last week, I spent Monday getting tested and checked in to the hospital, then the day ended with me in surgery having my appendix removed. Nice. This week was a different sort of bad.

On the Landlanders blog I've posted about our hopes and dreams and fears and tribulations about being under contract to buy an older house in need of some TLC. Well, this Monday all plans fell through and we were forced to void the contract. I will continue to leave the real estate discussion on that blog, but suffice it to say we were extremely upset and felt completely wronged.

Well, when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. And today we went to see a different house, one that's practically move-in ready, and are waiting to hear from our agent to work out an offer. We've joked that this is the rebound house; we'll have at least one date with a really good-looking house to get over the drama that just ended. But it's possible this is the one!

--Jennifer
Nothing shines as bright on a Monday

appendix free -- that's me!

It's been almost a week since my appendix was removed. Feels like three weeks. I've not had much energy or opportunity to post, but here's a quick recap. I felt unwell last Sunday afternoon, and by Sunday night I knew something was seriously amiss in my belly. Monday morning Tom took me to the doctor's office, where they did some lab tests and decided I likely had appendicitis. So across the street to DCH I went, where the rest of the afternoon was spent getting blood drawn, IVs started (in my dehydrated veins), and then a CT scan.

By Monday evening my mom had arrived and I was in a room. The surgeon came to visit and said, "It's coming out tonight." And at about 11:30, surgery commenced. I returned to my room at about 2:00.

Tuesday I was troubled with post-surgery pain and a high fever; it stayed in the 102.5 range most of the day and spiked to 104. A miserable day, despite the morphine and visits from my boss, Dr. Blum; my cousin Ron; and my oldest friend, Meredith. (She's 103. Not really. But she has been my friend for almost 32 years.)

And then came the call that an agent wanted to show our house the following day.

I spent Wednesday largely by myself while Tom tried to get the house ready to show, and then he entertained the carful of animals while the people were in the house. I felt better than the day before but still not fantastic. And someone made an appointment to see the house on Thursday morning, so Tom got to do it all again the next day. (And this one was for a 2.5-hour stint. Poor Tom.)

Thursday my mom came down early and was present when my drain tube was removed. The darn thing was about 14 inches long and stung as it was pulled out! But much of the pain and irritation I'd had since the surgery was alleviated almost instantly once the tube was gone. I got to go home Thursday afternoon.

Since then I've slept a lot and worked out the stiffness in my limbs and back, generated by trying to not use my abs. Compensating with legs and back makes for a lot of aching. Today my folks and Grandma came and brought us lunch, plus plenty of leftovers to feast upon for the next few days.

And that's it in a nutshell.

One more thing: The folks who came to see the house on Wednesday came back for a second visit on Friday evening. No word yet though.

--Jennifer
Oooh, look, shiny things stuck in my arms! 

open house

We vacated the premises (all but Simon, who stayed safely hidden under a bed) for the open house yesterday. Sounds like we had some traffic early; hopefully we'll have stirred up some interest. Afterward, because it was such a lovely spring afternoon, I took some photos.

Tom's backyard is gorgeous. I wish I had gotten a shot of the forsythia in its glory a few weeks ago. It was nearly as lovely as the dogwood and as vibrant as the azalea.

And then there's our good-looking watchdog. And the pavers Tom laid inside the side gate.

--Jennifer
Oooh, look, shiny things! 

our listing

Yesterday we had our first showing. I'm still exhausted from the frenzy of cleaning. But I feel the need to present the link to our listing yet again, in case someone who needs a house in Tuscaloosa happens upon my blog....

319 31st Place East, 35405

New photos should be posted soon, including one with the dogwoods in bloom.

--Jennifer
Oooh, look, shiny things! 

housekeeping

The house we're hoping to buy was inspected over the weekend. While we were there (6 hours, he was very thorough), we walked around the yard so Tom could tell me some of his landscape plans. When I went back into the house, our agent asked me if I enjoyed yard work. I replied honestly: I don't really like any work.

Which includes housework. We still have boxes of "captured clutter" to relocate before we show the house, and then there's keeping surfaces and floor picked up and dusted. Oh, how I hope someone decides right away that ours is the house for them!

--Jennifer
Oooh, look, shiny things! 

4 sale

And now we have an MLS number and are online with RealtySouth. Open house roughed in for a week from Sunday. Have to pinch myself to believe we might actually be about to move!

Also, our MLS number, 77323, adds up to 4. Which is our collective favorite/lucky number and the house number of the house we want to move to. (And our current house number and street number also add up to 4.) Cool beans!

--Jennifer
Oooh, look, shiny things!