Home, SWEET Home!

Once again, it's been so long, I forgot where we left off. I think I was holding off on officially telling the blog world that we put an offer on a house. After what seemed like ages of "will we get it or won't we get it?" (it was actually all within a month of checking out Boise for the very first time), we finally got the key (there was only one key) to the house:


The original part of the house (not the two-story part) was built in the 1890s! We think it has its original flooring. If not, it's pretty darn close. The rest was added on some time in the 70s or 80s, we think. It needs a little bit of work (what house of ours doesn't?), but it is perfectly livable, and we love it, especially dinner every night on our little front porch.

We've been in the house just over a week, and we have been nonstop busy with super-duper bargain shopping, including these beautiful pieces that we got for a STEAL (my photographic "skills" do not do them justice):

More jobs to do today, including hanging curtains and installing screens to keep the bugs out (something at which we are ridiculously proficient, no thanks to Kai). More to come when we have a little more breathing room.

News

No, we are not lost somewhere in the Great White North, trying to find our way back to Dallas. I got a little sidetracked with life and plans and heat waves. Excuses, excuses. So I have not yet updated all our wonderful readers (all three of you) on our trip. Then I realized that I have promised to post photos from our past three trips (including the trip to Australia ... not only the most recent one, but also the one almost two years ago now). I really will get them online for your viewing pleasure. Really, I will (said with Miss O'Hara's Southern drawl ... we do live in Texas after all). But wait, that brings me to the news (and the main reason for our busy-ness lately):

We will not be living in Dallas much longer.

If I knew how to make that flash and jiggle and move all around the page, I would, just to show you how excited we are (no offense to any Dallas-ites out there, but it just AIN'T our scene, y'all).

Our new home will not be in Samoens, France (boo-hoo ... that one still smarts, though I know it worked out for the best) or in Launceston, Tasmania, or in Timbuktu. Nope, we are heading north past our old playground of Denver on up into Boise, Idaho.

Why Idaho? Some might say it's because it's half the punchline to one of my favorite stupid jokes. (I will spare you all.) Others might say it's because we like our spuds, especially fried. Before we ever went there, I would have said it was because of the proximity to rivers, foothills, mountains, great expanses of wilderness, and a fantastic downtown within walking distance. But after having spent one crazy-busy-fun weekend in the city with our pal Heather Z., I think I can tell you that it's because on a Saturday night, I can go out dancing until 2 a.m. dressed as the queen of hearts while Mark sits on the back porch, sipping single malt scotch and shooting a tin can with a BB gun. (Now some of you might ask why we don't just move to West Virginia.)

There is more news, but we are waiting for it all to be finalized (no, I'm not pregnant). Stay tuned. And if I get a break from working and packing and forwarding mail and all that, I WILL post those photos--maybe even some from our whirlwind tour of Boise.

We Are Here

So, methinks it might be time to change the lead-in question at the top of the page. But I'm not going to. So there. Even though we aren't moving to France in the near future. Even though we are staying in Dallas, as evidenced by the fact that we just signed a year lease on a little house in the 'burbs (with a 1/2 acre yard all for Kai ... yay!!). But I like my lead-in question, and I'd like to think that this little jaunt here in Texas is just a detour in our life. A good detour, as it means that Mark is cranking away at his business, but a detour nonetheless.

So sorry to "all y'all" out there who were planning your next big vacation to the French Alps. We would have loved to played host to you. Perhaps next year. In the meantime, howz about a trip down to the Big D? Our good friend Shane just told us all about some beautiful spots just north of us (OK, technically those spots are in Oklahoma--yet more proof that there really isn't anything beautiful in the immediate Dallas area) that we'd be glad to take you to. Or there's always the incredibly touristy stampede run through the stockyards of Fort Worth (no, really, we wouldn't do that to you, even if you asked real nice). And to try to make it up to you, we would serve French cheese and bread and play some yodel-ly type songs in the background. (OK, we wouldn't do that to you either, unless you asked real nice.)

We move into our new home next Tuesday, and we can't wait. Apartment living was fun for about a week. Then it just got old thanks to the 3 a.m. walks with Kai and the nonstop traffic outside. The funny thing is, after being so excited to downsize and get rid of all our stuff just three short months ago, we are now looking forward to "upsizing" and stocking it all back up. In particular, we are really thrilled to be purchasing a bed. Sleeping on Thermarests and quilts was sort of part of the adventure at first, but now it's just really kind of annoying.

So, that's it from here. We have big plans for the weekend, including the GrapeFest in Grapevine. Apparently some kind of wine festival--sounds good to me! Then a visit with the Bears (Ann and Irwin Bear, that is), who will be visiting family in Plano. And maybe even a trek into the big city itself, as I hear tell that it has a very good farmer's market. Stay tuned for more exciting updates and to see how our big weekend turns out!! I am sure you just can't wait.

Oh my goodness ... birthdays. Although I wished Janet a very happy birthday in person (well, on the phone and not on the actual day), I completely forgot to give her a little shout out on the Joffe Blog. Janet, I hope you had a wonderful time on the cruise with your mom and brother. I will be calling soon to hear all about it! Happy Belated Birthday, sistah!


And to Sam and Susan -- Happy Belated 5th Anniversary! Susan, I'll be sure to drink your portion of the (belated) toast for you, because that's what friends are for!


And finally another today/tomorrow/what day is it anyway birthday wish to Dad, who we hope is off galavanting and having a grand time in Sydney, rather than sitting at home not answering our call! Have a happy, happy, happy birthday!

Bittersweet Day

I know we haven't been the best about keeping you all up to date on our daily activities of late. But let me tell you, you haven't missed much. We've just been packing and selling stuff and more packing and trying to squeeze in some work and getting together with friends to say farewell (the hardest part of all).

But today our realtor/neighbor Peggy Patterson (who we love and would recommend to anyone) and Mark and I headed off to Title America and signed it all away to Roger and Janice Nelson of Redding, CA. We're still here in the house today and tomorrow (we aren't leaving until they kick us out on Saturday), packing up the last stuff and wrapping our boxes in rolls and rolls of shrink wrap so it can all be shipped off to Connecticut and Dallas. But holy cow! This all happened so fast!!

Our friends Sam and Susan are being kind enough to put up with us for the next week and a bit before we head off on another river trip en route to Dallas by way of Albuquerque. They are also being amazingly kind and taking our poor old cat, Chester, who we will miss incredibly much but who will be going to a good home/hospice.

We have so many fond memories of all the good times over the past 6 years in our little home on Flower Street. We will certainly miss Lakewood and all our wonderful friends. But we know that it is a small world and that we will see you all again ... whether in person or through the wonders of Skype!

(p.s. Photo courtesy of the folks at Obeo.com.)

Procrastination

I really should be finishing up a couple projects before my parents come into town, but I realize it's been a while since we posted anything. Also, our last post was anything but enthusiastic. For the past week, we had visitors who took up quite a bit of time and energy. We had a nice time, but three boys ages 5, 4, and 2 are pretty much exhausting (I'm sure all you parents out there are thinking, "Well, duh, you didn't know this!?"). But our house is empty again ... and getting emptier by the minute.

Now that the negotiations are final (apart from an appraisal, I think), we are starting to box up our belongings and trying to sell everything essentially larger than a breadbox. Anyone out there need any furniture? How about dishes and silverware? Everything must go!!

Spring is here at last (although I'm sure we'll get another surprise snow storm before Memorial Day ... perhaps ON Memorial Day). And the 12 hours of rain we had overnight seems to have sprung all the flowers from their buds. It looks and smells divine outside. And yet, here I am at my computer. Silly me!

Other than the weather and packing up, there is not too much going on around here. As mentioned, Tara's parents come in on Thursday night. We don't have every second planned, but we do have a lot of ideas. We'll be sure to post piccies when all is said and done!

Hope you are all enjoying the springtime weather!