Phew

And, just barely in time, it happened. Just as I was about six inches from the end of my rope. Just as I was about to scream "I don't want a house, I want a divorce!" Just as I was about to give homelessness a try. We made an offer on a place and it was accepted and it has passed our inspection.
And (oh, I hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying this before it becomes final) I kinda love this house. It's a wee bit further out than I'd ideally prefer. But it's kinda great. A roomy two bedroom, nice sized kitchen, wood burning stove. A soaker tub! With Jets! Oh, and get this: a phone by the toilet! A semi-finished basement to make puppets in! A deck. An attic for the toys.
And the lot is freakin' enormous. It'll take some work, because it could get a little away from us. (Ivy and blackberries currently at bay, but they never rest). But it's kind of fantastic. You're gonna think I'm crazy, but I might just get me a hive of bees! Or two! Maybe chickens are in our future!
There's still mountains of paper work to plow through and I'll miss Capitol Hill and we'll have to pinch a penny or two. And, of course, there is the hauling of our chattel. But at the end of it all: Chickens, bees, baths.