I Bought a House!

2017-09-05

I’ve told nearly everyone in real life, and alluded to it here, but it feels like with such big news I should be making things “Facebook official” too: I bought a house! A big beautiful house with all kinds of luxuries I’ve either never had, or had to live without for a long time. It’s made the last six years in a dark, dated basement suite all worthwhile.

Things like recessed lighting, tall ceilings, a gas BBQ, a gas fireplace, decorative doors, hardwood floors, a kitchen island, a wine rack, a jetted bath tub, a water closet, a balcony, a porch, a garage, a garden, closet lighting, lush carpets, a dishwasher, a dual-basin sink with a detachable spray head, a big fancy fridge with an ice dispenser and separate beverage drawer. It’s at the end of a cul-de-sac, which gives me a unique, beautiful view of the neighbourhood, and means no through traffic at all.

It’s only been a week and the place already feels like home to me. The work of moving was laborious, but the transition was easy. With all the time I spend at a computer, any place with an internet connection can feel like home in a lot of ways. It was only after the housewarming party was over, and I got to sit down and reflect a bit, that I really appreciated the opportunities I’ve unlocked here. I don’t just have a safe place to rest, I have the ability to make all my friends and family comfortable.

The process of learning the ins and outs of maintenance and home repair has now begun, and there’s much to do: marred hardwood, sticker residue on the rear door, a ceiling fan that won’t turn on, a loose garage lamp, weeds, a driveway puddle, a buzzing bathroom light, an out-of-date smoke detector, a sagging porch spot, sticking deadbolts, broken blind dowels, unpainted beam ends, rusted BBQ heat plates, a water filter I don’t know how to operate. And the big ticket items still to come: the roof needs reshingling, and there’s an ambitious theatre room project to be tackled, critically before the final season of Game of Thrones airs!

I am very grateful to many people, for their gifts, their interest, their friendship, their labour, and their company. I am especially grateful to Hazel, without whom I doubt very much this would have happened.