So… I’m moving. It’s the first time I’ve ever moved of my own accord, as in, my lease isn’t up, I’m not in a panic to find a home for various cats, I’m not moving across the country. Instead, I’m moving about ten blocks away to my very first house.

It’s butter yellow on the outside, hardwood floors and everything new on the inside. It was built in 1927 and just a year and a half ago it was a terrible eyesore. Now, it’s a beauty. My dad even said that all of the renovations were top notch- “I’d give it a B+, maybe even an A-“, and from my dad, that means a lot. He also said that the workmanship was top notch, and he knows from workmanship.

It has a stone courtyard in the front, which leads up to a porch, which opens into the main room. They knocked down the wall between the living room and kitchen, so it’s a vast open room, all hardwood except for the kitchen which is stone tile. Granite counter tops, dishwasher, new big gas stove, tons of beautiful cabinets. The main kitchen- fridge, dishwasher, sink, etc. is on the left wall as you walk in, and facing you is another granite counter top and cabinets, but crazily, the middle section of the granite (and the full cabinets underneath it) rolls out to be a butcher block wherever you need it.

There are two good-sized bedrooms, with new carpet and paint (as there is throughout); one room, which will be the “blue room” is so named because both the carpet and the walls are a deep blue. That room is at the front of the house. Next room is a full bath (with shower); next is a laundry room (and will also be our crafts room); and then the master bedroom opens at the back of the house. The master has a shower AND jacuzzi bathtub (holy crap!) and a huuuuge walk-in closet with full-length French doors. And both bathrooms have granite sinks and counter tops.

Through the kitchen, the back door opens to a small porch and then into the back yard, which is partially covered with a yellow awning, big enough to house a long dinner table and barbecue. The rest of the yard is laid stone and earth, and the landlord is going to build me raised flower beds. And there is a shed big enough for our bikes and (hopefully, whenever we get it) our kayak.

I went there today and walked around, plotting, and then I looked at the lower cabinets in the kitchen, and thought, “No, no way…” but then I opened one, and then another, and realized that yes, yes indeed, all the lower shelves roll out. This has been a dream of mine ever since I fell in love with cooking.

So, I know I haven’t been posting, ye gods know I haven’t had time in ages to do any writing for myself. But I’ve been selfishly spending my time falling more deeply in love with my boyfriend, and according to my therapist, that isn’t actually selfish at all, so I think I’ll keep doing it. At some point I will post pictures of my new house; I’ll also write about my three weeks in Peru; and I even intend to write about my Mormon family reunion this weekend. But for now, all I can dream about is my house. And how everyone I love will be most welcome there.