Fingers Crossed

Our last evening in Portsmouth has arrived and we feel positive that we have found a house to inhabit for the next four years. We love the neighborhood and the backyard is like a woodland retreat with lofty trees, shrubs and birds. We’ve made an offer and according to our broker, the fabulous Robin (who has bent over backwards to get the process moving along before we leave town), things are proceeding smoothly.

Yesterday morning, bright and early, we went to the property for the professional home inspection. The inspector proclaimed that the home was “built like a tank” while proffering tidbits of advice about home maintenance. As Matt followed him to some of the nether regions of the home’s interior, I sat it one of the sunroom chairs and imagined a morning in the home puttering around with my tea before heading outside to work on the flowerbeds.

It has been interesting to learn the real estate process and thankfully it has not been too nerve wrecking. Things seem to be happening at an easy to process pace without being drawn out to the point of tedium or anxiety. And we’ve had some distractions – dinner and catching up with friends and hunting for a mattress to go with our new bedroom suite when it arrives from Japan.

I have thoroughly enjoyed being back in the Portsmouth area, and reacquainting ourselves with some of the familiar places like the Daily Grind, Olde Towne Bakery and the Bier Garden. Each time we drive past the Elizabeth River on our way back to the hotel, I can’t help but exclaim “Beautiful!” as I look at the sun glistening on the water and the crisp white of sailboats dotted across its flat surface. I’m glad to be back!