We're Home

We’re home.

The journey to this place began the day I decided that enjoying life was more important than earning more money. It might sound like an easy decision, but, six years ago, at the tender age of fifty, it took some thought. But that’s a story for another time. This is about our new place.

When the decision to retire early was made, we began looking for land. Our first thought was to find a parcel in the North Carolina mountains – preferably near some sweet little trout stream - and build. And not just build, but build for good, for green, for as much energy independence as we could. To that end, we began attending “green design” classes at the local community college and taking advantage of the various green building tours offered in our area.

One weekend, while in South Carolina at a soccer tournament, I received an excited call from my wife who, in my absence, had been visiting a few houses on another builders tour. She had fallen in love with a home.

It had all she wanted. Designed to maximize passive solar utilization – exposure, overhangs, thermal masses, hot water panels, and a floor plan to die for. Built with an intelligent combination of natural materials and high tech componentry. Situated in a luscious natural environment, but within reasonable access to the excellent healthcare and cultural opportunities that the North Carolina Piedmont offered. Okay, trout were still a few hours away, but a beautiful bass river bordered the neighborhood. It was perfect.

Perfect, that is, except that it was not for sale. A nice young couple had just built it and expected to grow old there. Good for them.

But the community within which the house stood also captured our heart. I retired and we watched for a year for a suitable home to become available - jumping when it did. Wouldn’t you know, it was next door – in country terms – to the home that brought us to the area. There, we have spent the most wonderful four years, well documented, I hope, within this blog, and became fast friends with Abby and Juan.

Those fast friends came to us nine months ago with the sad news that family needs must take them north, to Maine, and that they would be selling their home. Knowing that it was this place that brought us into the neighborhood in the beginning, they asked if we would be interested. The answer was easy. Yes.

To make a long – very long - real estate story short, we sold our lovely place and bought theirs. We’re still pinching ourselves that we’re here.

I told you we were moving to someplace good. Someplace really good.

We’ve moved next door.

We're finally home.

Note: Thanks for your patience while we made the move. I hope you enjoyed the reruns and look forward to getting back to “live broadcasts”. It’s definitely time to get back on the water. Moving - even to such a fantastic and nearby place - simply sucks.