No home owners here (insert happy song)

Our house sold today. We've been waiting for this for the past 2 years and it's slowly sinking in that the wait is over. I think it might be a sad day if we didn't have something exciting waiting for us. Actually there is a bit of a quiet realization that something good has just officially ended.

It tempers the excitement a little, just enough to be thankful for what was given to us.

I'll miss the sunsets.

The ocean in the backyard and all around.

There won't be any of this where we're going but there will be other things to appreciate. The last few weeks have been really eventful when it comes to formulating plans for our near future. We've been offered a position as caretakers of a property right next to the Monastery. It's a beautiful hollow ("holler" if you're from around there) surrounded by big hills and mountains. Our job will be to mow the lawn and keep the driveway cleared of fallen trees and to be present so others don't feel they can come destroy the houses on the property as the owners live in a different country and will only be around a couple of times a year. It couldn't be more perfect for us. It'll give us time to settle ourselves in the area without making a huge investment too quickly. It'll only take us 3 minutes to get from the house to the Monastery which was one of the things we really wanted. I've also been offered a soapmaking position at the Monastery. I'm really excited about this too.

Apart from all this future-planning business we've been keeping quiet. Matthew has really been enjoying work since the beginning of his second term. The place is still crazy and I would still advise everyone to stay clear of that hospital but he's adjusted to its ways and its patients. He feels he understands their situations better and it makes him appreciate them a lot more. His schedule has been easier on him too with more time off in a row. I've been reading and knitting and baking. All in all we're very pleased at our stay here. It's been good for us. We still haven't seen all that much of the city when it comes to museums or tourist traps but we're fine with that. I think this has been a time of preparation for what's coming .