From baby steps to big leaps

I've been thinking about blogging all week long (I know its Monday, but my week started on last Wednesday). I feel guilty for my lack of response or for commenting on all of these great posts that I've been reading the past couple of days. I'll get there- I just need to find the time. I think (time prioritization issues? why yes!)

First of all- the sookie stackhouse books. Strangely addicting- I find myself sometimes annoyed by them but I can't seem to stop. oh so good. And there are so many. I'm on book six right now. I want the whole story- like now. But I'm really enjoying the process of getting there. Also I'm getting annoyed by things like work, eating, showering, cleaning getting between me and these books. sigh. I need to stop time for a little while and sit in a room with no windows and these books. *stares off into space*

Well I'm off for the next three days. I had these great plans of sitting on my ass and doing nothing. Foiled again!

We have been looking for a new place to live. Not that we don't enjoy our apartment, but between the drunks, everything being half broken and that fact that we are being WAAYYY overcharged on rent, its time to go. We had an appointment this morning to look at a three bedroom house. We show up- the area is nice, the house-eh. It has three bedrooms but the garden was tiny, the bedrooms tiny, the furniture looked like it was from the set of the Brady bunch (and possibly used since the 70's) and the appliances were old and crappy. not exactly what I was expecting. The rental agent was a real jerk too. We said the house seemed nice and that we would contact him when we made a decision, but as soon as we left I told James that I wasn't happy with it. The next place we get we plan on staying there until James is done with school and then for some time after. This next place will probably be the last we rent before we buy so we want it to be something we love.

Well so we come home and I said ok back to square one. We looked at another house we found earlier in the week and said lets give this one a shot. I called the landlord and agreed to meet up with him this evening. Well we struck gold with this place. Its a corner apartment, three bedrooms and has a garden. It hits all of the points on our check list and even has all of our optional wish list items. On top of all that the apartment was HUGE. The en suite bathroom in the master is larger than the bathroom in our current apartment. The hall bathroom is larger than my bedroom. We have an open green space in the back of the apartment, close parking in the front and a good sized garden to the side. Its everything we wanted and more. As soon as we walked around and taken a good look at everything we looked at each other and said "We must have this place." We talked to the landlord and lo and behold, we have a new home.

WHOO HOO!!

We are giving him the deposit and first months rent tomorrow (the part I don't like since its a big chunk of money) and getting our keys. I'm also really happy with the landlord. The apartment is actually owned by his son, who moved to England. So I'm happy that its family owned and not through a rental agency. It makes me feel better that the landlord has a personal investment in the property. It makes me feel like if something is wrong or broken that it WILL get fixed, unlike in my current place. Also if we need anything the landlord just said tell him and he will provide. That's a great thing to hear. I cannot express how much I love that rental properties come fully furnished in this country.

The only catch about the new place is the location. Its actually one of the best parts of the new house. Its on the other side of town in an area called Dooradoyle which is one of the newer developed part of the city. Its in a nicer housing estate, surrounded by newer housing estates. There are good shops close by and a large shopping center with a nice and big grocery store about a 10 minute walk away. Its close to everything we want and need. I will miss living across the street from the grocery store, but that might actually lead to smarter grocery shopping on my part! The problem is my work and James' university is on the other side of the city. It is do-able transportation wise with the buses, but a pain in the ass since we would have to take two buses to get to where we need to be. so basically leave over an hour before we need to be anywhere. Also life will be much much easier with a car. So we told ourselves that if we moved to this area the next step is buying a car. Thankfully I have been doing driving lessons with my MIL and have progressed to the point of driving on the road. (Driving on the wrong side of the road/car?? weird. doing that while driving stick shift?? difficult. plenty of concentration needed haha)
So that being said I think I will be buying a car this week as well. A friend of mine recently bought a new car and is selling his. We have been talking here and there about me buying it. I told him I couldn't give him any definite answers until we find a place. So I'll be looking at the car Wednesday. I know that this car isn't new or nice or anything close. In fact I know this car is a clunker. But honestly I'm ok with that. I don't plan on driving long distances with this car or even taking it out of limerick. I just want to get from home to work or to the grocery store. As long as that car can do it for a year I'm satisfied.

Its a lot of big changes that are coming up fast. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. It all seems too good to be true right now. I don't usually have things fall into place so easily so I guess I'm waiting for something to go wrong. I think I'm more worried about getting the car situation and the money situation. I know we have enough money to do all of this but I hate not having that savings cushion. Even at our most broke we had a nice egg nest in savings. I guess that is what savings is for- a rainy day, a new opportunity. And thankfully with this job we will be able to build our savings up quickly enough.

Also I feel like I waited for months for something- anything to happen. In the past month I've gotten a job, learned a HELL of a lot more than I knew before, learned to drive stick, and now I'm moving. I feel like I'm starting to really get my feet wet now. Its good and scary all at the same time. Its cutting more ties with the states. Getting further along in my life in Ireland. Almost in a way admitting to myself that I really am here for good (Which I really haven't done in my own way).

So onwards and upwards! And hopefully pictures of this new place to follow soon!