The Lake House

We were up at the lake yesterday, again searching for houses with the realtor. After three hours of looking, we got to a house that the realtor wanted to show us the first time we went up there. She couldn't show it at that time because it had a contract on it. That contract, however, fell through because the buyer is in the service and he got orders to go to Iraq. (Poor guy.)

Before we got up there for our second trip, that same house had another contract on it. That contract fell through as well, being that the buyer's father (who was going to co-sign) only wanted his daughter to buy a brick house. So that contract was cancelled yesterday morning, while we were on our way up to the lake.

The realtor didn't take us to that house first, though, being that we had half a dozen other houses on our must-see list that we told her we wanted to see.... houses that we had found on the Internet. Off we went to see those.... each one, however, had something very disappointing about them that wasn't described in the Realtor.com ads.

"Our" house (the realtor's surprise for us) was just perfect..... excellent condition (just unpack and move in), private coves on both sides of the peninsula-shaped property, deep water at the two-tiered boat dock, lovely views all around. The community is an established one, filled with both weekenders and year-round residents. Houses of all shapes and sizes and prices, with only a low percentage in disrepair.

As we walked around the property for the first time, we felt like we were in a private park. Lots of shade trees, as well as fig trees and flowering crape myrtles. A lush lawn with low-maintenance plants and flowers, and wooden swings set to view different areas of the lake. Being that our property is surrounded on three sides by water, we've got great waterfront plus pretty side views as well. And right on cue, as we walked around the yard, three ducks flew down onto the lawn and made themselves at home.

We made ourselves at home as well.... it was everything we were hoping for. Not only does the house have a large screen-porch, but it has two open porches as well. There are three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a laundry room, large pantry closet, large living room with a fireplace, very good-sized master bedroom with a walk-in closet and private bathroom. Both of the other bedrooms are a good size, each with a large closet, plus they're both on the opposite side of the hallway from the master. The kitchen is country style, half of it for cooking, half for eating, both sections separated by a breakfast bar. Every blessed thing is clean, well-decorated, and has been well maintained.

The more-than-half-acre property is interesting as well.... the garage is separate from the house and looks like a small cabin. There's also a third "cabin" on the property, which the current owner uses for a hobby room, but it could be a guest room or an office.... it looks like a mini cabin, and young Miss C just might want that for her room when she sees it.

The entire property is just perfectly charming, perfectly home-y, perfect for us. We can bring Gracie up there with us and she'll have a big yard like she has here, and even the cats will have a screen-porch there if we bring them up with us.

I've already made a list of things that are here at our house that we can bring up there, and I spent this morning packing up dishes and decorative items that have a country look. We've gone to contract on the house already, signing all the paperwork before we left the realtor's office yesterday.

Of course, now we're saying that things worked out just the way they were supposed to.... the house in Comfort fell through, then we didn't get the blue house, and we didn't get the third house that we bid on. This is the one we were meant to find.... I knew it when I saw it, and it's as wonderful as the house on the mountain in Comfort-- and that's what I was looking for.

Now we've been thinking of names for the house.... without a doubt, it has to have Cottage as part of its name, being that it indeed looks like a cottage-style house. We've tossed around a dozen or more names since yesterday..... the right one will come when we least expect it.