juggernaut

is a word I like to use

Today I signed a contract for a new house! Whew. I still feel my head reeling at all that is going on right now. I was describing my life to Courtney as a juggernaut right now - I feel it is flying downhill with packing, planning, budgeting, packing, cleaning, organizing, looking for a place to live, reserving campsites, keeping people updated on plans...and the suddenly there are only 7 days till I leave and 700 things to get in place. Then bam, we run into a perfect house in a sweet location, and in a matter of 3 days we've found it, seen it and signed for it.

The house is about 8 miles south of where I live. This means that my commute to work is 5 miles (before it was 3). It's in a much cooler part of town - actually it's in the city. Whereas before I really lived in suburbia, this is city living. It's a very old neighborhood of Atlanta. I'm a few houses from Inman Park, a block from the Inman Park metro, a block from another sweet park with a pond and fountain (with turtles and an egret). Half a mile up the street is Little Five Points which is a happening district (where I went to see Hem on Saturday). Another half mile further that way is Candler Park which is a bigger park and a little neighborhood with some nice restaurants. A mile in another direction is Piedmont Park which is like Atl's central park. wow. That's all I can list for now, but I'm sure that's not all.

The house is a little yellow 2-story house. A woman lives upstairs. There are two front rooms - a living room & dining/foosball room. There is a sweet red fireplace in one, and a long window seat with a bookshelf underneath in the other. The kitchen is amazing. It's got big tiles, a stove with 6 or 9 burners (no kidding), 2 counters that are made of wood, cute-curly handles on the cabinets...am I getting boring? I should take pictures. There are 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. I have the small one in the back which is currently painted yellow with a blue ceiling. Looks kind of cool, but I think I'll change it. Charlie said we could paint - and I can even do it next week before I leave.

In front is a teeny tiny yard with some nice flowers and a cute iron fence. A front porch! with hooks for a porch swing which Courtney already has! The back yard is a wee bit bigger.

We signed this afternoon and met Katie, our landlord's wife and her new baby girl, Hazel, who I seriously thought was a baby doll when I first walked up the steps and saw her sitting on the porch. no joke. Hazel is 5 days and 5lbs. I remembered a story about someone thinking my sister Carol was a cabbage patch doll in the airplane. Amy and I took a walk in the neighborhood and saw so many people riding their bikes which made me excited. All cool-looking people riding their bikes and smiling.

I'm excited, but nervous. It's going to be a big change. But for some reason I'm more nervous than I was when I actually moved to Atlanta, not knowing anyone, not knowing my way around, not knowing my work.

I am packing up all my belongings, and the girls and others will move it for me while I'm gone. So, I'll be leaving Stonecliff Drive in a week, and returning in 6 weeks to Euclid Avenue.

that's probably why I'm feeling nervous,
feeling that things are moving like a juggernaut