Worry. Worry worry worry.

Man, I dislike this "uh-oh" feeling. This out-on-a-limb feeling.

Here we are, the proud owners (since last Friday) of not one, but two houses and more mortgages and loans than I want to ponder. We are doing an insane amount of work on the new house in Oakland Beach. You strip back carpeting and find water stains: uh-oh. You remove a tchotchke nailed to the wall and the paneling begins pulling off. Uh-oh. You measure the counter for Corian and find the sink is rusting around the edges.

Freakin' UH-OH!

OK, it's an older house (1904) and hasn't been rehabbed in at least 25 years. Yeah, I'm cool with that. No problemo. What's a few thousand bucks more?

Then, when we have the perfect potential buyers for our current house, they get cold feet and cancel the second showing and make an excuse about dropping out of the market for at least a month. This, after we've just kissed off an extremely interested (but financially unqualified) couple who kept coming in with the lowest of lowball offers. Back to square one.

Say it loud: UH-OH.

I must stay calm. Take deeper breaths and stop hyperventilating. Calm. Cahhhhhhhhhhlm. Ommmmmmmmmmm.

Send us some good house-selling vibes, OK? Or I might have to push that red button up there.

Just in time

After three years of looking spindly and wobbly and uncertain, my purple clematis in the shady back yard burst into bloom this week. I'm so glad I got to see this determined vine in its glory. Next year at this time, I'll be creating a whole new garden scheme at our new house. Clematis is on my "most wanted" perennials list, along with lilac trees, roses, daylilies, and peonies.

Yes, it's official. We will close on our new home on the beach next week. This afternoon, a sign sprouted on our front lawn here in Providence. My breath caught for a moment when I pulled into our driveway today and saw it: For Sale. Whoa! It's real! We're going to move! Are we crazy? Well, too late for doubts.



My heart is pounding 24/7. I am selling books on eBay, selling china, selling furniture on Craigslist, contacting consignment shops. And I am choosing wood flooring, Corian countertops, tile kitchen flooring, and paint colors for our new home. The heat is on!