A home among the gum trees

We have finally found our new home, which, incidentally, was the first property we looked at earlier this year.  Fortunately for us, there was a contract on it (subject to finance) that fell through so we snapped it up straight away.  The best thing was that we got it for the same amount as the other people had agreed to pay - which was a lot less than it was when we first looked at it.  We know the owner of the property and he is happy for us to wait for our house to sell; it goes on the market later this coming week and we will have our first open house this weekend.  It worked in our favour, too, that we have our finance already sorted for another place.  While I am sad to be leaving my beloved house, I'm excited at what the future property will bring to us as a family.  Every time we visit it the children head for the nearest tree and climb.  

There will be work to do on the house to modernise it but it will will be to our taste and for our benefit and enjoyment.  There is nothing we can't live with (or without) for the time being, and it is vacant which is such a bonus for us - no having to find alternate accomodation in the meantime.  There are good paddocks and a small, seasonal creek at the rear of the property which does flood during a bad wet season.  But it comes nowhere near the house and it's fenced off at roughly where the water comes up to.  It is currently 'overgrown' close to the creek and we'll probably leave it like that as we've been told it provides shelter and protection for wallabies.  Snakes are unlikely to come close to the house from there as there is so much open ground for them to cross to risk getting eaten by the predator birds.  Lucky us.  

I am looking forward to establishing vegetable gardens and a small orchard.  I have plans in mind for where the chicken house will go, and hopefully one day I will have some meat sheep and milking or meat goats.  I think it's funny I want chickens as I am afraid of birds!  The nesting boxes will have to be accessible from outside, that's for sure.  But I am sure I will adapt to them over time and who knows, I could love the chickens.  

So for now, our attentions are focussed on making our house an appealing home for another family, while thinking about things we want to change at the next house.  We are looking forward to spending next Christmas there in the pool we plan to put in, and being grateful for everything we have worked so hard for over the years.  We have also organised for some family to come and stay for Christmas 2011 (next year's Christmas had already been arranged to be at the Groom's brother's home).  Maybe I can also convince the Groom to 'name' our house "Tyrrellea"?  One can only hope!

I hope everyone is enjoying the lead up to Christmas - we certainly are and should have a lovely big Christmas present to move into once our home is sold.