Done deal. We’re now officially homos. Homeowners, whatever. It was easy – just a bunch of signing. Oh, and a huge check. And something about monthly payments. I don’t remember, it all happened so fast. I’m sure they were just kidding about the bank taking the house if we don’t pay. Ha ha!

This is what happens when you go to happy hour during a big huge thunderstorm. Your car gets full of water. A LOT of water. And I can’t tell you the relief to hear K laugh about it (it’s her car) because it’s a good car but not that good. You know? If we had nice things we would have come out of the bar and started crying. Like the china (see last post), it’s better for us right now to have decent, functional things. (Although with the china, we’ll see…)

Still, that’s a ton of rain. What the hell?!

Yesterday was our big day to start getting organized for the upcoming yard sale – and it was a big day in all senses of the word. First we got up way too early (6:30) to go check out the final stage of the Tour de France at the Riverview Theater, which was fun but the coffee had grounds in it and somehow wasn’t quite enough to keep us fully awake. (Snarking aside, that theater is awesome – and close enough to our new place I hope to make it there often) Then it was back to the apartment for the task we’d been dreading – cleaning out the storage spaces.

When we moved into the apartment, we were a bit annoyed to discover that the more usable of two storage spaces already contained a healthy mix of boxes, bags, miscellaneous crap, and, of course, mouse poop. I also seem to recall a dead mouse on the floor there the first time we went in the closet. Real nice. Anyway, it had to be done – our stuff had started sinking into the mess, and we needed to pull it all out anyway to sort what could be sold, packed, etc.

It was K who found it. Almost buried under a mound of mouse poop, an inconspicuous carboard box. I was busy in another corner, and vaguely heard something about dishes. And then, "holy shit, this says Oscar de la Renta!" What?? Doesn’t he do clothes, and maybe some furniture? The answer is yes, but (apparently) also china. We had stumbled onto an abandoned treasure of what appeared to be totally unused, still wrapped, 100% authentic Oscar de la Renta china. Model LAF13, to be exact. "Hospitality Platinum".

As we unwrapped a few more pieces and started noticing the price tags, our jaws dropped — surely that’s for all the cups, not for just one, right? Neither of us had ever really priced china… How do you look things like that up, for discontinued patterns? On the internets, obviously. Two sites turned up quickly: tabletopsetc.com, and replacements.com – both listed several pieces in the pattern, and they were comparable to our price tags. Whoa.

Both sites claim to be interested in buying discontinued pieces from people, so I’ve email them both some pictures and a list of what’s there. Hoping to get hooked up with a local dealer, but no answer yet. Half of me thinks we should just keep them, but… I’m really not ready for "nice things" like that. We’ll see what we can get for them, if it’s a good price they’ll probably go. Otherwise we might just have a really nice set of china (although K isn’t crazy about the pattern…)

As you can see below, I’ve just discovered how to make my new phone post images automatically to the blog! This will surely make for a more exciting visual experience, and hopefully add some depth to the posts — being worth a thousand words, and all… (Now if I could just get it to stop titling the post "A Picture Share!" Anyone? *)

Today’s topic: Insurance. We need it before we can close. Neither K nor I have ever had renter’s insurance, a combination of not wanting another payment and not feeling like we had enough valuables to insure. (Which, when I look at all my digital video gear and computer hardware, has been a pretty poor but lucky decision.) Anyway, the house itself will be covered automatically in the insurance, but it’s optional whether to insure the "contents". I think this time I’ll opt for yes and stop betting on luck…

* Found it – under settings, you can turn title display on or off. Looks like the default is off.

Our old place is for rent already.

We’re in that sort of awkward phase between the rush and excitement of successful househunting and the actual move-in day. Our situation is even a bit worse than "normal" because we close at the end of the month and then rent back for 2 weeks – complicated, but necessary. (and we still have to try to convince our stupid current landlords to make an effort to rent it mid-month or we’re stuck paying for the remainder plus the mortgage.)

But I’ve already started making plans for the basement, and K too. I’m getting a chest freezer from her family which I intend to start filling with kegs of homebrew ASAP – but there’s money involved there to get the temperature regulator, kegs, taps, and CO2 setup. Might have to do it in phases. But, oh, so sweet to have delicious beer on tap. Good thing I’m finally working out again…

And speaking of working out, K’s big plans for the basement involve her free-standing punching bag – it’s a molded plastic thingy with a big base and a covered foam pad that goes on the top. You fill the bottom with water for weight, and you’re good to go, it will take all sorts of punches, kicks, and general workout abuse.

… but it’s all so far away… Still over a month.

Anyway, watch this place for further entries on the new adventure of home ownership! From unexpected bills to fun projects to those awesome "mysteries" that houses have – "what the heck is this switch wired to??", it’s all coming to you live from the Duo Team World Headquarters!