Going Once, Going Twice, Going Three Times...

...SOLD !! (or the other title was going to be "Oh I do love to live beside the sea side")

 

 

Anyway to cut a long story short, we're moving, shutting up (renovation) shop in the land of sunshine and paint pots, and opening up (renovation) shop on a completely new project!! Yes you might remember us saying this is not our forever house, but the learning house, and what a great learning house it has been. We have learnt new skills, met some great tradies, and made some memories to last a lifetime and all this in just under 10 months. But our forever house needs to be a short stroll to the ocean rather than a 10 minute drive, and as luck would have it (and many months of waiting and a few false starts), we are now the proud new owners of a nice (but tired) new-to-us home just a short 2 minute stroll to the ocean.

Here's the proof, because we are still pinching ourselves to check that it is real and not a dream...out of our front door, walk for 2 minutes, and this is what greets us...

What's even more strange as readers of our blog will understand, is that we are taking a big shift away from what we thought was our ideal style of house, moving away from a 'Queenslander' design to what I'll call 'unloved modern' (there was a time, 1985 - don't pretend you don't remember... *EDIT* - Kate here, I had no idea what he was talking about, apparently it's from The Wedding Singer!) In the house we've bought, we see a home, somewhere to raise our girls for the next 12 years while they undertake their wonderful journey through school. And we also see beyond 'what is', to 'what can be' (which, as it appears, many others couldn't) and it's just as well because before we can even move into it, it will need the entire bathroom renovated.  Giddy up !!

But beyond that short term pain, our plan will be to move into the house and in accordance with Kevin McCloud's guidance and blessing (ok, I've read his book and watched the shows), live in the house for 12 months and get a feel for the area, the house and the seasons, while we plan our renovation and design for the new house. We are thinking it will either be an extension to create a second living area and to increase the size of three of the four bedrooms, or it will be a journey upwards for a second story, housing a parents retreat... who knows, but what exciting times lie ahead?!

The house is not available to move into until early in the New Year, which is just as well as we have those final few tasks ahead of us to get renovation project number 1 finalised and ready for sale by March next year. The new house only has one bathroom, so getting that part of the renovation done first before we move in is essential. But it is exciting (have I said that already) and we can't wait to be in our forever home near the sea. Because "I do love to live beside the sea side, Oh I do love to be beside the seaaaaaa".

 

Here's cheers folks!

Col

P.S. Today is Thanksgiving for our American friends, so in keeping with our adopted tradition, tonight Kate cooked a lovely family thanksgiving dinner for us all. (Mmmmm the candied sweet potato and apple side dish was a.maz.ing)  I for one am thankful for my new career and our family's new 'forever home'. I'm also mindful of those soldiers serving overseas away from their families in harms way tonight, and I thank them for their service, because freedom isn't free. Stay safe guys :-)