Almost there....

One day and counting!  Yesterday was lease signing and key collecting and the start of celebrating.

We three: cottage, car and me

A friend went with me and we had a celebratory lunch on the beach.  Since some of you have been asking, here are some preliminary shots. Some are of the house as it is and others of the area.  More to come... but here we are.  

The first is the view from the street: the three of us: me, the car, the house.  Shake shingle, fun little front yard with lots of Rhododendren and other plants I know yet.  Quiet little residential street a couple of blocks to town in one direction and a block and a half from the beach in anotheron

     

Walking out the front door, turning left and crossing the street that runs through town, then following a path puts one on the beach just in front of Haystack Rock.  A couple of miles through town or down the beach gets you to Ecola State Park.   From that overlook with Brett a couple of months ago before, I had only dreamed of finding a place on this beach.  There's a lot to be said for "dreaming!"

And now for the house...  In the back is a nice sized deck and a small storage building which I may need to put to use, but I sense another round of purging coming up.  My goal is to simplify, keeping only those things that have real value (emotional or practical) and letting someone else make use of the rest.  Glad there are so many Goodwill outlets in the area!

 And here we are inside. Remember, I haven't moved in and what you see is the "furnished" part.  My stuff will be added shortly but there's a small living room with the basics, a bedroom to the right, kitchen, etc. Although the owners were lamenting the eccentricities of the dishwasher, washer and dryer, given my time in Uganda I'm thrilled with even the presence of such things. No more rushing home to get laundry off the line before it gets rained on, stolen or eaten by termites; No more hoping there's water for washing dishes.  Perspective is a wonderful thing.
 

Left is the attic a.k.a. future meditation room, weaving studio and guest room!   The two beds are included as furnishings.

As we surveyed the space, walked along the beach and then had lunch at the little place below, I was periodically amazed by the realization that this is the little place, the beach and the community I've been visualizing and creating in my mind for so many years - right down to the shake-shingles on the cottage.  

Now to actually move in a start creating the rest of the scene!

Thanks Merrily for going with me and making it a fun day, the celebratory lunch and for your pictures!  The beach in the background is what I'll be walking every day rain or shine, warm or cold! Too bad I left those rain bots in Uganda....