Thoughts on old house

First, the house has not closed escrow yet, so this whole post is very KNOCK WOOD. I can't assume it's selling until it's really sold, but it's sure looking positive. Knock wood.

Second, any melancholy tone henceforth should not be interpreted to mean that I regret moving, don't like new house, or anything like that. In fact, I LOVE new house, I'm so glad we moved, and I am very happy to be getting rid of old house. But here we go.

I bought old house by myself (with downpayment help from Mom) as a second-year teacher when I was 26. I did all the painting, flooring, refinishing, etc. with just me and Mom. There's hardly an inch of that house which has not been touched somehow by me. It has undergone enormous change since I moved in, mostly because I put in a lot of hard work. It's a little hard to say goodbye to that.

I got Mina kitty when she was genuinely a kitty the very month I moved in. I didn't have anything in one of the bedrooms yet, so it became her room.

I had Skye and Jenny both live with me as roommates in that house. The band practiced at that house for almost 4 years.

We had a few big rip-roarin' parties at that house.

I met Sweetie, moved him in, and married him in that house. (Okay, while living in the house.) I got ready for my wedding in that house.

I bought grown-up furniture and a car while living in that house.

While living in that house, I became one of the more senior members of the English department, then got my new great job.

I got my credential and my M.A. while living there. There are pictures of me in the front yard in my graduation robes.

I made Mother's Day brunches, had 4 Christmases, got broken up with, wrote probably twenty songs, got poems published and won awards, hosted the editorial board of the literary journal, had people over for dinner parties, made pho for the first time, had barbecues a-plenty...

I planted pink jasmine in the backyard that is growing all over the side fence. I planted a wisteria that came from Dad's house that I barely expected to survive, and now covers the entire patio. I planted a gardenia that has survived.

I got broken into and my car was stolen. I had bad neighbors, but I also had some great neighbors. In fact, I'm planning on baking them cupcakes later.

Anyway, saying goodbye to old house was harder than I thought it might be. It represents a good chunk of my life, and I don't just mean "good" in terms of large, I mean I had four and a half really good years there. So, goodbye old house. Now I get to make some memories in new house. I hope the new owners appreciate you.