Finally A Rental

WHOO HOO.  We finally found a place that we will be able to call home.  It is on 5 acres, and is very comfortable feeling.  That was a big problem we were having- every place we saw just didn't "feel" right.  And if I am going to survive the winters up here I need to be in a place that puts me at ease.  This is that place.  We will move in August 1st.  The landlords seem very nice and very relaxed.  The home is heated with a wood burning stove.  I will have a bit of a learning curve with that, but life is all about learning, right?  I'm kind of excited to give the whole wood-heat thing a try.

Here are some quick pictures that I snapped today.  I wasn't able to get very many because we were signing the lease and I was trying to hold conversations and make sure the boys didn't harass their dog too much. . . . you know the drill.

This is the beginning of a long shared driveway.  I think there are three or four homes back here, but I can't tell because they are all tucked away.

The driveway branches off, after a few hundred yards, and the right driveway is a guest house of the house we will rent.  There is a tenant there now.  The middle driveway is the driveway we will use, and the left driveway seems to go off to two homes.

We follow the middle drive and this is the house and the lawn we will mow.  And mow.  And mow.  And I am kind of excited about having nice green grass all over for the kids and dog to enjoy.  I know.  I will likely get tired of mowing a lawn.  BUT please remember that the growing season here is about three months (not too far off) so it isn't as if we will maintain it for 6 months. . . it will only be three months.

I forgot to get a picture of the front of the house. This is the living.  There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms over on that end.

The other end of the living room.  Kitchen and dining.

Dining room and back door thatta way.

Out the dining room window.  Veggie garden and fenced yard for kids and pets.

Bad shot of the kitchen. Through that door is a laundry, and HUGE rec room.

Rec Room.  The door leads to the driveway and the garage.

More Veggie garden.  The tree line to the left is the river.  It looks far away in this picture but it is close and we can see the water rushing past.  There are three fence lines (all pastures on the property) between us and the river.

Back of house.  Dining room to the right, living in the center, master bed to the left.

Huge Lilacs.  They are just now starting to bloom.  In Rio Rancho ours bloomed in mid March.  Here, they are just now getting flowers. 

The garage, and wood shed.  The garage is much bigger when you are over there.  It is deep and wide.  There is a wood burning stove in there and a large workbench.  The propane tank is for heating the rec room - the wood stove just isn't effective in that room.

Looking from the back yard into the front yard at the driveway and fruit trees

Fruit trees and flag pole

Side of house and driveway.  There is pasture land all around us.  They were hoping we would have livestock, but I am unwilling to be responsible for yet another life.

Anyway.  It is a lot of plowing to do, but there is a mini tractor/mower to use so it feels like it will work out.  Plus, life is slower up here.  Things are more relaxed and somehow I have time to bake and do all the little things that I didn't have time for in NM.  It is strange.  Maybe it is that I don't have any friends up here to spend time with.  Many people around here are from cities, and have moved out here because life is calmer and more peaceful, and I can really see that.

OH and you know how I mentioned that people haul their own garbage here in the park??  IT IS EVERYWHERE.  Everyone hauls their own trash to the dump.  There is curbside pickup but that is only for old people who can afford to pay a LOT of money to have it done.  So.  We will continue to haul our own garbage and recycling around. The garbage station is about 10-15 minutes away . . . . thankfully in the winter i can stick it in the garage and it will freeze and not be so stinky. 

I better toughen up.  Hauling trash.  Driving a mini tractor, and plowing long ass driveways.  It is a whole new world up here.  It feels like a sink or swim situation.  I better adapt.  Fast.