Shorts

We lived in Hayward for the first 10 years of our marriage. The penthouse condo we bought when B. was 9 months old was immediately worth far less than we paid for it - the builder filed bankruptcy within a month of our closing on the unit. It was 3 bedrooms, 2 baths - 2300 square feet. Had a beautiful 'bay' view. But we had two babies - boys. And living in that condo was like a long, slow torture session. It was OK - but it never felt like home to me. We painted it and bought new furniture. It was still just 'the condo'. Never home. I hated that place. Really hated it.

Finally, the market turned. And my mother died. And the inheritance I received from her was what made bailing out of the condo possible. We actually ended up not 'needing' the inheritance to get into the house - our condo sold in only 3 days for more than we were asking. It was a unique place and I had a feeling it would sell quickly. It did. We were lucky - and I always felt my mom had a hand in how it all just came together. The money I received from her - not a fortune but just enough - was the cushion we needed to just take a leap of faith and sell the condo for whatever we could get for it and move on.

We found this house on Labor Day Weekend of 2000. We had looked and looked and had decided Tracy was where we would end up - we were priced out of new homes anywhere further West, even with the help from my mom's money. And Tracy felt like home. From the very beginning. J. and I looked at the model and the salesperson said 'there's only 3 lots with that model available so don't wait too long'. There were lots of people looking that day - so I went to the car, got the checkbook out of the glove compartment and wrote a check for the deposit. Right then. J. said 'don't you think we should keep looking'? I said 'No. This is it. This is where we're supposed to be. They accept contingent offers (no other builder in Tracy was doing that and we hadn't even listed our condo yet) and I'm done looking. The kids and I are moving to Tracy and I hope you'll be joining us'. And I signed the check and gave it to the lady. J. was 'stunned' - pleasantly, I think. We could have kept looking - there was another new development right in the same area. But I honestly felt like we were led to this place - to this home. I love it so much.

In Hayward, we were close to the Bay. Most mornings were foggy and most days, thankfully, the fog would burn off and the sun would shine. But it was often pretty 'chilly' - especially on the balcony of a penthouse condo. I never wore shorts in Hayward - ever. There were very few hot days and those we had, we dealt with by heading to the pool or turning the A/C on. I had a pretty big 'patio' garden - wine barrel pots with lots of pretty colors. I love to garden - even there.

One of my first Spring purchases when we moved to Tracy was a pair of flowered bike shorts. They are like bike shorts in cut and style but they are 'loose' fitting. I found them at WalMart - a store that I honestly rarely ever shop in. But my quest for shorts that first Spring led me to WM where I found my favorite shorts. I loved how it was so warm (hot) here that shorts were the only thing to wear most summer weekends. Especially before we put the pool in.

This is their 7th Spring in this house. They are still my favorite shorts to wear - they're comfortable and pretty and perfect for bumming around the house or working in the garden. I love those shorts. Mainly because they remind me of that first incredibly happy Spring in this house. Which has been followed by so many other great seasons and memories.

We couldn't afford this house if we were buying it now. At today's interest rates and the market price for this size house, we couldn't afford it. And while I've been thinking and honestly 'looking' at simplifying our life, moving to a smaller home won't be in that equation for now. A smaller home doesn't reduce our mortgage payment - we'd be paying the same amount out each month for half the house. Not worth it. We'll stay put for now. When it's just me and J. someday, we'll move to a smaller home. Possibly in another state and/or country.

But I'll bring the shorts with me. I plan to wear them until I'm too old to garden or putter around my house anymore. They are my 'happy shorts'. More memories in those faded, floral shorts than anything else I own. When Spring arrives each year and I can pull those shorts on again to start another season of planting and working in the yard and spending time outside with the kids and the dogs and J., it's the start of another Spring in this amazing home. With everything and everyone I love.