Traveling!

Spent a lovely day with my best beloved exploring the 'gold country'.  We headed to Ione this morning to check out the houses on the golf course.  Turns out the development is in 'close out' mode and there aren't many houses left.  We found one model we really liked (and the one I thought I liked ended up having quite possibly the stupidest floor plan in 'real life' I've ever seen) with one of those homes being built.  Not the best timing for us - if the phases were in earlier stages, that would give us time to put a deposit down on a lot and then figure out financing in the next couple months...but to buy now would require immediate financing - and we're not quite ready to do that yet.

It was also revealing to realize that in some ways, I don't want to 'down size'.  Some of the smaller homes felt like apartment living - bedrooms the size of H.'s apartment bedroom which is pretty much room for a bed and that's about it.  Why would we want to eventually move to a home with teeny tiny bedrooms after living here?  That would be really hard -

J. thinks we should consider building - putting all the things we like into a home we help design.  So maybe we'll look for empty lots also as we plan and explore.

The best part of the day was the feeling of so many amazing possibilities - and as always, I counted my many blessings and felt grateful and thankful.  What an adventure we will have...

We enjoyed lunch and a little gambling at Jackson Rancheria - came home with close to what we left with so we felt good about that.  Playing for hours - both of us - and coming home with around $80 less than we left with is pretty great and it was fun!  It was pretty crowded - but still enjoyable!  We are already planning a return date on a mid-week day in March.

Last night we enjoyed a great evening of TV - Amazing Race, a new episode of Good Wife and then the shocking end to Season 3 of Downton Abbey.  I must be living under a rock 'cuz apparently it wasn't a surprise to many - but I was totally clueless about it and was stunned and dismayed at the tragic ending.  I sat here saying 'OMG' over and over....

Now it's time to get a letter off to B., make a light dinner (homemade hummus! and enough for lunch tomorrow), continue working on our taxes and then heading to bed early.  I haven't seen H. in close to a week - I'm pretty sure he's avoiding me 'cuz he's been spending money stupidly and considering his current employment status, it has me on edge a bit.

We left here with sun everywhere and it's now overcast, cold and very windy!  Spring keeps teasing us and then she retreats!  I'm ready to wear tank tops and shorts and spend time in the yard!  Not yet, though.....

Busy week ahead so there will be few posts - my penance for not working much this weekend will be to work early and stay late this week.  Oh well.  Grateful for J. being home and that his being here means I don't have to think of a single thing around here.  He takes care of everything.  Another blessing!