I am still trying to figure out what happened two nights ago. It was a rainy sloppy evening. There were still piles of snow everywhere and puddles of lake sized proportions. I remember deciding to walk down to check on the tarp, just to make sure there were no leaks. The next thing I remember was carrying sheets of plywood down the snowy path. The extra weight of the plywood was just enough to make every step break the icy crust of the snow sending me 18 inches down to the frozen ground. After tossing the wet plywood onto the loft joists, I was suddenly wrestling a futon mattress down the hill. Before I knew it, I had vacated my old room in the warm house and was fairly well settled in my little house. It must have been the combination of the relatively work temperatures (about 55 degrees) and the enticing sound of the rain pattering on the tarped roof. I guess I'm committed now.
The first night was great! It was dry, although a bit humid inside. I was really wishing I had the stove hooked up. Going to sleep in my house gave me a strange sort of feeling of ownership that I have not felt before. For the past few years this has been a project, not a home. As I was lying in my bed listening to the rain, I realized that this is a place I will enjoy for a very long time in some way or another. Unlike past rental spaces, any work I do on this will not be lost. This house will travel with me if I decide to move. I am sure that some day I will be living in a bigger house, but I imagine that this will still be on the property as a guest house.
Yes. I own a house. In many senses this does not have the same meaning as when most people say that they own a house. I think of owing a house a a step towards being a responsible adult. It requires more taxes, expenses, a mortgage. I don't feel like an adult (nor do I really want to). I don't feel responsible in that sense. These things all feel more like weights to carry around. Some day I will probably have to give into these things, but for now I am happy reaping all of the satisfactions of owning a home without the responsibilities.
As always, I am excited!
