Home sweet Pond

No, really, they eat out of your hand!

Being an inveterate shopper, I expected the ultimate shopping experience would be to  choose new home.  Alas, over the past couple of weeks, we are riding a version of the same roller coaster that we have white-knuckled through Jim's medical escapades.  Our criteria were simple... one-level living, a nice kitchen, maybe a garage, room for Drew and Laura,  and most of all, in NEEDHAM.   Once I started looking at ads, it became apparent that one could get twice the house for the same money, say, two towns away, or even in Bellingham where my sister lives.  Nice communities, all. Right?

But my progeny had other thoughts.  Caring for Drew relies on my being able to drop him at Lynn's doorstep at a moments notice.  His dad lives in Needham, so if Drew attended school in another town, getting him back and forth might limit their visits to weekends.  Furthermore, the health scares Jim and I have recently given them left them all a predilection to have us close at hand.  So, back to the drawing board.

The first house got away on a technicality.  After we agreed on price, the seller wanted to stay well into July.   Since we need to be out in late June, that wasn't likely to work.  So we looked at some more houses.  Boy.. there was nothing to put a smile on MY face, until we discovered a place on the edge of Needham, near the Newton line.  It is an adorable Cape with finished basement, fabulous, huge porch and a yard to dream about.  Being a great believer in good omens, it felt like kismet that the owner is a long-time friend, a neighbor is a pal of Lynn's, the seller's realtor turned out to be related to another friend.... how can we lose?  (Don't answer that.)   My friend (and realtor) Maryruth has been so amazingly good at what she does I have total faith in her.  

While the house does have a few stairs to enter the building, it can be adapted for single-floor living by converting either the office or dining room into a bedroom for us.  We will start upstairs, though.  Jim's participation in selecting a house has been somewhat limited, beyond his urging me to put in an offer on this STAT!  Thus far, though, he hasn't been in this one. For the majority of the time,  he sleeps.

Did I mention the house boasts not one but two koi ponds?  How 'bout that!  Lover of live creatures that I am, I was a bit nonplussed when someone wrote on a Web site that these 9-12" fish sometimes are trainable to eat out of your hand. (or not)   Someone commented that they eat four times a day.  That's more than ME!!   I pressed on to discover suggestions on what to do if your koi get sick.  Never considered fish get sick... but if it has anything to do with applying thermometers, even in the best of worlds,  I may never sleep again.   I'm sure this whirring in my ears will go away as soon as I name each of the koi.   Lets see, Dasher, Dancer,  Grumpy, Bashful, Chiko, Groucho, and Harpo... any more nominations?