'THE' House

Here finally, are the pictures of our new 'dreaming' house (I told Naomi that it was my dream house and she called it the dreaming house - I said to her, Naomi, DO NOT say that in front of the estate agent!).



After deciding not to buy a house for at least a year after our return to Christchurch, I found this house online in the first week back. I decided it must be fate. I called the estate agent and he said that the vendors weren't quite ready to have people in to look at it yet, my first response to that was 'but how can I put in an offer, if I can't see it???' - playing my cards close to my chest as usual!!

When I finally walked across the threshold a week later, I knew that this was our house. I was so excited I was having palpitations, I could not calm down, I was so worried that someone else might get it, and it was such a huge commitment and a deviation to our plans that I was also terrified that WE might get it! Two days later, when Alex and the children saw it, we were all in love. Alex said afterwards that the thing he liked best about the house was the double rainhead shower in the ensuite bathroom, I had to break it to him gently that that shower was in another house we saw, not the one that we put an offer in on!!!

We finally went unconditional about a week and a half ago, it is all signed and sealed and I think I am still in shock. It has taken me ages to put the pictures on the blog because it has taken me ages to actually believe it will be ours and we will get to live in it, every day!

View from the back garden. There is lots of gardening to do! I may even have to start watching 'Country Calendar' on at 7.30pm on a Saturday night (yes, that's exciting NZ tv for you;).



Living room with lovely open fire, opening out to a courtyard, with double doors to the family room.



Kitchen , looking out to the back garden where there is a built in sun umbrella (and you can have a tablecloth on the outdoor table as there is no pole sticking through), very cool.



And the staircase I have always dreamed of, great for sliding down, but don't tell Benny.



The house is only 15 years old, which is very new for us, but I love it because it has been built in a traditional style with the high ceilings and skirting boards and the beautiful staircase, but it also has the added luxury of double glazing and an internal access garage, which is pretty useful for the freezing Canterbury winters.

It is only a 30 minute commute for Alex to work and the local school is right next door, literally through the fence, if Alex and I were handy people, we could even put a gate in!

There are also a couple of paddocks in front of the house, my friend Fanny who is from Peru, recommended her country's native animal, the Alpaca. They come in all different styles and colours and characters.





And Aaron suggested flamingos, which, to be fair, I am also giving serious consideration to;)


So happy! Will sit at home and knit alpaca (and flamingo) jumpers and send you all one in the mail!

Love
Est xxx