Now, We are Homeowners!!!!

We finally did it, we finally closed on our first little piece of the American Dream: our first home. And we surprisingly did it as planned, on the 26th of March. I don't know what everyone complains about when they finally sign over their life, two kidneys and their kids' future college fund for a couple of bricks and 6 trees worth of papers (filled out in triplicate of course). It was easy, considering Masha was working and I was signing both our names. Hers was especially easy. I just wrote Maria H. Richart, by Jeremy Richart, Her attorney in fact on every signature line, every page and even had to do it where you initial. Told her next time, you call in sick.

But now, we are just getting some people in to clean the place, redo some work and then we can move in. Oh and figuring out where all of our stuff is in storage (three places, two or three continents and Bed Bath & Beyond). Already did the most important stuff, like figure out where our parking spaces are, where to put my empty beer cans and who is on the Homeowner's Association Board, so I can start kissing some butt (he's my neighbor, in fact).

So, we'll let everyone know when the house painting and decorating party is. We're too broke to throw an actual party. Heck, maybe I'll make it an RPCV-sponsored event!

We're homeowners!

As if we weren't doing enough these days (and hence the long media blackout at mashaandjeremy.blogspot.com), we decided to buy a house. We needed some excitement after our recent vacation to a war zone. DC can be a bit of a let-down -- people look at you funny if you wear a flak jacket, and none of the Land Cruisers in Dupont Circle are armored (well, that we know of). And I miss seeing all the M-16s.

We've been looking for the last couple of weeks and finally got an offer accepted on a townhouse in a cute little neighborhood in suburban VA. We'll close on March 26 and then Masha can start decorating, or at least knit a few new area rugs.





Master BR



Living room as seen from the dining room



Enormous kitchen with lots of room for an island :)



Basement walkout to grass and trees