trading down(size) and moving out(side) -

apparently, recent posts have tipped some of you to changes we've been working on here in the left coast life. this is to let you know, change (while something i actively loathe, though force myself to embrace) is under way, and it's coming with hidden surprises. which are good.

we're leaving the place on the hill.
which comes with mixed emotions, a whole landis grab bag of "but, then, oh, and if only's".
the place was huge, not just by san fran standards, and had killer views.
this was "impressive" to everyone who visited,
but i was never really there,
we never entertained (a sin compared to our chicago life),
and tim and i lived in just two rooms (neither of which HAD the forementioned views).

(and yes, the two rooms WERE the television room and the dressing room. big surprise.)

(and, small detail, the condo president hated our dogs.
and was pursuing legal action against them.
true story. hilarious.).

SO, we're moving to a smaller place, down the hill, in the valley.
downsizing literally, to figure out our next steps in life (sf? china? narnia?)
so we've spent the past few weeks inventory-ing our home
(what to keep, what to store, what to get rid of. kind of like that page in BAZAAR, only back when liz tilberis was alive and editing, and the magazine was chic and linda evangelista cradled the logo in her hand on the cover, and you cared what they said about what to keep/store/trash),
calling movers, picking new paint colors.

it's honestly been a little hard for me.
i'm all about my home
(blame the full moon in my cusp. true story. hilarious)
and i hate shaking it up.

but then two things happened.

we were walking the dogs PAST the place,
hadn't closed on the deal yet, and grr whips to the right,
and virtually drags tim up the stairs . . . of the place she'd never seen,
and that we weren't sure we were even going to get.

when she reached the door, she just turned and looked over her shoulder at us.

spooked us both.

then, once all the papers were signed and we were set in our decision,
we took them over while we were figuring out what goes where.
and i looked out the window into our new yard,
and saw this:


there are reasons for everything, my friends.
even if we're not ready to see them in the moment.