Chomping at the Bit

Let’s talk about waiting. About delays. About hindrances and frustrations that have fostered alot of bit chomping ’round these parts.

Chomping at the bit.

Do you know where that expression came from? Break in a few colts and that word picture will come to life! When a horse chomps at the bit, lips are covered in a frothy white foam and teeth clank on metal. Bit chomping is usually a bad sign.

It speaks of agitation. Discomfort. Sometimes excitement. A bit-chomping horse is usually hyped and can often be seen prancing and dancing in circles, either to the amusement or annoyance of their riders.

I can relate! I’ve been restless and unsettled since fall.

 

 

CHOMP, CHOMP, CHOMP!

This feeling. I can’t explain it! As wonderful as our current living situation is, I’m so…ready…! to move on with life. I’m ready to have rental checks go toward something. A wee bit of land. A little cottage. A garden where I can work and enrich the soil. A few birds and maybe dairy sheep. A place where we can welcome guests into our very own home.

A place I can paint and decorate according to taste. To work in a kitchen that isn’t as dark as a cave. A permanent bedroom that can be set up for us (long story there!). A house that is clean and fresh, that won’t further increase health issues. The warmth of wood heat! To get ourselves established so we can have kids. I’m aging one more year this month, y’know!

This longing runs deep and intensifies as time carries on.

 

 

A WEE BIT OF LAND

As some of you may know, we have a piece of land in mind for our future home! This acreage is nestled in a neighboring valley, 10-15 minutes from where we currently live. Flat as a pancake it is, and rocky! It’s treed but has a clearing large enough to hold a cottage, gardens (raised beds?) and of course, our birds!

We made an offer early September of this year. After the owner counter-offered, we settled on a price.

Great! Things were moving right along…until we hit the obstacle (chomp! chomp!).

 

 

THE OBSTACLE

Our offer was subject to financing. Normal enough! But the bank wouldn’t consider financing us unless the land had both water (yep) and approval for a septic field. Uhm…right!

So these wanna-be owners sorted it out with the actual owner. He found a company whose prices hit a sweet note in his ear. And that company was supposed to come out after a few weeks and perform the test.

Supposed to. That company hasn’t been there yet to the best of our knowledge!

For better or for worse, we had hoped to get the ball rolling before winter descended.

Needless to say, the ball didn’t start rolling. Or if it did, it only rolled back into place.

Me? The thing that really makes me chomp the bit is this: we don’t even know if we can pull off our crazy scheme. We won’t know until we try. And we can’t try until perk tests are done. And it’s impossible to run perk tests in frozen soil.

Here I sit. In limbo. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting!

 

 

I WISH I KNEW

And I wish I knew if this plan of ours is feasible? What if we have 5 more years of saving before us?

If so, we need to seriously loosen up on our budget! We’ve been running it unusually tight in our anticipation. Like corset tight!

What if we discover it would be wise to join the build-and-sell gig for a few years?

If that’s the case…well shucks, we could have built in town last year and have had a house to sell this upcoming spring.

Do you feel my pain?!

I know. Those of you who have gone through this before are laughing at my impatience! Laugh away!

 

 

IN A WONDERFUL PLACE

I know. I know we’re in a wonderful place. We would definitely miss some things about renting this big ole’ house, about living in this exact location. Really and truly.

I know another winter of saving won’t hurt us. In fact, it might be the ticket to success!

And was it just last night my man told me how grateful he is, for the time of rest we are experiencing this winter? I believe so! And I totally agree with him!

Something else happened (after writing the above) that calmed my chomping.

While chatting with a friend, we briefly discussed our current situation.  She helped me see how good we have it.

Folks, we don’t have any debt. Absolutely none! So many couples our age are battling previous debt (often student loans) and find themselves unable to put money toward land and a home. We are fortunate. In many ways, life has played us well.

Apart from that, her words reminded me to enjoy this process! Finalizing house plans, envisioning a property layout complete with gardens, a root cellar, poultry coops, barns, berry bushes and fruit trees? Coming up with a 5 and 10 year plan? At what other time in life does a person get to dream like this?! To put the artistic eye to work?!

Yes, this is a wonderful place to be. And should it fall through? I’ll only have more knowledge and awareness of what is suitable for the lifestyle we wish to lead, if and when that day comes!

So now…if you’ll now excuse me? I think I’ll wipe the foam from my mouth, settle down with a cup of hot herbal tea and dream some more!