International Property Tycoons...

So. Hello. We're back - it seems life got in the way for a while there - thank you for hanging in...

I seem to wax lyrical inside my own head about life, about the differences between our two worlds (by which I mean our old world and our new world..) and about how I wish I had time to write it all down.  Well, I'm back and I'm waxing on paper, wax paper if you will, because I finally have something worth making the time to talk about...

We appear to have bought a house.  Just like that. Half a million smackeroonies later and we are, in the words of my sister, international property tycoons. Wherrheyyy, don't we feel all growed up :) Ply me with a '98 Chianti and I'll show you our portfolio... Pahahahaa.

It was a long time coming, don't get me wrong, scouring the virtual equivalent of the property pages on a weekly, sometimes daily basis over the past 3 years.  Checking out variations on the same theme and never quite 'getting' it.  We trawled through the doors of various Ranchers, Two Level Split, Walk-out Single Family homes until we could stand it no more, nothing floated our boat and we felt doomed to a life of beige.  Or renting. Or renting beige.  None of which appealed to the point where we really, seriously, considered packing our red and white spotted handkerchief (we'd probably need a couple more these days) and heading back to the other side of the pond.  We were looking to plant roots but nowhere seemed like our back yard.  And then came Diamond.

With it's seventies decor and moose horn welcome, it certainly seemed like an obvious first choice... ahem. The place was Custom built don't you know, in 1981 (the 70's must've lasted a bit longer in South East Kelowna..).  A menagerie of stuffed animals - the real 'hunted' kind, not those that adorn our No. 2's bed... and the faint wiff of Deep Heat (or RubA535, depending from which side of the pond you hail). But it was love at first sight for me (OK, maybe deep joy), but closer than any place had come thus far.  I could instantly see through that shagpile carpet, the wood cladding, wide stone fireplace and alabaster bathroom suite - yes really - toilet and all... this place with it's split level living area and sunken lounge, corridors and modest sized rooms was perfect. Yes, thank you, that'll do, donkey, that'll do...

So, an offer or two later, some high-stress frenetic activity for two weeks while we conform to the scarily unfamiliar Canadian house-buying protocol... we're $10K down, committed to another bazillion and up one very lovely (under all that 70's treacle coating) house. Nay, home.  We own a home. We finally own a Canadian home! 

So on the suggestion of a dear friend that I revive my blog on account of the occasion, here I am. Watch this space for our week by week blog on how we take this 70's baby with her Kaftan and Platform soles, her porn-star shag pile and pot-smokin' afro and turn her into a sleek, funky yet homely personal expression of our European selves... watch out Kelowna, the Galloway's are on another mission...

Until next time, brothers & sisters, stay happy :)