A Seller's Market

We've been to the lake house a lot more than I would have thought thus far in 2021. Of course, part of that was because of snowmageddon last month. Now it's because we're looking for a property to buy so we can build our dream retirement home. Just two short years ago, this process would undoubtedly have been a lot quicker, as well as waaaaay less painful on the pocketbook. Some sellers have lost their minds with the crazy overinflated prices they're asking for their properties. Or maybe it's their realtors, just trying to see how much folks are willing to pay to own a piece of paradise on the water. At this point, we're taking a wait and pounce approach to real estate, biding our time until the *perfect* place goes on the market and we can snatch it up.

Last night, the full moon reflecting off the water was really pretty. The fishing must be improving because Saturday afternoon we watched our neighbor reel in a good-sized catfish. The looky-lou traffic is starting to pick up as we head into warmer spring weather, too. I counted at least five boats or jet skis pass by our back porch after we had returned from looking at a piece of property and then eating a late lunch at our new favorite hole-in-the-wall cafe in Kingsland. We enjoy waving at the boaters and saying hello. That's something I'm looking for at our next place - people watching from a porch swing on the dock.

March this and that

This weekend we took my mother to the lake so she could meet up there with one of her oldest friends to enjoy a nice visit. While we were there, we took the boat out for the first time since it got tuned up at the dealership. The husband also charged our jet ski batteries to get them ready for the season. I decided to go ahead and hang up my new college flag on the dock and let it wave in the breeze. The wind always seems to be blowing at the lake. We were blessed with some gorgeous weather, and noticed that many of the second home owners around us are starting to show up once again on weekends.

While we were on the back patio that first afternoon, I spied a big old water bird chilling on the lot across the canal from us. Last year some geese and ducks had nests and hatched babies on this lot. This year the lot's owner is building a home, and so I don't think it will be used for nesting anymore.

Mother's childhood friend still lives in the teeny tiny little town of Sour Lake where they grew up. I recently discovered that Sour Lake, located in Hardin County, has been featured several times on episodes of a TV program called "Lone Star Law". I've even spied the dad of my old high school friend when I was watching it one day - the guy in the baseball cap with the moustache in the video clip below. They filmed part of one episode at the football stadium of our old alma mater, Hardin Jefferson. It's so wild to see this wide spot in the road, one stop light town on television.

While we were at the lake, my niece came over to house and dog sit for us. Our old terrier boy Ollie continues to think my side of the bed and pillow is his. 

When we're up at the lake house, he likes to get away from Pepper and Chorkie by crawling underneath the master bed for a little snooze time. In the pic below, you can see his feet, back end and tail sticking out from beneath the bed.

The college coed daughter facetimed yesterday to let us know she's back at Clemson University. She, her roomies and a couple friends spent their week of spring break in Florida on the beach. They had a good time, but are glad to get back to classes to finish out this semester. In just six short weeks, I'll be flying up there to ride in the shotgun seat to roadtrip her car back to Texas for the summer. We'll be Thelma and Louise out on the open road, probably stopping in New Orleans for some seafood and beignets. Not sending the car off the side of a cliff... hopefully!

Bargain hunting for pool floats

Last summer the older daughter ordered some cheesy pool floats. The rainbow wasn't too bad, but it had a slow leak. The race car with spoiler was downright obnoxious, taking up a ton of real estate in the pool. And of course we had a couple of the cheapo pool noodles. 

 

I started thinking about upgrading to nicer pool floats at the beginning of fall when I saw some for sale in a couple of catalogs I get. But they were either backordered for months, or didn't have the color I wanted. So I bided my time and found them in stock last week. They weren't on sale anymore, though, and they were gouging me with an extra $20 for shipping. So I decided to keep looking. 

I started to wonder if I could find the same items on one of those websites I frequent where you stumble across the nicer things for waaay cheap. Sure enough, there they were! For the price of the one float I originally wanted, I got that plus two matching noodles and free shipping. In this instance, it paid to wait, nose around and find a better deal. Out with the race car, in with the attractive multi-blue cabana stripe.

One of the good ones

Exactly 29 years ago today, I met my better half, ride or die, 'til death do us part guy at a Texas honky tonk. We were both out with friends, and started up a conversation that's still going strong today. I cringed sharing that how-we-met story back in the day with all of his elderly southern baptist aunts and uncles who attended Baylor because they were devout Christians. I've had him in my life for more than half of the time I've been spinning on this earth, and I'm so grateful the Lord sent him to me. He's the perfect hold your horses foil for my jump on a junebug decision making. Our girls are blessed to call him dad. Happy gotcha and never gonna let ya go day to my wonderful husband!
 

Home, home on the lake

About ten months ago, we purchased a waterfront home on Lake LBJ and I have enjoyed every minute of time we've spent up there. What is it about being on the water that's so darned relaxing? Every time we're up there, I tell the husband yet again how much I love the lake house.

Lately, I've started to envision life as a permanent lake resident once the husband retires. Our home on the water is perfect for our current needs. It has a great set-up for guests, and is relatively low maintenance. However, the main issue we have is outdoor space, or rather the lack thereof. The bottom line is we really need a larger lot so we can include things like a workshop for the husband, plus a place to store the boat and jet ski trailers. Room for the dogs to roam and space for items like tire swings and a soccer net when we eventually have grandchildren. I've come to the conclusion that it would probably be best to find an empty lot or tear down and build our perfect retirement home. And thus the search begins since I've got the husband on board.

I've started a new Pinterest board with my general ideas for an architect and decorator to try and get exactly what I want. If I don't write it down on my new lake house build doc, or pin it on a board, I'll promptly forget it thanks to menopause brain. At our lake, we see a lot of houses that are Tuscan or Texas Hill Country. And those are lovely. But I'm going for vintage lake house. Think vaulted ceilings with some exposed beams and a screened-in back porch as another living area that runs the length of the house as it looks down to the water. What I have in my head is something like this dreamy vision in blue and white.

What we may be able to afford is something more like you see in the pic below since the price of lakefront propeorties has skyrocketed into the stratosphere. 

Because dang, the prices at the lake in just the last couple years have became a bit crazy. However, I'm afraid lakefront will always be at a pricey premium, no matter which lake you choose. When I see price changes on properties up there these days, it's often them raising the list price instead of lowering it. Seriously. And then they're selling. I've seen it happen twice in just the last couple months. Dare I blame covid? Per realtors, it has become even more expensive and competitive when purchasing around the lake since lockdown hit last spring. Thankfully, I've got plenty of time to watch and wait and get exactly what we want. So I'll just keep dreaming and pinning!

A dose of vitamin D

This weekend we made a quick trip up to the lake to make sure everything was still in good working order after the big arctic plunge. We also spent a good chunk of time looking at real estate. But that's a blog post for another day! 

A sweet teacher friend asked to stay at the lake house during part of her spring break, so it was a good excuse to get back up there and run a dust rag and the vac over things. Plus we needed to restock the fridge and freezer since I had to pitch it all when the electricity was out for three days. Thankfully, we had a gorgeous weekend of typical spring temps and lots of sun.

The husband had some company when he was lounging on a chair out by the pool, watching the ducks paddle by on our canal. Our older daughter's chorkie joined in the fun since we're dogsitting him. Saturday evening, he jumped atop the back of the big club chair in our living room where I happened to be sitting and did his best imitation of a chicken on the throw blanket. He was busy turning in circles and scratching to get it all just right so he could snuggle down for a nap.

Now that springtime seems to be back to normal here in Texas, the oak trees on our property have started their spring molt. The leaf situation is even worse this year with most of my landscaping plants shedding now brown foliage from two snows and several days of temperatures getting down into the low teens. That doesn't faze the dogs, however. They're fine with bedding down on the leaves littering our big back patio in order to soak up some rays.

Like he owns the joint

Our oldest dog, Ollie, is becoming the little old terrier man of the pack. After being an only dog for almost six years, he was a pretty good boy when it was time to adjust to his fellow cairn Pepper back in 2017. And more recently with the older daughter's chorkie, named Dewey. Chorkie is definitely the oddest looking doggo, with his long donkey ears and floofy fur that has a tendency to stick out in an interesting way. Like he just rolled outta bed after staying late at the bar last night and needs a brush or some hair gel to make himself presentable .

 

Ollie's latest thing these days is to rest his doggy head on my pillow, as if it's his. Which, unfortunately, imparts the old stale corn chip smell I always associate with him when he's past due for a bath. Below are pics from four separate days last week when he made himself right at home on my side of the bed.  

My sweet Pepper is chorkie's buddy since she's still young enough to be willing to deal with the little attention seeking tyrant all up in her face, wanting to play. Ollie gives chorkie the "piss-off, mate" warning growl if he dares to caper up to him for a romp (Ollie was born in England, hence the British speak, lol). Chorkie seems happiest when he's dashing around outside in our yard with Pepper, something he doesn't get to do in the daughter's highrise apartment in Austin. Upside to having chorkie is that mother thinks he's super cute and finds his antics entertaining.