Actively Looking for a Rental

That's right.  We are out there looking for a rental. 

We have our criteria:

• In our price range
• Safe neighborhood
• Clean house in good repair
• Allows cats and dogs
• Has fenced back yard
• Allows me to choose my own wall colors - come on, I'm 60 and have had floaters for the past 20 years.   White walls drive me crazy.  Because of the floaters, they look like little floaty bugs are running all over them.
• Has laundry in the house
• Allows me to garden

That's about that. 
I figure if there isn't much storage space, I won't have so much stuff around.  Here's a problem.  One of my sisters gives all of us other sisters a lot of stuff.  We have piles of crystal bowls, platters, and other glassware she finds on her trips abroad.  It's not that I don't appreciate the gifts, it's just that I do not live the sort of life where I need these items.  I used to entertain, head up committees, do a lot a fundraising and I used those platters, etc. all the time.
Last Christmas, she found replicas of the luncheon sets Mom had when we were young.  (Those were sold in a garage sale in 1979 and no one was sad to see them go.)  Yet, she found the rectangular sandwich plates with the saucer Incorporated and little punch cup to go with.  I really don't need just one of those (I don't need any of them.)  I guess I will just pack all the stuff like that up and one day Selene will find a use for it, or not.

From left to right:  Antique Bread Plate*, two small crystal occasional bowls,Great-Grandma Carrie's plate, Dessert Plate*, Grant-Grandma Carrie's Saucer, three crystal serving bowls, in front:  Luncheon plate and cup.   *Gifts from my sister, bless her.

I will be careful to also preserve the family heirlooms from both sides of the genepool, Scott's and mine.  We use many of them everyday and enjoy having a few of them on display.  I have seen family sell great-grandma's cookbooks (I snatched up the one she jotted recipes and notes in.) and other family heirlooms.  I feel that either we pass those along to other family members before selling our heritage.  For instance, I have a couple of books that belonged to Grandma Vesta and I will never part with them.  Selene knows that they will be hers and I hope she passes them along to Lennon.
Oh here I get maudlin and I just wanted to write a post about finding a new house.  We found a place in a small, Christian, village.  It looks great on the web, the driveby was satisfactory, the landlord sounds caring and eager to find a long-term renter.  I still have to make an appointment for a walk-through.  Honestly, I like the place.  It is quiet, off the beaten path and if there is no proselytizing it will be an excellent place to spend the next five years until Scott retires and we move to the Oregon Coast.
Cross your fingers, we are looking!