Sunday, December 28, 2008

Sweet Relief

For the first time ever, 'sweet relief' does not relate to my daily intake - and inhalation - of chocolate.

Instead, two days before Christmas, someone made an offer for our house that we accepted with a swirling combination of relief, sadness, resentment and joy.

Bearing in mind that our previous buyers 'cooled off' on the day of LC's mother's funeral, it didn't feel as though we'd actually sold the place until the official ending of said cooling off period - midnight on Christmas Eve. I experienced the same tummy flutterings, hot-scratchy-pillow insomnia and pounding heart as I'd done earlier in the year before running a workshop. This time, however, a fair bit more was at stake - crippling interest rates, frightening levels of bridging finance and the sickening thought of having to resort to 'working' the Docklands in a strikingly less socially-acceptable manner than Love Chunks at the weather bureau.













Had the buyers ripped us off, were they laughing at us and our desperation, mocking our efforst to present our home as well as we were able?

Either genuinely or expertly, our agent eased our fears when she described the family who'd be moving in. Dad was helping his daughter and son-in-law land "the place of their dreams" and their two five-year-old boys have enrolled at Sapphire's school. The agent arrived at the father's house (only a street away from this one) with the contracts to find the entire extended family there along with strong syrupy coffee, baklava and Greek custard pastries. One lawyer son read the documents thoroughly, the other interrogated her regarding the intracies of conveyancing and settlement and the daughter asked if we'd be prepared to leave our three chickens there for them. Too right!

Interestingly, the new owners have a goat. Yes, a goat that they also want to bring over from Glynde to Trinity Gardens. Thankfully, being single, he (or she) won't be prone to acting out rather grotesque and rapid sex scenes when they're startled, but is still likely to churn through the lawn, ring-bark the fruit trees and get drunk on the wild plums. Not to mention their natural naughtiness, piercingly loud bleating and highly evolved capacity to escape and wreak havoc in the neighbourhood......

Oh well, it's no longer my problem. A day earlier, we put an advertisement in the Trading Post for our gym equipment, including my trusty treadmill. A perky young couple promptly bought the lot, resolving to each other that 2009 was to be their year of fitness and strength - especially apt considering that they were planning to hoik the treadie (which weighs roughly the equivalent of three 'Biggest Loser' contestants) up the stairs of their West Lakes townhouse.

As such, I'm back on the streets. Running, of course. Back to looking over my shoulder for passing cars, trucks hooning around corners and elderly Italian men out power walking with umbrellas as anti-mugging devices. Back to percussive farting that is embarrassingly audible to pensioners giving their lawns an early-morning spray and to tubby drivers of white delivery vans. Back to heaving up Magill Road as eager, whippet-thin cyclists rapidly churn on all the way up to Norton Summit. Back to believing I've got the form of a sprinting goddess until my lumpy physique is revealed in the reflective window of Anastasia's pink-themed beauty parlour next to Home Hardware.

Whatever: I'm still out there, still running, still keeping on, still looking forward. Happy New Year to youse all.

12 comments:

Miles McClagan said...

Imagine if the goat got on the treadmill...Youtube friendly!

River said...

My whole comment has disappeared. My chapter length comment...Gone forever.

River said...

YES! YES! YES! Jumps out of chair and punches the air. Didn't I promise your house would be sold by christmas? I did, I did. Boy am I feeling good right now, (and not only because you don't have to smack me upside the head). I'm so relieved that this worry is over for you. When is the big move date? Now you get all the fun of packing up all your belongings, remembering at the last minute that you meant to leave out this or that to take in the car with you. Unpacking at the other end, (just like christmas, opening all those boxes), finding spots for everything, rearranging until it feels like "home" (I love that part). If this comes through twice feel free to delete one.

Naomi said...

yayyyyyy glad it has finally happened. Sarah and I want to do lunch or some other alcohol based activity before you head east!

Baino said...

Oh look at you, you fit sweaty thing (that'll be me by next October . .srsly) Fat congrats. Metaphorically speaking. And what a Christmas present . .you kept mum until now? Brilliant! Erm I hope the goat is to mow the lawn and the chickens are for eggs to put into Spinakopita. Now go rub yer sweaty buns against my blog and give me some good luck! We're for sale . .no bites!

Radge said...

Many happy returns to you, Kath!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic news - what a relief. Keep on keeping on Champ!!

Kath Lockett said...

Actually Miles, putting the goat on the treadmill would go a long way to preventing it from being actively naughty.....might leave that idea in the house notes folder for the new owners....

Thanks River - big move out here date is the 6th-8th, with 'pre pack' and 'uplift' scheduled by the movers, then a drive to Victor Harbor with the car, clothes, LC, Sapphire and the animals for a night then onto Melbourne....

Baino, I'll fling a few drops of sweat your way.

Naomi - sure! We're around doing the packing and recovering from Sapphire's farewell sleepover party from 5th Jan...

Onya Radge and Chestnut!

squib said...

Oh! Congrats and happy new year to you all!!!

icancarryallthebagsandthebabiestoo said...

Wow! What great news. We've had a house on the market (that we're not living in) since October. We were relocated to Philadelphia. We've had to reduce the price and are practically giving it away. Sadly, it was our first home and we put so much work into it. A labor of love. Then, just when it was perfect... we had to leave.

We've had three offers, but they've been totally ridiculous. Like, insulting, ridiculous.

Congratulations on yours.

deepkickgirl said...

Looking good Kath! You're inspiring me to loose a few of these festive season kilos...

Also, BIG CONGRATS! on selling the house. Fantastic news and a big relief for you guys. Good luck with the move.

Also, please send along any handy hints/advice regarding dwarf lop eared rabbit rearing since it seems we now have one of our own - the very sweet Jasper.

Kath Lockett said...

Thanks Squib!

Icancarry.... I wish you all the very best of luck (and a fair price) for your house. Yes, I'm all happy and relieved *now* but for three months of agonised waiting whilst trying to keep a house looking inspection-ready was decidedly un-fun.

DeepKickGirl - The only rabbit advice I can give is that they grow on you. I tend to sit outside with a morning coffee/evening GnT with him on my chest and shoulder like a cat. No purring though, which is a tad sad because it's hard to tell if he's enduring me, hating me or loving it.