House For Rent

(cute baby not included)

DH is stressed.

I'm cool as a cucumber.

What can I do?

Five days ago our tenants in our Wexford home (above) gave notice to move out March 1st. They have been in our home for four and half years. We have been renting in Wicklow County for the same time. The girls have been in a Wicklow school for three years. We can't afford a rent AND a mortgage payment. We need to find a tenant in Wexford or give notice here and move.

Starting to get the picture? Yeah, that's why DH is stressed.

I'm chilling because our tenants have been FANTASTIC renters for four and half years. They are a young family who have just bought a house, and I say go! go! go!, make this downward economy work for you! Make the most of it! We have been blessed to have them in our home for four and half years. So yes, I'm grateful still for them and am giving it to the Universe, putting my faith in God and well, I'm as cool as a cucumber.

Even more still, our home business can be run from anywhere. The house is absolutely lovely. I was fond of being a "Wexican" (Wexford is a sunny climate in Ireland and located on Ireland's southern tip, it is coined Wexican, a term that this Californian likes, along with chunky guacamole and salty margaritas!) I would LOVE to create and make my own home--I can't come close to doing that in a rental. DH has a closet green thumb which would totally come out and flourish on our acre in Wexford. We left some very dear neighbors of whom I am still very close.

There's Sue and her family. Sue lives down the road and minded Cutiepie for the first six months of her life. When Babydoll boasted about being born in California, Cutiepie was heard saying, "Yeah? Well I was born in Sue's house!" She wasn't. But yes, home is with Sue.

There's Mary, my quilting neighbor. Mary, I'm guessing is in her late 60s? We first met her the week we moved in, she pedaled up our long driveway on her bicycle to greet us. Her visits continued so she could hold my newborn so I could sew as she taught me patchwork on her second hand machine.

My Wexford home. sigh
Our Wicklow home. sigh

See, Wicklow is a better location for us. Gives me that arm's reach into metropolitan Dublin. Gives me a "welcome to anyone feel" that this cityslicker needs so much. (No offense Wexford people, but you did call me a "blow-in" time and time again.) Kevin's family is in Wicklow. We've made friends here. The girls are in school.

Amazingly, our tenants gave us notice the month before we were due to re-sign on our own lease agreement.

We have options, not always are we given options.

I like options. Don't you?