High times

We are getting settled into our new place, and just in time for Leah & Kyle's (Michael's sister & brother-in-law) visit next weekend from the Northwest. Had a new futon delivered this week, which means they won't have to sleep on the same crappy air mattress they did during their last visit (sorry, guys). Apparently it's fine for one person, but Michael & I discovered here before the movers arrived that it does NOT comfortably sleep two -- unless your idea of a sound night's sleep is tossing and turning and squeaking all night while praying you're not bounced out the window in the process.

We're living in a red brick townhouse very near downtown, a four-minute drive from work. We are in the Capitol Hill neighborhood close to Cheesman Park and love living smack in the middle of the city. Capitol Hill tends to have a reputation as the "crime-ridden" neighborhood, but from what we've seen of this city, it's a pretty safe, cushy place to live. Like most cities, there are pockets of good and bad, but the bad seems mild compared to what we've seen in past environs. The housing prices are also all over the place in this area (though I'd say the low end is about $180,000 for a one-bedroom condo), including a house less than a block away going for the super-low bargain-basement price of $949,000. I think the crime probably was higher in this area in the past (and even then, north of where we live) and has continued to be viewed that way by people who feel the only safe place to be is in the suburbs.

We've gained lots of space with our new place, which Michael guesses is from the turn of the century. The front two rooms -- parlor (with nonworking, columned fireplace) and formal dining room (which we are using for now as a second living area) with built-in buffet-- are fairly small and are followed by a sizable pantry (big enough wall space for Bad Ronald to live in) and big kitchen. There's a screened-in porch off the back and a common back yard, where Angus loves to lie on a bench and soak up the rays. We also have a storage basement, a necessity when you are me, as poor Michael has learned. Upstairs are our bedroom, the small spare bedroom/TV room and possibly the smallest bathroom ever with a sink so low that even I feel tall. There's a clawfoot tub, though, so that makes up for the tiny factor.

I will post some photos soon. We haven't hung pictures yet, so things are still looking a little sparse.

That's it for today. Almost time to take Angus for a walk. And for the record, we got a proper snow for the first time since we've been here. We got probably 2-3 inches, and it's one of those soft, fluffy-looking snows that brightens everything and coats the tree branches.