Call Off the Search!

Our typical blogging pattern is that we write and post pictures whenever we go somewhere, do something fun around town, or Danielle gets the crafting bug. Proceeding in that spirit: earlier this past week we signed a lease on a new apartment! As of September 1 we will be in a two-bedroom a few blocks from our current residence, and in a small rental rather than a high rise. We have been searching for a two-bedroom for a while, I guess...I could not say exactly since when. But it is so nice to finally be able to relax and only worry about how we are going to afford this new place! Initially we were looking outside of Philadelphia, in the suburbs, where apartments tend to be a little cheaper. We did not know if it would be possible to find an affordable and liveable place in our neighborhood with two bedrooms so that I could finally have an office (right now our living room is in a constant state of messiness).

After a few weekends and even weeknights traveling out to the surrounding areas for viewings, we realized that if we left our neighborhood: 1) poor Danielle would have a crappy commute every day for school; 2) we would be away from our friends, and what little social life we do have now would be choked out; 3) the extra cost of a monthly transit pass for Danielle would darn near cancel out what little savings we found in suburban apartments; and 4) we would actually miss University City, and we did not move all the way out to Philly to move away less than a year later! All was not lost during our suburban search, though: we met one landlord from New Jersey who actually called us "you's guys!" I found it to be hilarious and fun. Anyway, we received a real blessing: after just a week of beginning to look at Craigslist postings in University City and West Philadelphia, we found our new home. The kitchen is beautiful (at least compared to our current one), there are no slow elevators to deal with (or, in fact, any elevators at all), and it is even our understanding that it has no cockroaches (at least for now)! At least there will be no more searching; only laying awake at night crunching numbers in our heads, planning for the future. We will update everyone on the apartment's exciting details more when we actually move in. That is not a promise--we just will not be able to help ourselves.

Thanks for listening, and have a wonderful day,

Rory

P.S. Look for another camping post coming soon...

P.P.S. We saw Rock of Ages last week and really enjoyed it, but I am even more excited to see Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter this week! Both are exciting, genuine adventures into the history of America.