Closing, Closets and Close Calls

Today was the big day - settlement, closing, whatever you want to call it. I don't like that it has the word 'settle' in it but I'm not a fan of 'closing' b/c it seems like you're closing the door on something when, to me, it feels like an opening, a beginning and the start of something new. So while I thought I was fully prepared for today, I think my emotions got the best of me a time or two.

After signing my name what felt like a million times and trying to kill some time running errands for an hour before I could get the keys, I had a slight fender bender. I was making a Texas U-turn (the turn-arounds that I have only ever seen in Texas) when I literally rolled into the car in front of me. Luckily, there was no damage for either of us but it did shock me a bit (and give me a bit of a sore neck). I had to laugh that this happened right after such a big moment for me but mostly I think it jolted some emotions to the surface. After talking with the very nice women I rear-butted, I sat in my car and cried a bit. Cried for my past, my perceived independence of being a renter, the overwhelming feeling of being an owner and just the pure exhaustion of the past few months; to be honest, the past year.

But I quickly recovered and have moved forward. After a great pilates class with Jess we picked up some Thai food and her husband and my friend, Ken, and headed over to my new house. We sat on the floor and ate, toasted with some bubbly and beer and then built some closets. The closet space in this house is pretty minimal. In fact they were pretty much just nooks. This weekend I went to the Container Store and designed them and purchased the materials and then bartered with Ken to help build them in exchange for food. Lucky for me, he's handy, he cares about me and he likes Thai food!

Despite a bump on the head, a cut on my hand, some spilled champagne (a couple of times) and a lopsided wall, we did it! My first of many home modifications in my future I'm sure.

So these pictures reflect the before and after. Since the two closets are still smaller combined than the current one I have, I'll have to make good use of my space. But it's mine and I can change it, alter it and do whatever I want to it!