A new adventure

We've always flirted with the notion of property and some space to call our own. Last weekend, we went about our normal routine - a weekend run, a walk with the dog, a leisurely reading of the papers with a cup of tea. In the real estate section, we stumbled across a property not far from town that looked picturesque. Having just missed the open house, we randomly googled to see what else was available in that area and stumbled across a little hobby farm of 38 acres, with a house and an established olive grove.

Ideas began to form. Dreams began to filter into reality. Should we do this? Could we do this? Would we do this?

By Tuesday we had arranged a time to go and see the property. I emailed a friend saying 'check out this property we're going to look at' - she emailed back saying she had driven past it a few days earlier and thought it was cute. My brother rang to say 'thanks for finding me a property'. 'It's mine', I squealed in response. Tuesday night I could barely sleep, picturing how I might be able to construct a life on 38 acres.

Wednesday afternoon saw Rohan, David and I assembled at the property ready to check it out. During the day at work, I'd joked about the writing I could do in the midst of rural serenity - academic writing would go on overload I was sure. I wandered into the house and it seemed smaller and grubbier than the ad on the internet - and yet in my head I was already picturing how I could lighten it, how we could bag the brick walls, freshen the inside and take advantage of the views outside the windows. The land seemed bigger and more beautiful than I had imagined. Shut in the bedroom away from the ears of the agent we whispered, 'will we do this?'

Soon, it was done. An offer was made and less than 24 hours later, the agent rang. The house and land would be ours if we wanted it. Everything sped up. Finance meetings, meetings with lawyers, accountants. Hurried conversations where dreams bloomed and grew.

Right at this moment, the possibilities seem to unfold onto and into each other. On Monday we meet our lawyer to go over the contracts and already I'm praying nothing goes wrong. 

In the meantime we hatch plans, olive oil, microbrewery, woodfired pizza oven, lazy lunches at an outside table, a giant chess board, a golf hole and a rustic refurbished barn. Once we sign the contract the dream will be a bit closer and then you're all invited to pick olives!