This week has been a roller coaster. Sunday, Mark came to town, no more job, only hope for the future in his pockets. And a few clothes

We looked and looked and looked and called apartments. And found several, that were really nice! Beautiful in fact! But small. Tiny. No storage. Apartments I would expect to fall in love with if we wanted to live in NYC, but could never, ever afford there! I like cozy, unique studio/loft like spaces. And some of the apartments, wow. I really tried to picture myself in. But that was the problem, I could picture only myself in them. Or maybe Mark, if there was attic storage space. But not with our cats and all our stuff. Some of the places had only one closet! And one bedroom, or two bedrooms but carpeted. AND we wanted 2/3 bedrooms. One so Mark could use it exclusively as his studio space, which meant doors that close and no carpet. That was quite important to us.

On Tuesday morning, no apartment was realistically in sight, except for that nice 3 bedroom we found at the end of May. The owner occupied lower flat was spacious, all hardwood, in the right neighborhood, with lots of closet and storage space and perfect. But it was the end of May and while we had been *talking* about *looking* we both knew we wouldn’t be able to put a deposit down until mid-June. So when the owner called us that first weekend after we looked, and said she liked us and wanted to give us first shot. We didn’t know what to do. We called back on Sunday night and said we wanted to look at it again. And then didn’t hear back from her.

Middle of June arrives and the 3 bedroom is relisted! At $50 cheaper! So we look at places and then call her, hoping, but not certain of what might happen. MUST still look at other places while waiting. In fact one of the apartments turned out to be a fabulous space in Allentown that the REALTOR, who is trying to sell the house I currently live in, owns! She also fell in love with us, but not our 4 cats. Which we totally understood cause we fell in love with her and her place, but not the negative closet space. Really? Looking at her apartment was more of a catharsis, you know, the place we live in will never sell and is falling apart and it is NOT OUR FAULT and landlord should NOT BE THREATENING us. That kind of thing. And the neighborhood was second to none. Up and coming and her house was lovely and all brand new. But…not for us.

And then Tuesday the call came. The apartment was ours! Hurrah! And I was excited not just because we found a place, but because of THE place. Which I was originally wondering about since we were both a little hesitant in the very beginning. But after I got the call, I literally did the happy dance. It is a great place for Mark and I to start our life together. TONS of space. Exactly what we hoped for.