My neighbors are total cows!

( No, really, they are! (Several pictures under the cut.) )

In case you didn't click on the links, I signed a lease yesterday on a house in the middle of 81 acres of farm land (beef cattle and goats). I'm right there in the mountains, and I honestly can't believe property so beautiful is available for me to rent at such a low, low price. The house needs a little work in the form of a fresh coat of paint, but I'll have plenty of space. The cats will get their own room (which will also be my computer/work room, but most of it will be theirs). The kiddo gets a room that's bigger than the one he has now, and the living room is bigger than the one I have now. The kitchen is small, but there's loads of pantry and cupboard space, so I can make it work. Oh, and my water? Free natural mountain spring water that's gravity fed from higher up some point on the mountain.

Even though I'm in the middle of nowhere, I'll have cable internet (no more dial-up!) and either cable TV or satellite (I haven't decided yet), and while my landlords are literally a few yards over, the wife of the pair is super friendly and very easy to talk to. That's a definite bonus for me. I have another neighbor (whose house you can see from the front yard), a retired gentleman who has been renting from the same landlords for a few years now. The dishwasher doesn't work, but I might be able to work some sort of deal out with them after I get settled in for a new one. That, and it's not like I've had a working dishwasher in the last few years.

Best of all, it's so quiet and peaceful, and did I mention cheap?

If I can find a job relatively soon, I won't have to stress over getting my house in order to sell. I can let them sit a bit longer and even do small repairs to the one I'm selling first. Of course, there's still my taxes on the places that have gone up considerably. Ugh, but I'm gong to tackle the hard parts first.

I'm heading back to SC to start getting some of the house in order over the weekend. I'll have to register the kiddo for school next week up here, and it looks like they start even earlier than SC, which means he might have to miss the first couple of days of school. I hate that, but I really can't move any faster. I'm going to rent a UHaul trailer (Oh man am I ever glad I kept Dad's truck) so we can move the major furniture next week. Sam's coming down Monday and Tuesday to try and get it done.

It's going to be a stressful first month, but things are looking up.

Okay, and in a bit I'll post a bit about what we did today. There was a craft show being held locally and Sam's mom went to sell her pottery. They had some amazing local talent putting on music and loads of amazing craftsmen and artists. This place is so different and amazing compared to what I'm used to.

Writing - Tamingthemuse challenge

Title: The Real Charity
Fandom: Original
Prompt: #211 - Abscond
Warnings: None.
Rating: G
Summary: Charity Davidshire is more complex than her exterior makes her seem.
Word Count: 592
Notes: This might serve as a basis for a new roleplay character for my boyfriend's campaign. So, this serves a dual purpose of getting me to tame my muse and help me get through the first bits of character creation. Also, this was rushed to make deadline. I got caught up in house/apartment hunting. It's going to be a challenge, albeit a fun one, to keep up my streak since the next couple of weeks will involve me moving.

Despite the implications of her appellation, Charity Davidshire was not terribly charitable. In fact, according to the denizens of the slums of T’nor, she was a force to be reckoned with—at least among those unfortunate enough to draw her ire. Slight of frame and voice, the half-elf didn’t offer much in the way of an imposing figure. Generally she blended into the background, remaining unnoticed unless she chose to be seen; however, when the need arose, she was capable of inspiring fear in the brawniest of men and women.

( No one was quite sure how she did it. )