South Book 1: Our new home

So as many of you know our family drove south this winter to avoid (most of) the snow and two spend a few months living in Charlottesville, VA with my sister and her family.  I meant to write a whole series of interesting blog posts, but we have been very busy and I have written nothing.  In the hope of catching up I am starting a new blockbuster series, called South.

Book 1: Our New Home

Many of you have asked about the place we are staying.  We have rented an air bnb in my sister's neighbourhood for 3 and a half months (See poor video below for a tour).  There are many things I love about the place we are staying: the sun streaming in the south facing windows in the afternoon; the awesome outdoor kitchen; the hammock in the backyard next to a bubbling stream; the living room fireplace, the deep soaker tub and the very soft blanket on our bed.  This last one is really on Gus's pro list.  He has removed the top sheet on our bed so the blanket touches our skin directly.  He lavishes affection on our blanket.  Last night they had a short tiff because the blanket was twisted, but shortly after he remarked to it "oh, how can I stay made at you!"

Big cons: the kitchen sucks, there are only 3 chairs around the dining table, the kitchen sucks, there is no place to put boots and coats and did I mention, the kitchen sucks.  Gus would write the same list but replace the "kitchen sucks" with "my office sucks". But, of course, these negatives are minor compared to our homes most redeeming feature:  the warm weather (oh yeah, and the presence of my sister).  Yesterday we enjoyed a high of 16 and full sun while back home they suffered through -8.  YES!

We also love our new neighborhood.  It is full of beautiful and interesting homes nestled into private hilly retreats.  Everyday we walk along a bubbling brook to where it empties into the river.  Then hike along the river bank through meadows, along the base of cliffs and along windy forest paths.  On every walk it seems I am accompanied by a half dozen deer and I have seen (and heard) a number of birds of prey sometimes perched on a branch only a few feet away.

Our neighbors are also lovely.  Everyone waves to everybody else.  We have gotten to know (with my sister's assistance) a few different families in the neighborhood and our kids have become friends with their kids.  Unfortunately, our next door neighbor is not one of those people.  On one particularly beautiful Sunday in January we decided to invite Teela's family over for a barbeque to use our awesome outdoor kitchen.  Gus was here ahead of the rest of us lighting a fire and getting things ready.  When we arrived home we were greeted by the loud motor (and smell of gas) of the neighbors leaf blower and a very grouchy Gus.

Gus: I am ready to kill the neighbor.

Teela:  Well it is a little obnoxious, but he is only blowing leaves

Gus:  He has been blowing leaves since 9am.

Indeed, the neighbor blew his leaves through our entire afternoon and cookout.  He finally put his leaf blower away as the sun was setting after a good eight hours of work.

Gus: (surveying the neighbors still rather leafy yard) How can anyone even blow that many leaves?  He would have been done hours ago if he had just used a rake and it would have done a better job.

Ah well, that was just one afternoon right?  Alas, bright and early the next weekend I stepped outside to be greeted by, you guessed it, the neighbors leave blower.  I've never known anybody that liked their leaf blower that much.  Perhaps it is a connection similar to the one Gus has with the soft blanket on our bed...

Awesome outdoor kitchen

View from the awesome outdoor kitchen