One Year in Our House

We've been living in our own house (which we own like 24% of now) for an entire year. Here's what I like best so farm, in no particular order:

(1) Oddly, I like not having to call the landlord when something breaks. It is true this means I must call someone when something breaks, and also pay for it, but somehow this is less stressful. I probably have PTSD from that asshole landlord we had two moves ago. Also, I like that since we own the house we could put in a walk-in shower and a screened porch and a gas stove. Love my gas stove.

(2) I like where we live. The greenspace behind the house, the dog park only a few blocks away, the Harps and the Walmart two minutes away -- it's a good place.

(3) I love the city, of course. Living in Fayetteville is the best.

(4) Love the public library.

(5) Love living near my kid and his husband. It's close enough that we can have dinner together whenever, and go to the grocery store together, and watch out for each others pets as needed. Very nice.

(6) Almost nothing I need is more than 10 minutes away. This is also very nice. The exception is a few things that are in Rogers (the next town north) which is 20 to 30 minutes away by interstate, depending on the traffic.

(7) I don't love the traffic, but honestly it's not that bad. Just more congested than Fort Smith, but on the other hand, in Fort Smith, we were living in Fort Smith.

(8) The weather so far has been okay. A few really hot days in the summer, one or two really cold days this winter, but okay otherwise.

(9) I *love* being retired. It helps that we have enough money -- everything is better with enough money, who knew? -- but I also like having all this leisure. I can sleep as late as I want (which turns out to be about 7:00 a.m.), I can read books all day if I want to, I can write all day if I want to. Because we have enough money, I can order out for food if I don't feel like cooking. Conversely, I can cook if I want to. For example, tonight I'm making a chicken pie.

(10) We're close enough to Crystal Bridges and to Devil's Den that we can go whenever. Though, to be fair, so far that turns out to be not at all. Maybe soon!