Motivation is Key

Theres a house. It’s in way north New York state. It’s beautiful. I mean, I’m sure it needs tons of work, but look at it!

Eight bedrooms. And a carriage house! Apartment(s) above the carriage house, too! Look at the windows! Look at that price!

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/301-Main-St-Antwerp-NY-13608/31411504_zpid/

But kd, you say. Don’t you live in Arizona?

Yes. Yes, I do. But not because I want to! I mean, day by day it’s fine. I have a great job here, doing important work. It could pay a bit better, yeah, but even that is okay. We even have a house already!

But, well…

One of the young ones found this shirt the other day, and announced it’s me. And it is.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1485595635/if-your-family-doesnt-accept-your

A couple people around me lately have told me, as I vented about stress and money and children, that I should stop adopting children. One of them I just told no. The other (who I knew would laugh) I flipped off.

I will stop adopting children when people learn how to love their own damn children. Damn it.

Ahem.

So. Eight bedrooms. Extra apartments. Lots of space. Makes sense, right?

Right.

Okay, so we’ve established that I need a bigger house. Fine. But northern New York? They have weather there, KD. They have snow. You know, winter?

I know! Isn’t it great?

Astonishingly enough, I am not here in Southern Arizona because I like heat. I never wanted to live in the desert! I wanted to see it, but not to live here! Definitely not for *mumble* years. I followed an opportunity and then I never saw an opportunity to go back where things are green. I like plants, water, green things—and seasons. Brisk stormy days. Cozy nights. Fireplaces. Romps in the snow and chili with cornbread after. Soft spring days, hay rides, apple cider, falling leaves—oh, now I’ve made myself homesick and that was not the goal here.

Anyway. Eight bedrooms. Northern New York. Absolute perfection—except for one thing.

Did you guess money?

Yeah. Money. My great job can’t be done remotely. That town is less than 2000 people. I can’t count on being able to find a job there. I can’t count on anyone else finding a job either, and someone would have to be earning some money! That house is almost two hundred years old. It’s gonna need some fixing. Not to mention all those children will need feeding!

So, tragically, we’ll have to let that house pass us by. Like this other one. And this one. There was one I can’t find now, in Maine, that had seven bedrooms, a finished basement and three kitchens. The owner had been converting it to multiple housing but it wasn’t zoned for that. Imagine, I could have a designated kids-make-messes-over-there kitchen!

The good news is, that house has got me and roomie both moving again. We have exactly one way to earn money remotely (that we’re willing to do) and that’s write books. So since my brain absolutely does not want to cooperate for any other bribe—I’m gonna bribe it with a house.

Unless…we are fully of the belief that these are the cutest beans in the world. Don’t suppose you’d like to donate $100,000 for the joy they bring you?