Mi Casa... Finally!!!

** View from the sliding doors which overlook the minuscule front yard **

After months and months of endless legal wrangling, reams of paperwork and parting of ways with cash in various denominations, we finally received the keys to our house yesterday. I didn't notice it until a friend pointed it out - the date was the all-auspicious 08.08.08! So now I can honestly say that something good happened to me on that date.

I went over to see the house today to install new padlocks and check for any defects. Apart from a few busted light bulbs and the thick layer of dust on the floors, the house is in good condition. I really salute the previous owners for taking such good care of the house. It just needs a good cleaning up, a new coat of paint in the living room and on the front gate and we're all set. We're not planning any renovations just yet so we can start moving in pretty soon.

So now my mind is already occupied with figuring out how I'm going to decorate. Isn't that the best thing about having a house? The previous owners had already installed kitchen cabinets and built-in wardrobes in 3 of the 4 rooms, so we just have to buy our basic furniture and appliances. I've been busy online looking up various ID sites and poring over colour palettes. Hubs doesn't blink an eye when I suggest painting the living room pink. I honestly don't know if he's just humouring me or ignoring me!

One thing I do know is I don't want to go beige and brown. Not that I have anything against those two colours personally, it's just that it's just so... cosy and boring and neutral. Like my mom's living room.. *snigger snigger* . We used to have a maroon and grey living room but my mom remodeled it over the years and changed the sofas, carpeting, flooring, wall colour and curtains until everything somehow or the other ended up being either beige or brown. My dad complained about bumping into furniture that blended in with the walls and floor. My sisters complained about the browness of everything. Even Tom our ancient cat blended in with the carpets and got stepped on. So in a moment of temporary madness bought on by brown fever, my mom decided to paint the hallway walls green! Not a nice, light, minty apple green. But a really GREEN green reminiscent of Amazon rain forests and cows rolling in the meadows. Which of course next to our brown living room, looked horrific. Even Eez said confusedly, "Mom... blue?" To which I patiently replied, "No, sorry.. it's green." Three days later, my sister texted me at work: "green walls are gone! back to original beige colour." Hallelujah. It feels like home again.

So anyway, I can't wait to start on our house. God knows if we'll ever have any spare money ever again and when we'll finish, but we'll get there. Granted, the front yard is the size of a postage stamp and the you can cross the rooms in four big steps, but at least it's all ours. I would love to have something like this:

Isn't it pretty? Insya-Allah....... aminnnnnnnnnn.....