Category Archives: Life

The Hunt is On

Posted in Growing Up, House and Home, House Hunting, Kara and Kyle, Life, Money by

Without getting into the nitty, gritty details, Kyle and I have decided it’s finally time to buy a place of our own. We’ve been saving money for a down payment for nearly two years, and while it’s been slow going, we’ve finally met our goal.

It’s amazingly stressful, not that I thought that it would be a breeze. Number crunching has got us both stressed, more Kyle than myself, but  we have to start somewhere.

Last night we looked at four different places, three houses and a townhouse, with our Realtor and came out with a pretty good view on things.

Our first stop was an interesting little modular/maybe a mobile very close to where we are now. Pros: Nice big yard, good area. Cons: Dirty, close to highway. Verdict? Nay

Our next stop was the townhouse which was a private sale. Pros: Central AC, nice and clean, low strata fees, allows pets. Cons: Very small yard (but enough for Daphne to pee on), one parking spot, being very close to the neighbours. Verdict? We’re keeping this on the “List of Considerations”

Our third house was in an older area of town. It looked really nice online, but it was slightly more deceiving when we walked through. And the basement? It didn’t have a staircase, but a ladder. Terrifying. Pros: Close to the University. Cons: Needs a lot of updates. Verdict? Nay.

The last place was Downtown in a nice quiet, reputable area. We’re pretty sure it used to be owned by a Grandma & Grandpa type. Pros: Good area, decent yard. Cons: Needs work (possibly electrical), appliances need updating. Verdict? Not too sure.

We’re hopefully going to go look at a couple more next Wednesday, but we’re feeling really good about our hunt this time around. Last time we were looking it was right before  the cutoff for 0-down payment and we felt rushed. This time? This time we have time to really look at what we want, and in better areas of town too.

Overall, the hunt is going good. Our Realtor is an awesome guy and really laid back; we don’t feel pressured by him to hurry up and pick a place. He gets that we’re first-time buyers and wants to make sure we find the right fit. :)

So there you have it! Part 1 of “Kara and Kyle’s Great House Hunt”

I Remember in the Summer…

Posted in Family, Growing Up, Life, Memories by

… My brother and I used to spend everyday at the pool up the street from our house in the summer.

… I would ride my bike downtown with my Dad and we’d get ice cream.

… We would spend hours by the river, fishing and swimming.

… My grandparents would take my brother and I camping.

… My parents would let me make a mud puddle in the garden and play it while they picked veggies.

… Nothing mattered except for the fact that I wasn’t in school for two amazing months.

Image found here

What’s your favourite memory of summer when you were growing up?

Introverted State of Mind

Posted in Awkward Moment, Education, Kara and Kyle, Life, Thoughts by

Before I even start, I’m going to apologize to both Melissa and Amber for bringing up the whole “Introvert or Extrovert” conundrum. For the rest of you, it’s kind of a TRU J-School inside joke that no one else could understand. Moving on now …

Image from We ♥ It

Kyle often asks me why I’m so quiet, since I have a journalism degree. The thing is, I’m vocal when I need to be. If the job requires it, I’ll do it. If it were up to me, I’d chase fuzzy feel-good stories all the time that have people tell me what’s on their minds. I’m not looking to stand out and destroy companies Watergate-style.

This quietness, however, follows me home. When Kyle and I are trying to have a serious conversation, I tend to clam up and not say much about anything, be it a truck he wants to buy, a house we’re considering dropping a shiz-ton of money on, or career moves. And the quietness burns me. It understandably frustrates Kyle and then makes me feel bad for being too introverted.

I try, try and try to be more vocal and opinionated, but it’s not my style. I get overwhelmed and emotional. I’m not necessarily shy, but I don’t start conversations with strangers. I love a gong show party, but only if I know at least two other people there.

I am introverted. What are you?