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<p>Hi!&#0160; I&#39;m still sick, so much so that the new OB-GYN at the practice refused to shake my hand today.&#0160; <em>(Pffft!&#0160; Amateur!)</em>&#0160; I&#39;m back at home cocooning and trying to get some rest.&#0160; Needless to say, there is nothing exciting to report in the past two weeks.&#0160; I&#39;ve turned into a hermit.&#0160; In the meantime, I dug this up in case you need something to help you procrastinate.</p>

<p>Stay warm.&#0160; And don&#39;t shake germy people&#39;s hands.</p>

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<p>Few things have tested my sanity like trying to buy a house in Massachusetts.&#0160; I have a toddler, so that’s saying a lot.&#0160; We’ve been searching for a house for over a year now, and I see no end in sight – even in this buyer’s market.&#0160; The only reason we haven’t given up and moved to a state where sellers of little old mildew-infested houses with plaid wallpaper and one tiny bath don’t expect a million dollars (ha!) is because of the optimism of our real estate agent - The World&#39;s Most Patient Realtor - who dutifully digs through the MLS for us even though he knows that my husband and I are convinced that a decent 4-bedroom house does not exist in our price range.&#0160; Looking for one is a fool’s quest, like looking for leprechauns at the end of a rainbow, an activity solely for the very young or naïve.</p>

<p>A few months ago we went to see an antique colonial so perfect that it brought tears to my eyes.&#0160; It did!&#0160; While the house was built in 1847, the kitchen is a marvel of modern technology, with a Wolf stove and Sub-Zero refrigerator, a prep island with a sink, a sunny sitting area for six and a huge family room.&#0160; The living and dining rooms have floor to ceiling windows, and the house is surrounded by a white picket fence.&#0160; I could walk to a coffee shop and bakery within 2 minutes, drive to a major shopping area within 5, and be in downtown Boston in 20 minutes. </p>

<p>This city woman didn’t even mind the fact that the location is more picturesque than urban.&#0160; My husband, however, completely freaked out at the sight of farm animals, even though we would only be 15 minutes from where we currently live.&#0160; It doesn&#39;t bother me as much as it does him, because as far as I&#39;m concerned, if this town is good enough for Neiman Marcus and Whole Foods, it&#39;s good enough for me.</p>

<p>Despite my husband&#39;s hesitation, he couldn&#39;t hide his excitement at the beauty of this house.&#0160; The best part is that we&#39;ve seen houses at this price, houses that are a fraction of the size and dumpy and smelly.&#0160; Not this house.&#0160; This house has been cared for, lovingly restored and maintained.&#0160; Unlike most of the other houses in our price range, this was a house where I could see us really living.</p>

<p>“ This is a great part of town.&#0160; You get the best of both village and city life.”&#0160; Our realtor was clearly sensing our interest and was having high hopes of his own.&#0160; Maybe he would finally be rid of us and be able to move on with his life.</p>

<p>“I know!”&#0160; I replied.</p>

<p>“They must have invested at least $50K in the kitchen.” He was impressed too!&#0160; I was already dreaming of having my morning Cheerios in a $50,000 kitchen.&#0160; “The amazing thing is that the basement is dry even after all the rain we’ve had this week.”</p>

<p>I tried to act cool,&#0160; “Yes, this house is nice.”</p>

<p>“However,” (our realtor always points out the negative), “this house is next door to a cemetery.&#0160; Do you know what that means?”</p>

<p>“It means that we would have really quiet neighbors,” I said, desperately, as I fondled the French doors leading to ‘my’ sunroom/office.</p>

<p>He looked at me for a second, then pointed at me, and said, “You!&#0160; You should go into real estate!”</p>

<p>Ah yes - I forgot to mention the fabulous deck with a view to the great beyond.&#0160; (Which, interestingly, the seller’s agent forgot to mention as well.)&#0160; But after months of touring houses that I just wasn’t that into - I was finally in love.&#0160; And who’s going to let a few tombstones come between them and true love?&#0160; </p>

<p>Of course, real estate is more complicated than love.&#0160; I tried to be positive (“just THINK of the Halloween parties!”) but my husband wasn’t buying it.&#0160; So we passed on the house.&#0160; &#0160;I was heartbroken, but time has healed the wound, mostly.&#0160; And the search goes on. </p>
