Still, With a Little Bit of Effervescence

Sorry/not sorry for the incoming Proustian/lifestyle recipe-esque essay before the main event. But the past four months have been, as the bloggers say, A Journey. I feel entitled.

Buying a house is so weird. You go see a listing, and you have maybe an hour to decide if you want to live in it for the next decade or two. Less, in this market, and that’s if other people haven’t put in four bids already. (Someone I know bought a house last summer without actually seeing it, only based off of videos their realtor sent them!)

If you do finally get a bid accepted, you then spend weeks picking over every flaw, to the point where you wonder why did I want this broken-down shack in the first place? You negotiate for days for an extra $500 on a purchase that’s hundreds of thousands.

And you’re always with an army of other people, even if like me you’re buying the house yourself. Realtors, attorneys, inspectors, my parents (it scored me a lot of brownie points to have them come along), and because of the plague, the homeowner, her daughters, her son-in-law, and her (admittedly extremely cute) dogs. Lots of noise and very little clarity.

On the 14th I closed on the purchase of my new house. I took my new keys, drove over, talked to a guy about refinishing the floors, and then, finally.

Peace and quiet.

No one needing documents from me, no real estate apps pinging me with listings to jump on right now, no questions.

So obviously I had to explain to the house how things were going to be done now, and we had a little toast.

I cracked open a bottle of 2019 William Heritage Skin Contact Chardonnay Musqué. Winemakers leave the pressed grape skins to steep like a teabag in the juice, adding color and a deeper dimension of flavor. If you've heard of "orange wines," that's another term for the same technique. Musqué is a different clone of chardonnay, with a more "Muscat" or warmer toastier aspect.

I can confirm that, once it warms up after taking out of the chiller, it pairs well with sitting in your backyard and toasting your new oak tree friends.

Final move in date right now is scheduled for the first week of May, so I hope that regular service recommences after that. Thanks to everyone who held me up and talked me down over the past four (!!!) months. A big cheers to you.