Checking Things out in Boulder

 We're in Boulder where we are learning a lot about houses.  Did you know that a very expensive house might not have any decent place to eat outside?  Or might not have any way to get your groceries into the house without going up lots of outside stairs?  Or might not have any sort of view to look at?  Okay, this wouldn't surprise me in a reasonably priced house, but in an expensive house?

Of course "expensive" is relative; the very fact that the house is in Boulder means you need to "add a few zeros," as an old joke says.   You pay a lot just to live here and then keep adding zeros for every great feature a house offers.

We want a house within walking distance of Boulder Creek and downtown, which, as Ben dryly noted, rules out about 2/3 of the houses in Boulder.   We were excited to find this beauty and are in the process of placing an offer on it.  It has two bedrooms and a bath on the ground floor, a master and bath with two balconies on the upper floor,  and a teen heaven in the basement with a tiny bath and a room big enough for Paul both sleep and to practice his karate.  It's an older house with dated kitchen and baths which we'd eventually replace, and smaller than what I'd hoped to find, but overall it should be big enough, including room for guests.  In addition to the great location it has wonderful outdoor areas, including a well designed deck and patio off the kitchen, lots of gardens, space for a pond if we want to put one in, and a fenced yard if we want to get a dog.  A nice unexpected benefit is that it is about six block from our good friend's house.

We'll see what comes of our offer, which is lower than the asking price.  I know we'd be very happy here, but if we don't get it, I have confidence that we'll find something else in the spring.

Speaking of dogs, Paul is having a great time renewing his bond with Gus, our friend's lab.  So far I haven't had any luck getting of photo of them rough housing together, but I thought this one of them sitting together on the stairs was mighty cute. 

It happened that Paul's brother, Michael, is home this weekend from college, and Stefanie, Paul's birth mother,  invited us to join the family's birthday celebration tonight.  Before the evening broke up, photos were taken of all the cousins.  

And here is Paul with Michael.

 We've known Stefanie and her family for a long time and it was great to catch up with Paul's "other family."  We really enjoyed our visit with them.