i bought a house

That is what I thought the headline would be in either today's or tomorrow's post.

But, running the danger of ruining my own narrative, it is not to be.  The headline is a sham.

Let me explain.

Last March I let you in on a little bit of my financial life.  (driving miss barra)  I had put an offer on a house -- using all of the proceeds I received from the sale of my house in Salem.  But it was not to be.  The owner countered with a reasonable offer, but I had nothing more to put on the table.

That was too bad.  Both my brother and I really liked the house.  But I was willing to let it go.

That is, until my visit to Bend in July.  My brother and sister-in-law listed their ranch, and almost immediately sold it.  Within a year and a half, they would be on their way to Mexico.

And then the worst thing that happened while I was there -- my mother suffered a home invasion.  (COPS comes to bend)  She is a cool character.  But her house no longer offers the security she once thought it did.

As luck would have it, my original proceeds from the sale of my Salem house had grown -- along with the rest of the stock market over the year.  And a retirement account had matured.

I checked with the owner of the house in Barra de Navidad to see if it was still on the market.  It was.  But he had accepted a contingency offer from a couple -- with a 48 hour right of first refusal.

Earlier this week, I made my offer.  The buyer accepted.  I was positive I was on my way to being a home owner in Mexico.

I checked on changing my postal box.  Transferring the telephone (and getting better internet service in the bargain).  Notifying Immigration of my new address.  Scheduling weekly movie nights in the spacious living room.  And discussing the possibility of hiring a well-known decorator (at least, well know to some of you).

But the big step was setting up my bank and investment accounts to make the transfer of funds (fortunately, all within The States) as easy and quick as possible.

After spending two days getting my house-owner mojo on, I received news yesterday afternoon that the couple who held the contingency offer were excising their right of first refusal.  This house simply was not to be mine.

Oddly, I am not really disappointed.  I would have been happy to own the place.  It is a real beauty, and I congratulate the new owners.  They should really enjoy it.

And as for house hunting?  It will go back on hold.  Darrel and Christy will not be here for another 18 months or so.  And Mom is making her own plans.

By the time we are all of one mind in one place, the house-hunting could occur in a part of Mexico far away from the heat and humidity.  But that is a tale that waits telling.