And the Winner is...

The Hilton Head style home in the Watervale neighborhood. Its a really good thing we got it too, because we really didn't love anything else.


Its about 2400 square feet with a wooded back lot, 3 bedrooms, and 2.5 baths. I think one of the best things about the house is that it is in a perfect location for TJ and I for his work and downtown...and it has trees which was a my only house hunting stipulation. Tut will like it too as the back windows go to the floor and the french doors allow him to see whats happening in his yard!
I meant to take more photos of the interior, but forgot the second time we went through. I can tell you that it was built in 1986 and still exists there! We need to get rid of the popcorn ceilings and the cobalt blue carpet first, as well as bring in some new appliances and change out brass fixtures. We close at the end of next month, so maybe I can do some before and afters one we get there! We love the new house and can't wait to live in it!
Auf Wiedersehen!

House Hunters

I have to say that my plea to get more owners to put their houses on the market didn't exactly work, but we do have a couple finalists that we will revisit tomorrow.
The first one is in Augusta (Richmond County) and has been almost completely redone inside. It is centrally located and has a really nice backyard. We also like the established midcentury neighborhood! This one is 2000 square feet.


Then we have a home in Martinez (Columbia County), but close to Augusta and in a well established neighborhood. This is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Columbia County too because it has trees and good resale ability! It is a Hilton Head style home with about 2400 square feet.



Then we have another Columbia County home in the same neighborhood as the last. It has to be an honorable mention though...we can't get it because the siding is Masonite and the company won't buy it back if we get moved again. It was initially my favorite too with a really wooded back lot and a great layout and back deck. With that being said, she would have needed major painting!

We liked all of them, so we will see what happens after our revisits tomorrow! Wish us luck on getting a good deal!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Dear Augusta Homeowners...

Dear Augusta Homeowners,

I am about to house hunt in your community and am finding it very difficult to find some really good prospects. I would prefer to live in Augusta, a more central location to satisfy my need to be closer to downtown, good restuarants, etc., however, it appears that nothing decent is available in the good areas unless we want to pay close to a half million for an old southern mansion. The same goes for Martinez (the closest suburb) and North Augusta (South Carolina). Augusta is very close to my heart as it is easily my favorite place that TJ and I have ever lived together with the adorable people, strong sense of community, and fabulous weather year-round. I nearly feel like I am going to be moving "home" and am very excited because this time I get the overall say on which house to choose. Its my turn as TJ chose our last house, albeit beautiful, the location was not fun or close to anything and it lacked trees...anywhere. If he had the choice this time, he would again prefer to be way out in Evans in a brand new cookie cutter. This actually may end up being the result unless you all put some good stuff on the market beginning Tuesday of this week. Please don't put anything good out there before this date! I have been completely crushed in the last month with the sales of my most favorite homes- they were snatched up immediately :(.
Augusta Homeowners, in one last plea...please don't make me have to choose suburbia! Just go ahead and put your house on the market. But please wait until Tuesday.

Sincerely,
Annie

Winter is Killing Me!

This winter has been the pits! There are many reasons why I think that, but the big one happens to be that Germany is getting the most snow it has received in like 30 years. It is already gray outside for at least 3 months of the year - most of them in the winter, and now it seems that we have cold temps and day after day of snow to match. I can't decide what I would prefer in a season like this...a cold Iowa winter with snow and the sun...or a colder and snowier than usual German winter with ugly gray skies. That's a tough one. I can say that in Iowa people need special equipment to remove snow and here all you need is a broom to sweep the sidewalk. Oh and by the way, there is some sort of law here that says you need to have your part of the sidewalk sweeped by a certain hour of the morning. Apparently if someone slips on your portion, you are liable! Some of these laws are a little much. Any way, the silver lining to all of this awful weather was going to be my trip to warm and sunny Georgia for house hunting next week, that is until I read my Facebook posts this morning. The Augusta Weatherman's wife is my friend and she posted that they are supposed to get snow today, which means the whole city shuts down after everyone has raided all the grocery stores. And it will probably happen too, because Rucker's always right and the TJ and I are coming to town! Just figures!
Other than crappy weather, nothing much has been going on around here with TJ in the States. I did get my TV back (thank you so much, Nick)...before this happened last night I spent the week organizing and cleaning the house, planning an excursion to Switzerland for when my folks come next month, and mustering up the will to do the inventory of the house we need to do for relocation. It is seriously the worst part of moving countries, though I guess I will get that done this weekend. Also on tap for this weekend: coffee with Hazel, the Penny Bazaar, and the Fasching Parade. If I make it to the parade (pending the weather) I should have photos posted on Monday. Thats it for now!
Auf Wiedersehen!

Weekend Update

TJ and my weekend seemed to begin on Thursday night as we went out with friends until the wee hours of the morning. There was an "After Work" party at the Heidelberg Castle and it was really fun. The castle ballroom was all lit up and there was a bar and a band upstairs and then a DJ downstairs. If I were being honest I would tell you it was sort of like a PG rave down there. I was hoping to put up photos of the party and our friends, but TJ took the camera to the States with him before I was able to snatch them! Friday night T had a haircut and took me out for pizza afterwards. It was a much needed low-key night as we were so tired from the night before! Saturday night came around and we went for drinks and dinner with our friend, Karen, and her boyfriend that was visiting from South Africa. It was very fun and we seemed to dine for hours...Indian food, yummy! It wasn't a late night as TJ needed to get back to get ready for his flight yesterday. I really don't like it when he is gone, but I will see him next week when I travel to Augusta for the house hunt. That should be interesting being that we both want different things in a house!
In other startling news, we haven't had American TV since Thursday! For those of you who know me at all you know this is devastating news! We have a slingbox and the person who handles it on the US side is on vacation. It hasn't been that bad and certianly hasn't gotten to the point where I am feeling behind on my shows yet...thanks to ITunes! But we will see what happens by weeks end.
Perhaps the best news of the weekend happened at about 8:30 am Saturday morning when I received a phone call I have been waiting on for a while. It was my best girlfriend, Laura (some of you might remember her from my wedding as she was our Maid of Honor) and she is now engaged!!!! I couldn't be more excited...so excited that TJ and I were asleep and both of us were so happy for Laura and Scott that we remained wide awake! Love that news! Congratulations, Laura and Scott!
That's all from here. Auf Wiedersehen!

Big News

Some of you may already know, but TJ has been promoted and we are soon to leave Germany for the United States once again. It is very bittersweet for us as we have much enjoyed the opportunity to live in and travel around Europe...and there are still plenty of places we would like to go here (i.e. Greece for one). But we can always come back as Europe is a simple plane ride away!
We will be going back to Augusta, Georgia where we once lived for 3 years. I couldn't be happier about this destination! For one, it seems I have dodged the Iowa bullet once again! Its not that I don't like Iowa, it is simply that I loathe the weather and would prefer to live where it is sunny and warm (and without snow). Also, we have some very good friends there, favorite restaurants, the best gym in the world, and the beach only two hours away. And the people are amazing too! TJ will soon go to spend a few weeks with his new team and I will join him at some point for a house hunting trip (FYI, I can't wait to live in a house again). Then we both will be back here by March for my parents to visit for a few weeks, and at that time we will be traveling with them to Paris and Normandy. As soon as they leave we will be packing up and in Augusta by April 1st. Its going to fly right by us!
With this news and inevitable move will also be the end of this blog. I have much enjoyed chronicling our time here, but a blog about living in Germany just wouldn't be the same living in the Southeastern United States. I plan to take it through our re-patriation to chronicle things that will be different to us on the other side. Some of these things might include our first grocery trip, and our new home. Who knows, maybe I will start another blog chronicling our time there...it could be called Southern Belle in Training or Georgia is Peachy. It might not be as fun or interesting as this one, but from experience I know the area has a lot to offer!
That's all from here, and a big congratulations to TJ for another job well done!
Auf Wiedershen!