Howes Castle
A place that belongs to us. No need to worry about nails in walls, paying a key deposit, getting your bond back or even just having that feeling that it is not ours. We are now fortunate enough to have a place that belongs to us.
I don't think anyone's journey towards owning their own home is easy, and that can definitely be applied to us too. On top of the usual dilemmas of saving enough money or securing a home loan with some kind of institution, we had the unique experience of deciding which country to live in. Set aside the luxurious nature of that comment (not the case) as that was not an easy decision to make. It is hard to describe the difficulty an international couple has in deciding a country to live in as one side of the family is always going to be farther away than the other and both sides will have different opinions based on the cultural background they have been raised in. Therefore it becomes a decision that we, the couple, must make carefully and considerately. We made that decision, stuck to that decision and have now laid the foundations for making it the best one we have ever made.
It has been quite a while again since the last post, but obviously things have moved quickly and we are now at the stage of bragging. It's awesome.
That aside, we struggled over the usual hurdles that are common for near completion of a project - How are we going to pay for that? Did we agree to that? What was the colour of that thingo again? Why is it always me (...not me) deciding everything? But we got there in the end. Decisions and alterations were made and we somehow managed to find ways to cover the costs. That's part of the fun isn't it? We also had our guided tour/explanations of the particulars inside the house - how to use this and that - which we are now struggling to recall. There are sensor lights here and there and electrical gadgets that do this and that. It's awesome. I have to say that my favourite is the hot water system that records our daily usage, even showing the litres of water you are using on the screen as you are taking a shower, and then makes a historical record. Basically, it will learn how much we use and make predictions about how much to heat up in preparation for the next day. And of course, it will do the heating up, using our stored solar power (a bit more complicated than that though), during the middle of the night in the low-cost electrical power period. It even talks to us about when it has... anyway, it's fantastic. Still bragging.
I think the biggest adjustment and greatest amount of pleasure is the change in temperature from our previous accommodation into this home. The previous house was an old-style house (1970-80s) built economically. If you have lived or stayed in an old style apartment or house in Japan before, you know just how well they are insulated. Freezing in winter and scorching in summer. Just in the past two days, we have changed from waking up with breath vapour coming out of our mouths in a 5-7 degree (C) bedroom, to a comfortable 20 degrees this morning. The magic of triple-pane windows and central heating, which of course is something I have never experienced in my life (Brisbane).
There is still plenty left to do. The castle is nowhere near complete. The castle grounds and moat (sorry, I just wanted to say that) have not been done yet. In easier to understand English, the carport and parking spaces are scheduled to begin after winter when the concrete can dry quicker, and the fencing and grass/garden areas are yet to be finalized. All of the above-mentioned tasks are extra costs, separate to the house, however they can be arranged by our home-builder. I cannot recommend our home-builder highly enough (Okaken Home), so if you know anyone in the Takasaki area that is planning to build their house to their own design, they should consult them.
There aren't many better presents on Christmas Day than a set of keys to your own home, but that was the fantastic gift we received yesterday. Directly after that, we began the big move. When we moved over here from Brisbane, we did not bring any furniture with us. We either gave it away, sold it or kept it under my parents' house - sorry again. We knew that we were going to be staying at a place that was furnished so there was no need to bring anything. That made things difficult for our situation now. We have nothing to put in our new house - no TV, DVD player, sofa, dining table, chairs, beds... anything. You may be thinking that would be an exciting prospect having to furnish your new house with new furniture... and you would be right! No, but when all of your money is going towards one thing there isn't much left over for the other. Anyway, we'll manage. Good training for the kids for when they go camping.
Moving day was still huge though. We packed up everything into the shipping boxes we brought over from Australia and borrowed a "Kei-truck" (mini truck) from a relative. Our place isn't far at all from our previous accommodation (200m or so) but just that little bit too far to walk the boxes individually. So, I think I made around 10-15 round trips in the truck. It had been a while since I'd cranked the gears in a manual but I think I displayed excellent potential for appearing in the next Jason Bourne car scene - loved it! What's more (members of the police force please stop reading here) the kids loved bouncing around on the tray from one place to the next - the beauty of living in the countryside.
Over the next few days we will unpack, organize, and even open a few boxes for the first time in nearly 2 years. They are exciting times and we are enjoying all of the ups and minor challenges that come with it.
