THE GREAT APARTMENT HUNT

WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH A PURPOSE... HAD MY SELECTIONS DOWN TO 8-9, GOOGLED THEIR LOCATIONS AND PLUGGED THEM INTO THE GPS AND SET OFF IN SEARCH OF MY PLACE IN THE "VALLEY OF THE SUN." MOST OF THE PLACES WERE JUST COME IN AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK, BUT I HAD TWO APPOINTMENTS SET AT THE ONES I REALLY LIKED FROM THE INTERNET. (HOW DID WE DO THINGS BEFORE COMPUTERS?)

DID DRIVE-BYS ON THE ONES IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX AND MESA, AZ. NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE GROUNDS OR THE NEIGHBORHOODS. ONE WAS NICE, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY A 53 FOOT TRAILER WAS GOING TO FIT IN THE COMPLEX. (THAT IS HOW MY FURNITURE IS COMING). SO I WAS GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS... BUT THEN I WENT TO MY FIRST APPOINTMENT AND WAS BLOWN AWAY! GORGEOUS PROPERTY, 2 POOLS, FITNESS CENTER AND PLENTY OF CLOSET SPACE! A LITTLE HIGHER THAN I WANTED TO PAY BUT IT WAS REALLY NICE. CLOSE TO SHOPPING, POST OFFICE AND HAD A PARK RIGHT NEXT DOOR. I PUT A DEPOSIT ON IT AND FIGURED I HAD FOUND WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

IT WAS STILL EARLY, SO I DECIDED TO CHECK OUT THE LAST PROPERTY ON MY LIST WHICH JUST HAPPENED TO BE ABOUT 2-3 MILES FROM THE PLACE I LEFT THE DEPOSIT. I DON'T WHY BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN I SEE SOMETHING I LIKE THAT'S USUALLY IT. THIS PLACE WAS PHENOMENAL! THEY HAD A TWO BEDROOM ON THE GROUND FLOOR (DING!). THE UNIT WAS 100 YARDS FROM THE POOL (DING!) THE POOL, FITNESS CENTER, AND BUSINESS CENTER (WITH FREE WI-FI!) ARE OPEN 24/7.(DING,DING,DING!) THE TRAILER CAN FIT IN THE PARKING LOT. I COULD VISUALIZE MY FURNITURE IN THE APARTMENT, WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL. ALL THIS FOR LESS MONEY PER MONTH (ABOUT 200 BUCKS) THAN THE PLACE I LOVED. AND NOW FOR THE ICING ON THE CAKE. THERE IS A GOLF COURSE WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE AND RESIDENTS OF "CORNERSTONE RANCH" RECEIVE A DISCOUNT!!!! I COULDN'T WRITE THE DEPOSIT CHECK FAST ENOUGH.

SO, MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED. THE OTHER PLACES OUTSIDE CHANDLER DIDN'T STACK UP. EVERYTHING I NEED (SUPERMARKET, POST OFFICE, CONVENIENCE STORES,MALLS, DOCTORS, DENTISTS, AND THE HOSPITAL (GOD FORBID!) ARE ALL A BIKE RIDE OR SHORT DRIVE AWAY. THERE ARE NUMEROUS GOLF COURSES AND PARKS AND BIKE TRAILS ALL AROUND THE PROPERTY. MY UNIT GETS MORNING SUN AND IS SHADED IN THE AFTERNOON... THERE'S A LINE FROM A SUGARLAND SONG THAT GOES "SOME BELIEVE IN DESTINY/SOME BELIEVE IN FAITH/I BELIEVE THAT HAPPINESS IS SOMETHING WE CREATE/YOU BEST BELIEVE THAT I'M NOT GONNA WAIT/ CAUSE THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING MORE."

TODAY, I CREATED A PRETTY BIG PIECE OF HAPPINESS...