Owning a house like Toiny does, in many ways is awesome. You always have enough room for visiting friends (Manda).
Hubby and I would love a house. I would love to have space for guests. We’re looking for the perfect little home for the three of us (including our 18 year old cat, Stella) quite a couple of years now.
While in former years there were plenty of great houses to buy here in Germany, we just couldn’t afford one, now we could and just don’t find what we want. Too big, too expensive, too old, too far away from the city, too loud…
With my dream house I am picky. I am stubborn. I want it my way or not at all. I want a big kitchen. I want a little garden. I need the next bus station near since I don’t own a car. We’ve given up for now, maybe one day the dream will come true.

Until last year we had rented a small flat in a house with 6 units. While it was ok, but not awesome because we had a tiny kitchen, no garden, no balcony, we got a little frustrated.
I had no office, was working in a small room between hubby’s books and supplies for his hobby (he builds and paints model cars and tanks), laundry and more.
Though I love my guy to the moon and back, sitting in the same room trying to design while he paints does not work very well.

Then the “perfect” solution fell in place. Our direct neighbour in the house moved out. That flat was bigger and had one more room! In August last year we moved in.
I was wrong thinking moving from one flat to another within the same house would be super quick, smooth and easy. We had to fix some issues like nicotine stains from the previous tenant shining though the freshly painted walls in the bedroom. We made some compromises choosing to ignore not perfectly lining up tiles in the kitchen. Finally everything worked out. New furniture arrived later than planned, including a brand-new kitchen, but we had a new, better and bigger home.
Best of all – I finally would have my own office and hubby would get his much desired man cave!

We were happy. Not so our furry kid Stella, she didn’t like the move and she didn’t like the new flat.
18 is a good age for a cat and it’s hard for her to get used to new things. During the last year she turned a bit into grumpy granny who is still agile, but has to cope with Alzheimer’s. Mostly at night it’s causing her problems, when she wakes up not knowing where she is or where her litter box can be found. Trying to make things easier for her (and us), we bought a night light for the entrance hall, restricted the rooms she can go in and gave her even more attention and love.
The result of that was, she won’t let me do a single step without her. Of course that means I can’t keep her out of my office either. She tries to disturb with all options she has just when I have to concentrate the most.

While I write this post she’s on my desk, her new (and only) favorite place.
Purring, her head resting on my hand while I try to type. Her little bottom right next to the “Escape” key of my keyboard. I can’t count how often she pressed random keys and caused my Photoshop to freeze or close. Last week when I cooked dinner, she even managed to ask Cortana where to find the “tasdxya” (don’t ask me what that means, I don’t know, Cortana either). As much as I wish she wouldn’t mess up my work, as much I enjoy having her here with me, it makes me happy.

And the moral of this story? Sometimes what we want is not really what we get in the end, but what we get can still make us happy!

Have a great weekend wherever you are & big hugs from Germany,
Manu aka Manu Scraps