Welcome to Colley Manor, new Team Colley world headquarters! No, it is not as stately as the name suggests, but I’m excited to call it our home. We closed on the house last Friday. We’ll be doing some renovations, namely the kitchen and bathrooms, since everything is original to the house. As much as I love the ’80s, a circa 1981 kitchen is not something I’d like to cook in . . . and don’t even get me started on the bathing situation.

All this work means that we will be staying with my parents for a couple more months so I don’t have to raise a toddler in a construction zone. God bless them for being so patient and allowing us to shatter their quiet retirement lifestyle with 6am wake up calls of “THOMAAAAS and PERCYYYYY” every morning and negotiating an ever-changing minefield of books, train tracks, cars, puzzle pieces and other detritus of toddlerhood while enjoying the aromatic smells of melted plastic sippy-cup lids from the dishwasher.

I’ll be sure to share some details of the house and remodel soon. But for now, I’m excited to say I have a mortgage again!