Volleyball and dreamy houses

Wow, do I ever love watching volleyball. Last night I was watching my TiVoed recording of the U.S.-Italy women's volleyball quarterfinal, which was a real nail-biter, and I was so into it and on edge that I was actually fast-forwarding through the three seconds between points. It was seriously KILLING ME to have to wait. Even though the whole thing reminded me of how much I suck at volleyball by comparison, and also how frustrated I was at essentially being pushed out of the work volleyball team, because they didn't think I was good enough.

And yes, I think that bears repeating. We were in the intermediate REC LEAGUE of professional adults who play for fun. The prize was SHOT GLASSES, and crappy ones at that. We were all pretty similar in skill, but the net was at men's height, which neutralized me because I was too short to hit and hitting is my best skill. Still, I was a reasonable setter and I was HAVING FUN, which was the effing POINT of joining a rec league with your OFFICE TEAM, and yet when it came time for the playoffs (the end goal of which was a SHOT GLASS, let me remind you), they suggested subbing me in one game and having me sit out the other two.

AND the worst part was that some guy's friend who didn't even work for us, who was only allowed on the team under the condition that he not get much playing time because he wasn't part of our company, was scheduled to play all three games because he was a good hitter. So, I said screw this, I'm not giving up all my Wednesday nights and trekking across town to sit and watch a bunch of people I don't even like play volleyball. Especially because nobody would give me a ride home afterward so I always had to take a really long, lonely Metro ride by myself late at night.

Let me say again. SHOT. GLASS. I would be willing to buy every member of the team a cheap shot glass in exchange for them not making me feel bad and guilty for wanting to have some fun and get some exercise. Definitely a case of a bunch of stodgy office workers who look awkward in their gym clothes taking themselves WAY too seriously. Not that I'm bitter. Ahem.

ANYWAY, despite the annoyed memories of my own past volleyball experiences, I loved watching the game yesterday, and that was my damn point to begin with.

My other point is that now that we are seriously saving for a down payment, we've started thinking about the type of house we'd like to buy. I was momentarily excited when a For Sale sign popped up in the yard of my most beloved house in DC, the one I admire every time I see it, this gorgeous gray house on a corner lot right by a Metro stop and a Whole Foods. But then I went home and looked it up on the realtor's website, only to discover that it was listed at a cool $1.7 million dollars. And just like that, my hopes were dashed.

Still, thinking of home buying makes me dream of gorgeous houses with rooms like these:





Torsten and I have been keeping a mental list of things we would love to have in our dream house. It includes an inductive cooker, a big shower with a tile bench, huge floor to ceiling windows, at least one fireplace, hardwood floors, and a big porch. Every time we look at houses, we think of more things to add, but those are the ones we keep coming back to.

What specific element would you have to have in your dream home?