The Fourth Estate

The Fourth Estate typically refers to the press and its members as a societal force.  It's a force that is not held in high regard in most circles and I think that's unfortunate, unless of course were talking about Fox News and Brother Beck, but that's not where this post is going.

Rather, as I think about the fourth estate right now, I think about our new house.  Let me be clear, our new house is no estate.  It's a great place, but an estate it is not.  What it is is the following:

• It is our fourth house
• It is the fourth time we've bought the fourth house on the left side of the street

When we bought our first house twenty years ago, it was the only lot left where they could build that little house that was in our budget.  When we moved to California and built (let me be clear, by built I mean we wrote a check and lifted not a single hammer) our second house, it was pure happenstance that it was the fourth house on the left. When we moved to the Midwest, for a third time we found ourselves in the fourth house on the left.  Once again, happenstance.  And now ensconced in New England, once again, it's the fourth house on the left again.  It didn't dawn on us that we'd done it again until several days after making an offer and signing the contract. It would seem that we are on a streak that cannot be broken.  The next house will have to be the fourth house on the left.

I'm not sure if this makes us creatures of habit or "victims" of happenstance.  If we're victims, it's been all good.  I don't want to break the streak.  I'm afraid of what might happen if we do.  That said, we continue to settle in nicely into the new home and the area. We continue to be grateful and count our blessings. Life is good.