When I moved into my Abbey in October 2010, I told everyone, including myself, there would be no more moves. It was my dream home. I planned to stay until I died or was carried out.

And I meant it. I meant it so much, I would have staked my life on it.

When I created this blog three years ago, it was so simple coming up with the name Home Sweet Abbey. Since then I’ve written, and many of you have read, lots of posts describing how wonderful my home and Maples at the Sonatas are. And I have meant every word.

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But I had forgotten two crucial truths: Never say never. And things never stay the same.

It has now been three months since the first time I walked into the home that I have come to think of as the Palazzo on the Pond. It called to me; it sang my name. It is a dream of a stand-alone home in Phase 3 of our community.

The whole thing began as a day dream. Do you remember the post I wrote on New Year’s Day? It announced my motto/goal/inspirational saying for the new year. It was/is:

If not now… then when?

A number of people told me they liked that saying. They probably assumed I was speaking in generalities, but I wasn’t. I was already working to convince myself to take a chance and try to make that Palazzo mine.

There were a number of hurdles, and there were many times I was sure I was reaching too high. One huge problem — I was almost positive that I couldn’t afford it.

But after asking lots of questions of the right people, I learned that the financing might work out, IF…

Rather than reassuring me, that knowledge scared me half to death. Just because it was possible, did I really want to do it? Did I really want to go through the stress and hard work of packing up and moving again? Did I really want to uproot myself and my two elderly cats from a home where we were so happy and comfortable? Did I really want to leave my closest neighbors, though they would be only two blocks away? Did I really want to start over with decorating?  Most of all, could I even break the strong emotional attachment I have to my Abbey?

When doubts would overwhelm me, I would go back to the Palazzo, walk through the rooms, look at the views, take a lot of deep breaths, and eventually say, Yes, I do want to do this.

And that is why, on Friday morning, I signed a contract to buy the Palazzo on the Pond. That’s a big obstacle down, but definitely not the last one. I have two more important tasks ahead of me.

First, and foremost, I must sell my Abbey. If you are interested in checking it out, you will find the listing here.

And then there’s the question that quite a few people have asked me. What am I going to call this blog?

I’m open for suggestions.