Small fortunes

I've been looking for condos on and off for a year now. Today was the first day I found not one, but two, things in my price range that were not only acceptable, but places I would be excited to move into. I'm not jumping into anything yet, for a number of reasons, but it is encouraging to see that the market has come down enough to make buying a reality for me.

Of those reasons, one is that my financial adviser, among others, is convinced the market will continue to go down for at least another six months to a year. He specifically told me that if I'm not being forced to move, don't, unless I get an amazing deal. The two places I saw today seemed like amazing deals, and one I would actually consider putting in a bid for. Except for the other reasons. One of which is that Mercury is currently retrograding, and you are never supposed to make big purchases in such a period. I would never base such a huge decision solely on something as flaky as astrology, but if there are other factors, I will certainly take the solar alignment into consideration.

One of the other factors is Peru, which is only three weeks away! I'm not about to start something fairly major and ripe in legal entanglements when I'm leaving the country for seven days. I'm kind of hoping that the second place I saw today will still be on the market when I get back. By then, Mercury will be direct, I'll be in the country, and I'll likely get it for much less than it's listed for now. And if not, then that will be a good sign it wasn't meant to be.

Speaking of Peru, almost everything is booked! We fly into Lima on a Saturday, stay in the suburb of Miraflores Saturday through Tuesday. Then, Tuesday, we fly to Cusco for our four-day excursion to Machu Picchu. Only one full day is Machu Picchu. Another is an Indian Village tour, another is a city tour. You can view the full itinerary here. Friday we fly back to Lima and we are staying in a super nice hotel for our last night, to make up for the fact that we're staying in a hostel in Cusco. I don't think it's like a bad hostel, just like a really, really, really basic hotel. But still. For that last night, we got an amazing rate at the Miraflores Park Hotel, and I think it will be just what the doctor ordered.

I can't get too excited about Peru, though, until the next ten days are over. I've been working on this really exciting and fabulous work project that culminates on October 1, and, until then, my attention is focused on that. I'll write more about this project either this week or next, and I hope you all will support me, as it is not only a personal pet project of mine but it also helps a great number of people across the country. More info to come.

I watched the movie Fiddler on the Roof this weekend, for the first time, ever. It seemed appropriate to title this post, "If I Were a Rich Girl" [(Yubbi dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum (or na na na na na na na na na na, if you prefer the Gwen Stefani version)], simply because I am looking at the lowest priced, reasonably liveable condos on the market. And that I'm staying in a hostel, despite the fact that I am 32 years old and really, REALLY, appreciate things like a hot shower. Clearly, I am not rich, but make plans like I aspire to be. But I have to honestly say that I feel EXTREMELY rich right now, wealthy in experience and friends and luck and energy... I am a rich girl. If not on paper or in my pocketbook, in life.