June 16, 2009. Bethesda, Md. Condominium.

I am ready to confess. We bought a condo in Jackson, Mississippi. Settlement is not until mid July, and the purchase is contingent on an appraisal and a loan, but if all goes well with those two items, Ken and I will be staying in our own home when we visit Jackson. The condo is situated on the Reservoir, so our unit is twenty feet away from the water. Christina and Andrew live just five miles south of us. Andrew loves to fish and he loves to use his kayak and poke boat, so with the swimming pool and the paddling, a day at our condo will make for a nice little outing for them. When we come to town, we will have a spot to hang our hats and clothes and toothbrushes, without cluttering up the home of Andrew and Christina and the girls.

Our condo is very cute, with only one bedroom and one bathroom, but we bought it complete with furniture, with the exception of the bed and the TV. Between now and when we come to visit Jackson, the only thing we must buy is a bed and a TV. What a bargain. When we get old, the probability of staying in Jackson more than a week or so is high, so as the real estate market is in the doldrums, it seemed wise to buy a unit now, rather than in five or ten years. Our thinking also was to have a spot when Andrew and Christina wanted an outing that was close to home. Actually, the last thing we needed was another property to maintain, but looking a long way down the road seemed to be wise. The bedroom is on the second floor, along with the closet, bathroom and laundry, while the first floor is just one single room, where the kitchen, dining area and living room are open to each other. It is not large, but it is adequate. We did it. We bought a condo in Jackson.