Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Short Question - Short Answer

Here is a fun short question-short answer for all of you, one I've been looking forward to sharing! This reader asked: "What has been your favorite activity this summer?"

Well, I don't know if favorite is quite the right word since this whole business is quite a stressful one . . . but certainly the most exciting activity this summer has been this!

That's right. We bought a new home! We officially closed on the sale yesterday, and I am probably, even as you read this, in the midst of hauling boxes of belongings over to it and beginning the labor of setting up our new life.

We started house-hunting earlier in the summer, looking for a spot a little bigger than Rooglewood and in more of a neighborhood setting (Rooglewood is located in the downtown and, though surrounded on three sides by a bamboo forest, faces a busy commercial road). This house is the perfect solution, full of character and quirk with a big back yard for Milly to run around in . . . and plenty of room for a future family should that be God's will for us.

I'm a bit sad to leave Rooglewood, I won't lie. Okay, a lot sad. Rohan and I have loved this first home of ours and made so many memories here. But after four years of marriage (not to mention twenty-plus rescue kitties and two rescue doggies later!) the time is right to move on.

The new home has been christened as well . . . it is called Drakenheath.

Why Drakenheath, you ask? Well, I grew up in Lakenheath, England, and this house is situated on a sweet, heath-like landscape. And "Draken" is, of course, in honor of my dragon-books. So next month I hope to post the very first "Doings at Drakenheath" post for all of you!

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! What a cute little house! Are you changing the company from Rooglewood Press? And, if you don't mind my asking, are you still in Raleigh?

Anne Elisabeth Stengl said...

No, Rooglewood Press will remain Rooglewood Press. We've put far too much work into developing the brand to change it up now! And we are about 30 min. outside of Raleigh (50 min from Cary). :)

And thank you! Yes, we are very pleased with this pretty house. I'm looking forward to seeing what Rohan does with the garden . . .

Tracey Dyck said...

Drakenheath -- I love it! I had no idea you grew up in England.

And when you mentioned the bamboo forest, I looked at the Rooglewood logo and realized the background is significant. ;) Ah, me and my lightning-fast mind...

Unknown said...

Such a beautiful home! I love the new name! :) I am also very relieved to hear that there is a forest nearby--somehow, I could not imagine you and Rohan in a place without some magical woods around... ;)

Meredith said...

Congratulations on your new home. Love the name! Best wishes with unpacking and adjusting. Have Minerva and the other cats found favorite places yet? God bless.

Hannah C. said...

That house looks beautiful! And Drakenheath is such a cool name! :) If you don't mind me asking, how did you come up with the name Rooglewood for your first house? :)

Hannah said...

Drakenheath!!!!!!! How magical and how beautiful! Blessings on you and your new home!

Gracie said...

AWESOME!!!!!!! Your house is beautiful!
I also really like the name Drakenheath (Awesome name!)

Can't wait for Doings at Dakenheath!

Clara said...

Will there be some Arpiar Roses planted in the new garden? ;)

Drakenheath is such a wonderful name! Very appropriate. But, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Rooglewood...

Anonymous said...

Oh my! That is a big thing! Why are you moving? Drakenheath looks nice.
Jemma

Unknown said...

I don't know if you're still accepting questions for the series, but if you are: research! How much research do you do? How do you decide what to research? From where do you get sources? Do you have to credit the sources? And, above all, how do you pick what to use, what to discard, and what to alter? Thanks!

Unknown said...

Wow! Drakenheath is beautiful! Yeah, it's always hard leaving a place behind, but you still have the memories and you have plenty more memories to make at Drakenheath!

Anne Elisabeth Stengl said...

@Clara -- I know, I'll always have a love in my heart for Rooglewood too . . . But thankfully that's the company name, so it will stay with us for many years to come!

@Hannah Carter -- Well, the story goes like this. My husband is a collector of fine wines, and the first wine bottle he bought for his collection was an Australian wine with the mythical animal "Roogle" on the label. A Roogle is a combination of Kangaroo and Eagle (because this was an Australian/American company). To celebrate the purchase of his first home, he opened this fine bottle of Australian wine to share with his friends. So, a few weeks later (when he and I were first starting to see each other), he asked me to help him come up with a name for his new house. The house is surrounded on three sides by a dense and beautiful bamboo forest, so I suggested Rooglewood. Such a whimsical-sounding name! We bounced around a few other ideas--Rooglewode, for an Old English spelling--Roogletor, because we're also up on a hill-- etc. etc. But ultimately we both really liked Rooglewood, so it stuck. :)

@Jemma--We decided to move because we wanted to get more out into the country. Rooglewood is lovely and we have enjoyed it, but it's right in the middle of a busy downtown, so it's a bit noisy sometimes. It's also not quite big enough should we decide to start a family anytime in the next few years. So with this possibility in mind, we decided the time had come.

@Clara again--Rohan promises to plant at least one big red rosebush, which we will call the Arpiar Rose, just to please you. :)

@Allison--Yes, you can still ask questions! I have added yours to my list. It's a great one, and I'll enjoy writing up my answer.

@Beka--Yes, as I mentioned in my message to you, there is such a lovely forest right nearby! Romantic woodsy trails and then untamed forest beyond. It's really the perfect setting for us! There's also a lovely gazebo in a garden within sight of the window that will be my new office. So beautiful . . . I can hardly wait to share pictures with all of you! (Though it will probably be a few weeks since it takes a while to settle, and I'm hoping to write another full novel before Christmas . . .)

Unknown said...

Yay! Full novel before Christmas?! : D

Anonymous said...

Ok, that makes sense
Jemma

Anastasia R. said...

Oh how exciting! My dream home will be in the Mountains, how I hope you have them. Good place to find dragons...