Raffale & Ron are going abroad to the UK for a wedding and then to visit family in Italy.
We own a large, historic home (kbuilt c in Walla Walla, Washington. which we are slowly restoring. Two indoor cats, Isabella and Josephine, are pretty chill. The home is 4,000 sq. ft with 4 bedrooms, and one restored bathroom upstairs with the original clawfoot tub (fingers crossed a second bathroom will be done before we leave). The house is nearly all original, with beautiful wainscoating, oak or pine floors, lathe and plaster walls.
All the systems work reliably. Plumbing is 90% new, as is the electrical. Good internet connectivity. We have a smart TV and plenty of WiFi- but don't subscribe to any cable service. (TV doesn't get network channels - Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc. only).
We are a couple blocks from beautiful Whitman College and a 10-minute walk from the award-winning historic downtown,and 4 blocks from 42-acre Pioneer Park.
The garden is a bit messy, but moving in the right direction, and there should be a good crop of fresh vegetables by August. There are pockets of "yikes," and pockets of beautiful, so you just have to be selective about where you rest your gaze. No in-ground irrigation, so watering is a chore. We should at least have part of the garden set up with drip irrigation and some above grade sprinklers, but there will be some hand watering for sure.
The house is not air conditioned, but we install window units in the bedrooms and living room.The kitchen is a good size and well-equiped with a hodge-podge of appliances. We have not tackled the kitchen yet, but like to cook. Gas cooktop, double oven, every hand appliance you could wish for. Raff bakes bread at least once a week, so if you like to bake and can keep his starter alive-- there you go.
If you are musical, there are three pianos in the house. Yep, three. One antique uprightr needs to be restrung, one upright needs to be tuned and is a little clunky, and we are storing a grand piano for friends who moved to Mexico. It may or may not be here. Usable if you are serious and promise to keep it covered and closed when not in use.
Our neighbors are friendly, and on hand to help if there are any issues. We have a jaccuzzi, outdoor fire pit, and spend much of the summer grilling and eating outside. The neighbors will gladly join you if you invite them.
Walla Walla is quaint, friendly, historic, and now a tourism mecca for wine & food lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts. During the summer the town is buzzing with open-air concerts at wineries and in parks. We have endless miles of bike and hiking trails in the Blue Mountains (Umatilla Forest). Fishing is nearby at Bennington Lake, but also on the Walla Walla river. We are about 25 miles from the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers.
Walla Walla is now considered one of top recommended places to retire in the US. Population; 35,000 city, 70,000 county. It is famous for the sweet onion, but wheat is still the major cash crop. Walla Walla is working on becoming a Blue Zone. For foodies, it has become a destination for up-and-coming chefs. The food scene is impressive. There are three colleges, good healthcare, and there is never an evening where there isn't something to do.
We have three golf courses - the WW Country Club, Veterans Municipal, and Wine Valley- a public links course consistently ranked #1 or #2 in Washington State.
Our older cat, Josephine, has kidney disease and is slowly shutting down. We have opted not to try to prolong her life with IV's and treatment, because she hates it. Instead, we keep her comfortable, and she will gladly spend the entire day sleeping on your lap if you let her. Long hair Siamese Isabella is a little skittish until she gets used to you, but will warm up. The two cats wer both foundlings off the street, and are not fond of each other, but don't fight. Oh, and a neighbor's cat, Chief, likes to come by a couple of times a day to be fed on the porch. He will hang out with you if you are outdoors.
Raffaele is Italian born, raised in Sardinia, and trained as an architectural designer first in Rome, then got his Master's of Arch at the University of Washington. Ron works in tourism with his own consulting business, but was formerly the director of tourism for the Walla Walla valley.Ron & Raff have been together for 30+ years.
We want a couple who will relax and enjoy themselves, keep the plants alive, the cats fed, and make sure the house doesn't do anything weird. "What's weird?" you ask? She's 120 years old-- anything is possible, but nothing is unfixable.
If this sounds like fun and a good fit, shoot us an and we'll chat.