My parents are back from Tucson. They have been gone since April, the beginning of the house hunting phase. They had not seen any of the houses I had looked at. I invited them up to view the big house. I was going to be in town for the end of Trevor's camp. They were coming through on their way to the beach. My wonderful girlfriend had Trevor all week and chauffeured him everywhere. He had a play date with a friend. He went to conditioning camp every day. She really ran him around on top of doing her own children. Today was the day to pick him up.
Riley was supposed to come with me, but he was exhausted by the farm weekend. Another trip this soon was more than he wanted to do. He wanted to sleep and sleep and sleep. I am pretty sure he just grew half an inch overnight. He got up for his morning pills and some cereal then went back to bed and slept another 4 hours. I left him behind as a result.
I had thought to take Riley up to his new high school and have him talk to a councilor about next year and his electives, but it can wait until August when the councilors are back in school. Today was their last day in the office for the summer.
Trevor learned the proper form to lift weights on the bar this week. Monday, he injured himself and pulled a muscle trying for 200. Today, having been shown proper technique by the coach, he lifted 300 pounds. He wants to sleep in tomorrow. He has conditioning and band practice for the fourth of July parade. Maybe early bed time will help get him up in time tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Meanwhile, on the way home, I arranged to look at a Viking stove top. I got a little lost so I had to call Riley and have him look up the address on the computer and talk me through from where I was driving to where I needed to be. I picked up the Viking gas cook top I saw on Craigslist. It is lovely. I could never afford a viking brand appliance if it weren't used. New this stove top runs $2200 starting. I paid $825. Tom didn't even blink when I had him look at the picture on line. He said get it. We had better get this house because now I am collecting appliances to go in it.
This six burner gas drop in cook top is gorgeous. Next week I am looking at Viking double ovens to match, have to have wall ovens if I am doing a cook top. Its going to be a show kitchen since I really don't cook. Tom will enjoy using it though. I just have to come up with a microwave for me.
Viking and Wolf are top appliances for high end homes and for the real chef. I am really thrilled at my purchase. The kitchen will live up to the quality of the house and neighborhood. The dishwasher is already stainless so it will match. We will eventually have to buy a fridge but we can make do for a while with the one we have.
I finishing up on our old house yard. The five yards of bark I ordered arrived. With my helpers we got it all spread. The weed bags were picked up by the garbage man at the same time. The boys stood and watched as the garbage man tossed each heavy bag as if it was full of light cotton balls. They were impressed at how he made those bags we had struggled to drag to the street look so light. I couldn't help watching either. We got back to work and finished spreading the bark in the yard in a few hours.
I wanted to stop by the new house and do some weeding in my new yard before meeting up with my girlfriend and retrieving Trevor. I payed off my helpers so I could leave and head north.
With Mom coming to see the house for the first time the next day, I wanted to try and give a good first impression. I brought my clippers and drove over to the new house where I worked on the mass of overgrowth for another four hours. I cleared enough around the house that there was good access to all the doors. It is still an out of control mess but I can see that I can get it done with time.
While working on the front yard I noticed the neighbor's gardener leaving. I stopped and asked him if he would bid me on how much it would cost to remove all the blackberries in the back and the ivy in the front. Half the drive is now covered with ivy growing out from the bank above the house. He said he would call his boss who would stop by a little later. I continued to work away at the brambles while I waited.
When the boss arrived, I showed him the lay of the land, which we could now see as I had cleared a small path to the back deck through the blackberries. As we walked I clipped. He turned to me and said in accented English that he had to tell me he had never met "An American white woman who worked as hard as I did" . The progress I had made was obvious. I told him I just wanted my movers to be able to reach the front door unimpeded. I did crack a smile. I almost asked if he had an opening on his crew as I needed a job.
Eventually I had to quit. It was after 6:00, I ached and had blisters on my hands. I notices my arms were all scraped up from the brambles, but I hadn't noticed while I was working. The rain and been intermittent so I was soaked through and filthy dirty. I headed out to retrieve Trevor from his play date and went over to my girlfriend's house for dinner. I had to change before I could sit on her furniture I was that dirty.
Tom joined us for dinner. He was tired from work so he only hung out for a short while before heading off to bed upstairs. I had brought him a package of books he had ordered on fuel cells. I thought he wanted to read his new material. He was snoring when I checked on him.
This morning Trevor was delivered to his last conditioning class for the week. I went back to the house to do a bit more weeding before my parents arrived for their first view. I picked up Trevor and did more weeding while we waited. My parents called around noon. They were almost in town and wanted to meet at a restaurant for lunch then follow us up to the house. We had a lovely buffet lunch, then headed to the house.
What can I say, the place is huge. It goes on and on; The big game room, all the decks, the dining area, the kitchen, the laundry, the living room area, the big windows. We hadn't even gotten to the bedrooms. Then there is the three car garage and the basement. For being abandoned for all this time, the house is still solid. No water was in the basement this time. No mold, which only makes me feel better about the construction of the house. Its a big solid home.
I think my parents liked it but were overwhelmed by the size. There is a lot of work to do. Once the yard is under control we can take it easy for a while, though. We wont start any projects immediately. We will want to study the lay out.
Mom thought I should leave the washer and dryer just off the kitchen. It does make for one level living when we are older. but I can always bring them back downstairs for that eventuality. Leave the plumbing in place so I can always put them back in. I do need a pantry though and that is the logical closet, or put the pantry out in the garage. So many choices, so many decisions.
The bid was $1850 to remove all the blackberries and ivy. $400 off if they don't have to drag the blackberries from the back yard up to the street to be hauled away. I am thinking I can do it myself, I will just get a dumpster delivered once I have enough clipped down to fill it. I made a big dent. Tom will have fun with his power tools and his giant steel bladed weed eater. I would like to put that money towards the appliances I am buying for the kitchen and the gas hook up. It would more than cover the costs of the used Viking stove top and double ovens, justifying the splurge.
There is a 50% discount to the cost of the gas hook up if we do the trenching ourselves; two feet deep, six inches wide with sand in the bottom to run the gas line from the street to the house. The gas company said it was $1700 because it was across the street, adding distance. One of the other homes looks like they are either repairing a sewer line or putting in gas just down the street. There is a trench being dug in their yard. We want to put in a gas fire place also.
We'll have to prioritize our projects. Tom might enjoy renting a small tractor and just bulldozing the back yard and digging that trench. There is an obvious spot to put it in at the side of the house, but first the brambles and ivy need to be removed.
I am getting excited. Our Realtor said this morning, when she unlocked the house so I could show my mom, the second bank had requested the same papers the first bank asked for, records of the seller's net worth. Copies had been delivered yesterday to the second bank, since the Realtors already had them in hand. That was a 7 to ten day window of processing last time. We are thinking this bank may be faster. I may have to move the move date one more time, but I am told there is great confidence that we will not be refused or turned down at this point. I am thinking two weeks and we will own that great big house.
Positive vibes, Baby. Positive vibes.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Moving date moved... Again-cory
I finally did it. With July 1 approaching and no news, I told the tenants I would not be out in time for their original move in date to get the house ready. I told them I would give them August free for their inconvenience. She wanted $600 for paint. I was firm. I will not pay for paint. I was already paying for landscaping and a move in ready cleaning. It will probably cost me $1000 by the time we are done and out, just to have the house ready for them.
The landscaping is running me a little under $500 with 5 yards of the bark and the crew to spread it, front and back yard. The weeds were pulled and I bought some landscaping weed suppressant material for the boarders so the weeds will have a hard time coming back. It will look lovely. Eighteen yard bags of debris are waiting for garbage pick up day.
I trimmed the trees back from the fence and the driveway. I wanted to make sure there would not be any issues down the road. I fertilized all the plants and put lawn stuff on the lawn with weed killer.
The cleaning service will come in once we are moved so I haven't been able to get that done with all our stuff still in the house. It will be easy once we are gone. I will try to have as much done as possible prior, but we really need to be out of the way.
As soon as we have news we are lined up to move. My movers have been great. So far they have been available for every new date I requested. June 27 came and went, but I had rescheduled for the 6th of July. As we approached that date, I moved us to the 11 of July. I am about to ask again if he has other openings later in the month. I am trying to stay two weeks ahead on the off chance we get news on the house and can close.
What the hang up is or why this takes so long, I have no idea. All I feel is animosity. It makes me want to go off the grid, never use a bank again. They are flexing their muscle and there is nothing we can do about it.
Meanwhile, I went on Craigslist and started shopping new used appliances for the kitchen. I will let you know how that goes after I get what I want. Wouldn't want any competition for these really wonderful items I am finding. Gas kitchen is going to be impressive.
The smaller house came back to us and told us they would accept our offer after all if we were still interested. I told the realtor that we really wanted the big house. We would have had to do remodeling on the small house to make it big enough for us. Convert the garage to living space and add a detatched garage. The kitchen was dated and not gas either. By the time we were done we would have spent almost as much as the big house is costing us now to buy, and still had a smaller house in not quite as consistantly nice a neighborhood.
It was a hard call, though. We could be done and moved if we had gone with the smaller house. Tom is a Leo and he wants the show house. This is a great opportunity to get a steal on a house if we are patient. But I am stressing the patient. I hope every day to hear news.
Positive Vibes, Baby.
The landscaping is running me a little under $500 with 5 yards of the bark and the crew to spread it, front and back yard. The weeds were pulled and I bought some landscaping weed suppressant material for the boarders so the weeds will have a hard time coming back. It will look lovely. Eighteen yard bags of debris are waiting for garbage pick up day.
I trimmed the trees back from the fence and the driveway. I wanted to make sure there would not be any issues down the road. I fertilized all the plants and put lawn stuff on the lawn with weed killer.
The cleaning service will come in once we are moved so I haven't been able to get that done with all our stuff still in the house. It will be easy once we are gone. I will try to have as much done as possible prior, but we really need to be out of the way.
As soon as we have news we are lined up to move. My movers have been great. So far they have been available for every new date I requested. June 27 came and went, but I had rescheduled for the 6th of July. As we approached that date, I moved us to the 11 of July. I am about to ask again if he has other openings later in the month. I am trying to stay two weeks ahead on the off chance we get news on the house and can close.
What the hang up is or why this takes so long, I have no idea. All I feel is animosity. It makes me want to go off the grid, never use a bank again. They are flexing their muscle and there is nothing we can do about it.
Meanwhile, I went on Craigslist and started shopping new used appliances for the kitchen. I will let you know how that goes after I get what I want. Wouldn't want any competition for these really wonderful items I am finding. Gas kitchen is going to be impressive.
The smaller house came back to us and told us they would accept our offer after all if we were still interested. I told the realtor that we really wanted the big house. We would have had to do remodeling on the small house to make it big enough for us. Convert the garage to living space and add a detatched garage. The kitchen was dated and not gas either. By the time we were done we would have spent almost as much as the big house is costing us now to buy, and still had a smaller house in not quite as consistantly nice a neighborhood.
It was a hard call, though. We could be done and moved if we had gone with the smaller house. Tom is a Leo and he wants the show house. This is a great opportunity to get a steal on a house if we are patient. But I am stressing the patient. I hope every day to hear news.
Positive Vibes, Baby.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Part 2
I picked up Riley from his friend's house. They were back from the farm where they had had a wonderful time. I was glad I wasn't there as they had gone mountain biking, and road hay bales on the back of a pick up and done all these wonderful normal activities that would have had my heart in my throat.
Riley said they mucked out the stables, fed the hogs and chickens, and played hard. They met a 17 year old teen hired to help out around the place. The boys loved working with him. He had all the latest computer games to share. At the end of the day they all played war games on the house computer.
Riley was filthy and once home couldn't wait to get a bath. The farm house only had one bathroom for everyone. He is now playing a new game gifted to him by his new friend in Hood River. If the invitation came again to go to the farm and work, I think Riley for once would be at the front of the line volunteering.
Riley said they mucked out the stables, fed the hogs and chickens, and played hard. They met a 17 year old teen hired to help out around the place. The boys loved working with him. He had all the latest computer games to share. At the end of the day they all played war games on the house computer.
Riley was filthy and once home couldn't wait to get a bath. The farm house only had one bathroom for everyone. He is now playing a new game gifted to him by his new friend in Hood River. If the invitation came again to go to the farm and work, I think Riley for once would be at the front of the line volunteering.
Scattered children
I took Trevor up to LV so he could start his conditioning camp and meet other players and get familiar with the area. He will be staying with a friend for a few days. I stopped by the new Super Walmart and loaded up on $150 worth of food so he wouldn't starve at her house. She does the Medifast diet and has girls. Her refrigerator and pantry last time I was at her home were bare of anything that my boys might eat. This way Trevor can't whine and is fully provided. She wont have to break the bank feeding him.
He will come home from the camp before lunch so three meals a day need to be available. The first day we arrived at the weight room we were early. It turns out the camp is only one hour long. Two sessions are offered. The first is for the fast ball carriers, the second is for the linemen. I told Trevor to do both, this first day. Tomorrow he would be dropped off just in time for his proper group. He will get to meet everyone.
He has been in conditioning down here for a week, which I thought would help for when he joined the new team up there. He has been running at least a mile and doing the bleacher stairs as part of training. Then they go to the weight room. Conditioning was two hours long. The new class is one hour, half weight room and half running. The running is not nearly as long.
Trevor came out of his first class limping. He had lost a bet. A boy had said Trevor could not lift him off the ground. Trevor said he could. Trevor lost. The boy weighed 220 not the 187 he said he weighed. Trevor's punishment was to lift 200 pounds on the bar. He did but he pulled a muscle in the process.
He looked a little sad when I picked him up due to his pain. I hope today goes better. He was just trying to fit in. The coach, when I introduced him, was impressed by his size for a freshman. And he is still only 13. Trevor didn't let the others know he was a Freshman. He said everyone else is an upper class man.
After practice I gave him an ibuprofen for his sore leg. He showered, then dressed nicely to attend a funeral with me. An old teacher we had known had passed away of cancer. His wife was having a Catholic service for him, though he was not Catholic. Funerals are closure for the living. The dead aren't even there. The box of ashes was at the front of the church draped in white linen.
Many of Trevor's elementary teachers were there. I enjoyed talking to the teachers with him
and showing off how big he was these days, from that tiny child they once knew. Trevor has social skills and diplomacy. He carried on conversations and made eye contact. he was not shy. I was very proud to have him with me, especially at the occasion of a funeral.
We drove by the new house, which every day looks more and more neglected. The overgrown plants are horrible. I am going back up there tomorrow to see the school councilor and get the boys electives chosen, taking both boys in with me to talk to the councilor and get acclimated to the school. It is the last day the councilors are in the office for the rest of the summer. A short tour of the school will help the boys in the fall. Give them a foot up in adjusting to the unfamiliar area.
Afterward I want to take the boys up to the house and do some yard work with them. Have them pull weeds and clip back the blackberries a little. If we can create a path so we have access to the house for moving day I will be happy. I know this will work in the end. I just have to be patient.
I told the property manager last night that the bank has not budged on our August 3 closing date. He called because the tenants were back in town and inquiring as to our progress. I told him to say they could have August free for the inconvenience but could not move in before August 3. There. I did it. I bumped the tenants. It will cost us $1700. The relief is well worth it. Hopefully they will still want to move in.
Their problem was they wanted to give notice on the place where they are now. With the first of the month looming I realized they needed to know the reality of our situation. I did not want to be homeless and have to put everything in storage for just a few weeks. They can stay an extra month where they are with impunity. I hope to hear that they are still wanting the place now that I have pushed them off.
I am going to take my gardening clothes to LV tomorrow so I can vent some of my frustrations on the yard at the new house. Tame the wilderness a little. It is supposed to rain, though. I will bring umbrellas. I have time. Maybe we will even hear something positive next week.
He will come home from the camp before lunch so three meals a day need to be available. The first day we arrived at the weight room we were early. It turns out the camp is only one hour long. Two sessions are offered. The first is for the fast ball carriers, the second is for the linemen. I told Trevor to do both, this first day. Tomorrow he would be dropped off just in time for his proper group. He will get to meet everyone.
He has been in conditioning down here for a week, which I thought would help for when he joined the new team up there. He has been running at least a mile and doing the bleacher stairs as part of training. Then they go to the weight room. Conditioning was two hours long. The new class is one hour, half weight room and half running. The running is not nearly as long.
Trevor came out of his first class limping. He had lost a bet. A boy had said Trevor could not lift him off the ground. Trevor said he could. Trevor lost. The boy weighed 220 not the 187 he said he weighed. Trevor's punishment was to lift 200 pounds on the bar. He did but he pulled a muscle in the process.
He looked a little sad when I picked him up due to his pain. I hope today goes better. He was just trying to fit in. The coach, when I introduced him, was impressed by his size for a freshman. And he is still only 13. Trevor didn't let the others know he was a Freshman. He said everyone else is an upper class man.
After practice I gave him an ibuprofen for his sore leg. He showered, then dressed nicely to attend a funeral with me. An old teacher we had known had passed away of cancer. His wife was having a Catholic service for him, though he was not Catholic. Funerals are closure for the living. The dead aren't even there. The box of ashes was at the front of the church draped in white linen.
Many of Trevor's elementary teachers were there. I enjoyed talking to the teachers with him
and showing off how big he was these days, from that tiny child they once knew. Trevor has social skills and diplomacy. He carried on conversations and made eye contact. he was not shy. I was very proud to have him with me, especially at the occasion of a funeral.
We drove by the new house, which every day looks more and more neglected. The overgrown plants are horrible. I am going back up there tomorrow to see the school councilor and get the boys electives chosen, taking both boys in with me to talk to the councilor and get acclimated to the school. It is the last day the councilors are in the office for the rest of the summer. A short tour of the school will help the boys in the fall. Give them a foot up in adjusting to the unfamiliar area.
Afterward I want to take the boys up to the house and do some yard work with them. Have them pull weeds and clip back the blackberries a little. If we can create a path so we have access to the house for moving day I will be happy. I know this will work in the end. I just have to be patient.
I told the property manager last night that the bank has not budged on our August 3 closing date. He called because the tenants were back in town and inquiring as to our progress. I told him to say they could have August free for the inconvenience but could not move in before August 3. There. I did it. I bumped the tenants. It will cost us $1700. The relief is well worth it. Hopefully they will still want to move in.
Their problem was they wanted to give notice on the place where they are now. With the first of the month looming I realized they needed to know the reality of our situation. I did not want to be homeless and have to put everything in storage for just a few weeks. They can stay an extra month where they are with impunity. I hope to hear that they are still wanting the place now that I have pushed them off.
I am going to take my gardening clothes to LV tomorrow so I can vent some of my frustrations on the yard at the new house. Tame the wilderness a little. It is supposed to rain, though. I will bring umbrellas. I have time. Maybe we will even hear something positive next week.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Walking Blisters
Relay for Life was last night. Trevor had marching band practice for the Fourth. The band opened the first lap for the walk. Cancer never sleeps so people will be walking twenty four hours to remind us all of the battle being fought.
Trevor called me after band practice to come down and join him. I signed us up as a team. Trevor named us Team Shirley in honor of my Dad who died July 1, 2009 of metastisized colon cancer. We each decorated a white luminary bag with his name on it. The back of my bag listed the last name of all his daughters and family, his legacy on earth. McGuigan, Alias, Mead, Shirley, Hausler.
At Trevor's request I took Bucky with us. Trevor said there were plenty of dogs. Bucky was a nice distraction. There were other dogs on leashes for him to great. Trevor did run into one mean dog. Bucky squatted and pissed himself with fear as the big dog stood over him growling. It was a boxer. The owner took the mean dog home. All the other dogs were really sweet and greated Bucky with friendship and nose sniffs. Bucky hid behind me any time we passed a big dog though. He has a good sense of self preservation.
We walked until dark doing four miles. After dark there was a slide show of local family members who had battled and lost to the disease, or survived. All participants circled the track and held hands. A community hug is what they called it. A bag piper played last. We left after the bag pipes. People headed off to their campers and tents for bed while their team members walked through the night.
Had we a real team I would have said Trevor could stay. Maybe next year we'll do a team in Longview. In cities across the nation, in every state, people were walking to remember and raise money for the cure. Trevor suggested we do a team McFarnham next year in honor of Riley and our other friend with a sick child. If it weren't for the grades, Trevor would be wonder boy.
Aplastic Anemia is technically not a cancer, but is treated with cancer drugs. It is kind of the anti-cancer as rather than producing cancer cells, tumors, or deformed cells like in leukemia, Aplastic Anemia produces no cells what so ever. You have to have new cells to replace the old cells in your body or you die.
I wrote a check for our Team Shirley. Trevor received a T-shirt. They offered one to me but I took another one in Trevor's size. He wanted to tie dye one and he didn't want to give up the one he had on. I don't wear t-shirts. We dropped the tie dye shirt off at the apropriate booth with a donation. This year they do it for you, which I love because it is such a messy job. Last year Trevor got to tie the rubber bands and squirt his own colors on. It is so much nicer this way. You come back in half an hour to pick up a plastic bag with your wet shirt in it. It has to sit 24 hours tied up before you take off the rubber bands and wash it for the first time. Now he has two shirts to wear, XL.
Trevor argued with me about spending the night. If I had one of those cool RVs that were parked along the edge of the field, I would be all over spending the night. But I am not so into sleeping on the grass in sleeping bags, not without a full team. I look forward to doing a team next year.
Trevor impresses me with his community awareness and service. If only he could be more organized, and dedicate even a portion of his heart to homework and school work. All his teachers say he can do better. They recommend pushing him forward.Tom wants to hire a tutor for school. At this point I just say, lets get moved first, I will discuss it later.
A friend dropped by for a couple of hours. She was on the way to the laundry mat to do a sleeping bag. She was going to stop by and bring me Starbucks. I suggested she use my laundry. My thought was that she could stay longer if she didn't have to run off to check her wash. My machine can take a sleeping bag easily.
Since I don't do coffee, I asked her to bring me a strawberry frappe, blended smoothie. Trevor shared it with me. I had a hard time keeping his hands off it. We tossed the sleeping bag into the wash, and sat talking for a while. My girl friend offered to help with my sorting and packing. She is really organized. I asked her to help me with the boy's toy boxes in the play room.
It was wonderful to have a helper. We sorted out the lego/bionicles into one massive box. She commented on the fact that she was surprised to see that our collection rivaled hers. I was overwhelmed by the numbers we had. We also sorted army men and all the other toys. When we were done. I had her carry everything out of the house for donation. I was internally twitching as I donated the toys, due to my hording instincts, but the boys hadn't touched any of them in three months. Since I put them all away in a corner toy box for the house staging.
There were some army men out, so I might go back into the army men box and keep a small selection. But by the time we had everything sorted I had found we owned enough army men to fill a whole moving box to the rim. It was a bit of an over kill. It is hard to let go, but I tell myself I am not a hoarder. I am not a hoarder. I am twitching, though, trying to resist the temptation to keep it all.
One friend said the test is if you can get it again, replace it, then give it away. The boys like new kits of bionicles, and really they have outgrown them. They are into technology. I made up a box just for cords and wires. Those we'll discard at the other end once we know what goes where. I would not want to take the chance of tossing a power cord now and needing it later.
It was a huge achievement to get the playroom completely done. I am proud of that accomplishment. My garbage is again full to the rim.
No real news on the house front so I have pushed the move off another week. The renters wont be pleased but my friends that I will be asking the favor of staying with will be relieved. July 11 is now our new moving date. I hope and pray for news soon. My house will be well sorted and organized this time. That is the difference between having a corporate move and doing it yourself. I didn't even bother sorting last time. Now I have to touch every item in the house and deal with it. I should have done this a long time ago. I am considering this motivating and a positive experience now. Especially knowing I can move the moving date again so we wont be homeless as long.
Tom says we should just bump the renters. Tell them they can't move in until August. I am tempted. August is a good month for moving and renters looking for a place. Rentals are hard to come by right now. It is a landlord's dream market. We are also giving them a low price. I am getting my head around the idea that I am in the driver's seat. I am the landlord. I am not to be pushed around by a potential tenant. They are getting a great deal. Zillow.com has our house as a rental charging $1800 to $2200, because of it's unusually large size, number of bedrooms, and location, and newness.
I am glad I told them July 8 before I could see them again. I can push off the altercation. I need to check with our property manager on the contract. See when we said they could have the house officially. August 3 seems so far away and yet so close. I am chomping at the bit to get it done. Our property manager told me to just tell them August. She thought I was being pushed around and I could tell by her tone of voice she would opt for August move in date. Forget giving them access early. She has been worth every penny during this, our first rental agreement. Of course she wants the house spotless and the yard weeds under control also. I am trying to take her advice.
Tom stayed up in Longview to golf, which is probably for the best, as I feel edgy all the time due to these pressures. I am afraid he could do nothing right in my eyes right now if he were home trying to be helpful. I would be cranky at anything and everything. I realize that my feelings are totally unfair. He even said he can't work when I am around as I hover over him and go through everything again after he is done. It's true I don't trust him to not throw out something I want. It is the hoarder in me. But he will be proud of my progress now.
Riley is off in Hood River hanging with his best friend at their farm. They have a new horse along with all their other farm animals. He made the mistake of crying out in the car while getting loaded up, when one of the smaller children touched his computer bag with small hands. As a result my like minded friend and the mother of all the children pointed out that at the farm there are no electronic devices. It is an outdoor run a round kind of place and to please leave the computer behind. The computer was unloaded into my waiting hands. I smirked. If Riley had had better manners and had been more sensitive, he might have gotten away with sneaking his computer on the trip. He can be such a selfish freak, his own tantrum at having someone else even touch his computer bag was his own undoing. Had he been quiet or handled the situation with even a bit of grace, My girlfriend would not have even known the computer was in the car until it was too late to leave it behind. Two minutes longer and they would have been on the freeway. Now Riley will have to breath outside air and ride a bike or go for a walk. His friend was no less pleased at having the computer left behind, teenagers. I can't wait to hear how the weekend went with the suffering of outside activities.
Meanwhile, Trevor and I walked four miles with the dog, for a great cause. Trevor had a fit that I wouldn't let him camp out all night. How could two boys from the same gene pool be so different.
Trevor called me after band practice to come down and join him. I signed us up as a team. Trevor named us Team Shirley in honor of my Dad who died July 1, 2009 of metastisized colon cancer. We each decorated a white luminary bag with his name on it. The back of my bag listed the last name of all his daughters and family, his legacy on earth. McGuigan, Alias, Mead, Shirley, Hausler.
At Trevor's request I took Bucky with us. Trevor said there were plenty of dogs. Bucky was a nice distraction. There were other dogs on leashes for him to great. Trevor did run into one mean dog. Bucky squatted and pissed himself with fear as the big dog stood over him growling. It was a boxer. The owner took the mean dog home. All the other dogs were really sweet and greated Bucky with friendship and nose sniffs. Bucky hid behind me any time we passed a big dog though. He has a good sense of self preservation.
We walked until dark doing four miles. After dark there was a slide show of local family members who had battled and lost to the disease, or survived. All participants circled the track and held hands. A community hug is what they called it. A bag piper played last. We left after the bag pipes. People headed off to their campers and tents for bed while their team members walked through the night.
Had we a real team I would have said Trevor could stay. Maybe next year we'll do a team in Longview. In cities across the nation, in every state, people were walking to remember and raise money for the cure. Trevor suggested we do a team McFarnham next year in honor of Riley and our other friend with a sick child. If it weren't for the grades, Trevor would be wonder boy.
Aplastic Anemia is technically not a cancer, but is treated with cancer drugs. It is kind of the anti-cancer as rather than producing cancer cells, tumors, or deformed cells like in leukemia, Aplastic Anemia produces no cells what so ever. You have to have new cells to replace the old cells in your body or you die.
I wrote a check for our Team Shirley. Trevor received a T-shirt. They offered one to me but I took another one in Trevor's size. He wanted to tie dye one and he didn't want to give up the one he had on. I don't wear t-shirts. We dropped the tie dye shirt off at the apropriate booth with a donation. This year they do it for you, which I love because it is such a messy job. Last year Trevor got to tie the rubber bands and squirt his own colors on. It is so much nicer this way. You come back in half an hour to pick up a plastic bag with your wet shirt in it. It has to sit 24 hours tied up before you take off the rubber bands and wash it for the first time. Now he has two shirts to wear, XL.
Trevor argued with me about spending the night. If I had one of those cool RVs that were parked along the edge of the field, I would be all over spending the night. But I am not so into sleeping on the grass in sleeping bags, not without a full team. I look forward to doing a team next year.
Trevor impresses me with his community awareness and service. If only he could be more organized, and dedicate even a portion of his heart to homework and school work. All his teachers say he can do better. They recommend pushing him forward.Tom wants to hire a tutor for school. At this point I just say, lets get moved first, I will discuss it later.
A friend dropped by for a couple of hours. She was on the way to the laundry mat to do a sleeping bag. She was going to stop by and bring me Starbucks. I suggested she use my laundry. My thought was that she could stay longer if she didn't have to run off to check her wash. My machine can take a sleeping bag easily.
Since I don't do coffee, I asked her to bring me a strawberry frappe, blended smoothie. Trevor shared it with me. I had a hard time keeping his hands off it. We tossed the sleeping bag into the wash, and sat talking for a while. My girl friend offered to help with my sorting and packing. She is really organized. I asked her to help me with the boy's toy boxes in the play room.
It was wonderful to have a helper. We sorted out the lego/bionicles into one massive box. She commented on the fact that she was surprised to see that our collection rivaled hers. I was overwhelmed by the numbers we had. We also sorted army men and all the other toys. When we were done. I had her carry everything out of the house for donation. I was internally twitching as I donated the toys, due to my hording instincts, but the boys hadn't touched any of them in three months. Since I put them all away in a corner toy box for the house staging.
There were some army men out, so I might go back into the army men box and keep a small selection. But by the time we had everything sorted I had found we owned enough army men to fill a whole moving box to the rim. It was a bit of an over kill. It is hard to let go, but I tell myself I am not a hoarder. I am not a hoarder. I am twitching, though, trying to resist the temptation to keep it all.
One friend said the test is if you can get it again, replace it, then give it away. The boys like new kits of bionicles, and really they have outgrown them. They are into technology. I made up a box just for cords and wires. Those we'll discard at the other end once we know what goes where. I would not want to take the chance of tossing a power cord now and needing it later.
It was a huge achievement to get the playroom completely done. I am proud of that accomplishment. My garbage is again full to the rim.
No real news on the house front so I have pushed the move off another week. The renters wont be pleased but my friends that I will be asking the favor of staying with will be relieved. July 11 is now our new moving date. I hope and pray for news soon. My house will be well sorted and organized this time. That is the difference between having a corporate move and doing it yourself. I didn't even bother sorting last time. Now I have to touch every item in the house and deal with it. I should have done this a long time ago. I am considering this motivating and a positive experience now. Especially knowing I can move the moving date again so we wont be homeless as long.
Tom says we should just bump the renters. Tell them they can't move in until August. I am tempted. August is a good month for moving and renters looking for a place. Rentals are hard to come by right now. It is a landlord's dream market. We are also giving them a low price. I am getting my head around the idea that I am in the driver's seat. I am the landlord. I am not to be pushed around by a potential tenant. They are getting a great deal. Zillow.com has our house as a rental charging $1800 to $2200, because of it's unusually large size, number of bedrooms, and location, and newness.
I am glad I told them July 8 before I could see them again. I can push off the altercation. I need to check with our property manager on the contract. See when we said they could have the house officially. August 3 seems so far away and yet so close. I am chomping at the bit to get it done. Our property manager told me to just tell them August. She thought I was being pushed around and I could tell by her tone of voice she would opt for August move in date. Forget giving them access early. She has been worth every penny during this, our first rental agreement. Of course she wants the house spotless and the yard weeds under control also. I am trying to take her advice.
Tom stayed up in Longview to golf, which is probably for the best, as I feel edgy all the time due to these pressures. I am afraid he could do nothing right in my eyes right now if he were home trying to be helpful. I would be cranky at anything and everything. I realize that my feelings are totally unfair. He even said he can't work when I am around as I hover over him and go through everything again after he is done. It's true I don't trust him to not throw out something I want. It is the hoarder in me. But he will be proud of my progress now.
Riley is off in Hood River hanging with his best friend at their farm. They have a new horse along with all their other farm animals. He made the mistake of crying out in the car while getting loaded up, when one of the smaller children touched his computer bag with small hands. As a result my like minded friend and the mother of all the children pointed out that at the farm there are no electronic devices. It is an outdoor run a round kind of place and to please leave the computer behind. The computer was unloaded into my waiting hands. I smirked. If Riley had had better manners and had been more sensitive, he might have gotten away with sneaking his computer on the trip. He can be such a selfish freak, his own tantrum at having someone else even touch his computer bag was his own undoing. Had he been quiet or handled the situation with even a bit of grace, My girlfriend would not have even known the computer was in the car until it was too late to leave it behind. Two minutes longer and they would have been on the freeway. Now Riley will have to breath outside air and ride a bike or go for a walk. His friend was no less pleased at having the computer left behind, teenagers. I can't wait to hear how the weekend went with the suffering of outside activities.
Meanwhile, Trevor and I walked four miles with the dog, for a great cause. Trevor had a fit that I wouldn't let him camp out all night. How could two boys from the same gene pool be so different.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Yard work
I met friends for a good bye pedicure last night at six. We arrived in the parking lot at the same time. They called my name several times before I responded as I was so tuned out and tired from a hard physical day in the yard. My blisters popped today as I continue to help. If I am out there with the boys a lot more gets done.
I picked a lovely fun sparkly bright green color. I thought it reminded me of my green garden. The color made me smile. I spent an hour sitting in the massage chair with the rollers running up and down my back. The Asian woman wanted to know if I wanted the sea salt rub for an extra five dollars. No question, I wanted the works. Soak, Leg massage, Sea salt rub, paraffin wax, moisturizer, and of course the removal of excess cutical skin and rough callouses. Ahhh, it felt lovely and such wonderful company. I am hopeful we can still get together later after we move. I needed that pampering last night.
This morning, I uncovered all the sprinkler heads to make sure they are located and wouldn't get lopped off with enthusiastic digging. I also pulled all the clumps of weeds from around my permanent plants so there would be no mistaking the plants for the weeds. I am leaving much of the root digging out to the boys. The new replacement hoe is working great and has held up well this time.
To give the teens credit, the front yard looks great and ready for bark. At least the weeds are either gone or buried. My boys did not help. Trevor's help was to sneak and turn the sprinklers on while the others were hard at work. Trevor did play the good host and make ice blended lemonade every day and serving everyone, several times. I have gone through two gallons of lemon flavoring and three cans of frozen lemonade. Today he woke up with a stomach ache. Probably from too much sour acid.
Riley hides out in the house playing computer games. He claims he is not supposed to work in the dirt. He is probably right. It is pretty messy work digging in the soil and being exposed to parasites and germs. It is those simple germs that can make immune suppressed people really sick. I hate playing into his phobias, but why take the chance. This is real dirt digging, not just mowing the lawn.
At lunch yesterday the teens took two hours and played chess and computer games with Riley, until I rousted them back to work. All I can say is I am glad I am paying for the job and not by the hour. It is definitely getting done under my watchful eye, but it does take the watchful eye to get it done. I am pleased with our progress.
I am off to buy yard debris bags at the store as we have filled our weed garbage already and I filled a neighbor's bin. She is on vacation so I figured she would not be needing it this week.
Riley is getting picked up for a play date today. We will see how long the friends want to keep him. He is packed for the weekend just in case the opportunity presents itself. One of their small children, age six, had a serious infection recently that landed him in the hospital. A lot depends on if he stays healthy on his antibiotics, whether the play date will last longer than a day. That and whether Riley can behave, be helpful with the little ones, and not irritate.
Trevor was supposed to be at conditioning camp but the sour stomach is keeping him in bed this morning. He told me he threw up his breakfast the first day of camp. He ate a hot dog for breakfast and up it came after hard exercise. The coach thought the ketchup was blood and made him check in with the infirmary, but he was quickly back at work. The kids run the bleachers, up and down, and the track. I am hopeful this camp helps get him in shape for the next camp. It would be nice if he made a good first impression with his new coaches.
Trevor will be staying with a friend of mine the first week of his new camp. I like the idea of my girlfriend getting him to camp. She knows how to roust him from bed and motivate work out of him. That first week will be critical to keep him going.
I had better get back out to the yard as I can hear the kids playing again.
I picked a lovely fun sparkly bright green color. I thought it reminded me of my green garden. The color made me smile. I spent an hour sitting in the massage chair with the rollers running up and down my back. The Asian woman wanted to know if I wanted the sea salt rub for an extra five dollars. No question, I wanted the works. Soak, Leg massage, Sea salt rub, paraffin wax, moisturizer, and of course the removal of excess cutical skin and rough callouses. Ahhh, it felt lovely and such wonderful company. I am hopeful we can still get together later after we move. I needed that pampering last night.
This morning, I uncovered all the sprinkler heads to make sure they are located and wouldn't get lopped off with enthusiastic digging. I also pulled all the clumps of weeds from around my permanent plants so there would be no mistaking the plants for the weeds. I am leaving much of the root digging out to the boys. The new replacement hoe is working great and has held up well this time.
To give the teens credit, the front yard looks great and ready for bark. At least the weeds are either gone or buried. My boys did not help. Trevor's help was to sneak and turn the sprinklers on while the others were hard at work. Trevor did play the good host and make ice blended lemonade every day and serving everyone, several times. I have gone through two gallons of lemon flavoring and three cans of frozen lemonade. Today he woke up with a stomach ache. Probably from too much sour acid.
Riley hides out in the house playing computer games. He claims he is not supposed to work in the dirt. He is probably right. It is pretty messy work digging in the soil and being exposed to parasites and germs. It is those simple germs that can make immune suppressed people really sick. I hate playing into his phobias, but why take the chance. This is real dirt digging, not just mowing the lawn.
At lunch yesterday the teens took two hours and played chess and computer games with Riley, until I rousted them back to work. All I can say is I am glad I am paying for the job and not by the hour. It is definitely getting done under my watchful eye, but it does take the watchful eye to get it done. I am pleased with our progress.
I am off to buy yard debris bags at the store as we have filled our weed garbage already and I filled a neighbor's bin. She is on vacation so I figured she would not be needing it this week.
Riley is getting picked up for a play date today. We will see how long the friends want to keep him. He is packed for the weekend just in case the opportunity presents itself. One of their small children, age six, had a serious infection recently that landed him in the hospital. A lot depends on if he stays healthy on his antibiotics, whether the play date will last longer than a day. That and whether Riley can behave, be helpful with the little ones, and not irritate.
Trevor was supposed to be at conditioning camp but the sour stomach is keeping him in bed this morning. He told me he threw up his breakfast the first day of camp. He ate a hot dog for breakfast and up it came after hard exercise. The coach thought the ketchup was blood and made him check in with the infirmary, but he was quickly back at work. The kids run the bleachers, up and down, and the track. I am hopeful this camp helps get him in shape for the next camp. It would be nice if he made a good first impression with his new coaches.
Trevor will be staying with a friend of mine the first week of his new camp. I like the idea of my girlfriend getting him to camp. She knows how to roust him from bed and motivate work out of him. That first week will be critical to keep him going.
I had better get back out to the yard as I can hear the kids playing again.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Lunch break
You get what you pay for. The teen helpers are on a long lunch break playing with my boys. No one is working but me. Tom says living away from home is like being on Vashon again, isolated and alone, with none of his own stuff around him. He misses us, though I wonder why. The boys are so not helpful unless I get cranky. They avoid helping until I have to yell. Tom would hate being home with me cranky almost as much as he hates living away from home.
I went to the local farm and garden store and bought a hoe to help the teens speed up with the gardening. It broke within the hour under the hands of my helpers. I had to go back to the store for an exchange. The rake broke also, but I had had it a couple of years so I couldn't exchange it. I told them I would do the lawn mower. I don't need that broken also.
I am taking my own break as I type. The sweat makes my shirt stick to my back. Even though the sun didn't make an appearance it is still warm outside. Not having the sun beat down on us helps. Yesterday, with the sun out, it was incredibly warm and exhausting work.
The garbage man emptied our cans so we can refill them today. I will put them back on the street once they are filled to ensure that they are not forgotten next week. I can't afford not to have them emptied each week so we can stuff them full again with weeds.
My front yard is beginning to look barren with all the flowers and weeds pulled. If it wasn't a bush or a tree, I told the boys to pull it out. Our renter made it very clear she likes the clean empty none gardener look. She didn't like the tall flowers or the mint. Most of my plantings were low maintenance. I also had a sprinkler system put in two years ago. That should help everything survive neglect.
It does look more like a rental now as the character I gave the house is washed away. The iron sculptures are collected for the move so they wont be forgotten. We have had to leave garden features behind before. I do not want to lose my favorites. The iron Beaver, the iron scarecrow, the french iron wheel all have to be packed.
Well, I need to end my break. Slowly everything is getting boxed, but it wont if I am not doing it.
The "investors" have our contract now, what ever that means. It is technically not the banks but the banks have to negotiate with the "investors" before we can have a signed agreement. BA has verbally agreed to accept. They now have to convince the second bank and the second bank's investors. August 3 seems very far away when our movers are coming July 6.
I called the utility companies to find out how long once we have confirmation that we can get power and water turned back on. Telephone takes three days minimum to hook up. Water and electric take twenty four hours to turn on.
I went to the local farm and garden store and bought a hoe to help the teens speed up with the gardening. It broke within the hour under the hands of my helpers. I had to go back to the store for an exchange. The rake broke also, but I had had it a couple of years so I couldn't exchange it. I told them I would do the lawn mower. I don't need that broken also.
I am taking my own break as I type. The sweat makes my shirt stick to my back. Even though the sun didn't make an appearance it is still warm outside. Not having the sun beat down on us helps. Yesterday, with the sun out, it was incredibly warm and exhausting work.
The garbage man emptied our cans so we can refill them today. I will put them back on the street once they are filled to ensure that they are not forgotten next week. I can't afford not to have them emptied each week so we can stuff them full again with weeds.
My front yard is beginning to look barren with all the flowers and weeds pulled. If it wasn't a bush or a tree, I told the boys to pull it out. Our renter made it very clear she likes the clean empty none gardener look. She didn't like the tall flowers or the mint. Most of my plantings were low maintenance. I also had a sprinkler system put in two years ago. That should help everything survive neglect.
It does look more like a rental now as the character I gave the house is washed away. The iron sculptures are collected for the move so they wont be forgotten. We have had to leave garden features behind before. I do not want to lose my favorites. The iron Beaver, the iron scarecrow, the french iron wheel all have to be packed.
Well, I need to end my break. Slowly everything is getting boxed, but it wont if I am not doing it.
The "investors" have our contract now, what ever that means. It is technically not the banks but the banks have to negotiate with the "investors" before we can have a signed agreement. BA has verbally agreed to accept. They now have to convince the second bank and the second bank's investors. August 3 seems very far away when our movers are coming July 6.
I called the utility companies to find out how long once we have confirmation that we can get power and water turned back on. Telephone takes three days minimum to hook up. Water and electric take twenty four hours to turn on.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Packing
NO new news on the house front, but the movers are still coming in a week. I am beginning to stress and sweat the packing. I open cupboards to more stuff. I am about finished though with the kitchen other than our everyday dishes. I made a pile of the fragile boxes in the front room. The book boxes are in the living room. The garage is still a project, but I have made inroads. Three runs to the thrift store with donations of odds and ends.
I realize when my children go off to college I do have enough supplies for them to have off campus apartments.
I am tackling the weeds in the yard with some teen helpers. I am hoping it will look decent in a few days. I'll order the bark next week once the weeding is done. It is taking longer than I thought it would. Tomorrow is garbage day so I will have empty cans again. Right now they are on the street full to the brim.
I threw away the old rabbit cage. It was 25 years old. The bottom was rusty. It stuck out of the top of the garbage can so I couldn't close the lid. It does feel good to have tossed some big items.
I had to chase the neighbor children away. They were distracting the boys from packing and driving me a bit crazy. It is just too stressful having children running around asking questions and getting into things. The boys are trying every excuse to get out of packing. We will get the packing done though. We have to.
I realize when my children go off to college I do have enough supplies for them to have off campus apartments.
I am tackling the weeds in the yard with some teen helpers. I am hoping it will look decent in a few days. I'll order the bark next week once the weeding is done. It is taking longer than I thought it would. Tomorrow is garbage day so I will have empty cans again. Right now they are on the street full to the brim.
I threw away the old rabbit cage. It was 25 years old. The bottom was rusty. It stuck out of the top of the garbage can so I couldn't close the lid. It does feel good to have tossed some big items.
I had to chase the neighbor children away. They were distracting the boys from packing and driving me a bit crazy. It is just too stressful having children running around asking questions and getting into things. The boys are trying every excuse to get out of packing. We will get the packing done though. We have to.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Fathers Day
For Tom it is a perfect fathers day. Nascar is on TV and so is an exciting US Open. Tom sits in his recliner in control of the remote. He wants his coffee filled without getting up. Not much different really from any other Sunday.
I asked if the boys had given him anything. He tells me he has received nothing. I took Trevor to the store after practice yesterday so he could get his father cards. The boys haven't even bothered to sign them or give them to their father. I tell them, loudly, to get their act together and present their dad with his cards. Trevor has picked out hair dye for his gift to Tom. He is old enough to take the response. I think Tom will accept it in good spirits. It just irritates me that I have to walk them through every little step.
I had told Riley about the cards hours earlier. He had even located the bag from the store, which was still by the front door. But that was as far as it went.
Now the presentation is done. Tom received his cards and the boys go back to their computer games and Tom to his TV.
Mothers day, I like to go out and have a meal with my children, interact and talk with them. Tom just wants peace and the TV. Now that I think about it, that is not a bad way to spend the day.
I asked if the boys had given him anything. He tells me he has received nothing. I took Trevor to the store after practice yesterday so he could get his father cards. The boys haven't even bothered to sign them or give them to their father. I tell them, loudly, to get their act together and present their dad with his cards. Trevor has picked out hair dye for his gift to Tom. He is old enough to take the response. I think Tom will accept it in good spirits. It just irritates me that I have to walk them through every little step.
I had told Riley about the cards hours earlier. He had even located the bag from the store, which was still by the front door. But that was as far as it went.
Now the presentation is done. Tom received his cards and the boys go back to their computer games and Tom to his TV.
Mothers day, I like to go out and have a meal with my children, interact and talk with them. Tom just wants peace and the TV. Now that I think about it, that is not a bad way to spend the day.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Thursday nightmare-cory
I had my niece and nephew with me this week. My sister has a great new job and camp doesn't start until next week. Everything went pretty well during the first part of the week. I packed, the kids played on the computer, Trevor went to football camp, Will, my nephew, bounced balls.
The first balls Will bounced were the balls from the pool table on the concrete patio. I confiscated those balls and put them safely out of reach. He found a can of tennis balls to entertain himself with after that. I packed and sorted to the sound of bouncing balls. At least I knew what he was up to then. We were not child proof like I usually am when Will visits. The house was a mess. Food he shouldn't eat was accessible and not locked out of reach.
Thursday, Tom came home early. I had hoped the cousins would be picked up Thursday by their Dad, but that didn't happen. My sister had told him it was fine to leave them with me. It lasted about 15 minutes once Tom walked in the door. He called and left a message asking when would the spares be gone. No one called back. My stress level began to rise. I was tired.
The renters had called during the afternoon and were threatening to pull out of the deal because we weren't contributing to the cost of their remodel. They didn't get that we are not putting any more money than necessary into this house. It is a rental unit. You get what you get. They are getting in two weeks early at our inconvenience to do what they feel needs to be done. We are not charging them rent for those two weeks.
I like laminate. They want to put down carpeting. They want to paint the whole house to their tastes. We gave them permission, but we are not paying for any of it. I don't like carpeting. It would rent just fine as it is without our making any changes. I will have it clean and the yard weeded and barked. That is as far as I go. Tom doesn't even want to do that.
I responded through our property manager. She definitely earned her keep that day as she negotiated and mediated both cranky parties. I said I would paint the bright green bedroom. It would be white paint and they would not get in early. Tom said to ask if they wanted a three year lease with the option to buy at the end of that time at a specified price agreed upon. Our philosophy is that if they are complaining about our not helping with the costs of what they want to do then perhaps they want to buy the place, having put all this time and money into it. We want the house gone and with as little loss as possible. We have to sell within five years. They only signed a lease for one.
They were leaving for vacation and I didn't have time to meet with them that day especially with extra children and having to be vigilant with Will. I figure it was buyers remorse that they were just trying to push to see what they could get. But there isn't anything to get. It is a rental unit. She had come through a few days earlier to take another look around with her mother. We are in the midst of packing. Boxes and mess was everywhere. In hindsight I should never have let her come over. I was too nice. It scared her that the house wouldn't be ready.
At the same time as I am venting to my property manager about their inability to understand this is a rental, my real estate agent calls. If we can get papers signed with just a slight adjustment in price they will facilitate the second bank accepting our offer. They won't change the closing date from August, but once all parties accept we can close without delay. We don't have to wait for the end of the month of July.
I am almost wishful the renters would take me up on the offer to paint Trevor's room so we can have a few extra weeks to stay and wait for closing. Not having a house to move into is very stressful to say the least. The renters won't be back from vacation for two weeks. I am not going to think about that potential problem until then.
My printer ran out of ink in the middle of printing the latest contract needing my signature. I ended up receiving a fax copy and re faxing it back. Being without ink was not helping my stress. Time was critical as the BA agent was going on vacation and would forward the paper work only if it was on her desk first thing Friday morning, otherwise we would lose at least another week waiting. August will be four months waiting. Since the second just has to sign off on the contract I pray for a quick approval. We may yet make our deadlines and not be homeless.
Friday, I drop Trevor off at practice. It is a scrimmage day and beautiful. I stop by the store to pick up allergy meds for Tom. When I get home I ask if anyone wants to go watch the scrimmages. Everyone says "no". Tom says he wants to make breakfast and needs bread. I run back to the store. I buy some other things we need and as I unload I warn Tom to put everything up out of reach of Will so he doesn't eat anything he shouldn't. While carrying in the bags of groceries, I see Will bouncing on a painting that had fallen over from being leaned against a wall waiting to be packed. That was my final straw. Tom had not signed on to watch Will and was oblivious, the others were ignoring Will while on the computer playing games.
I yelled that all the kids were to put their shoes on and get in the car. I did not want to leave Will unsupervised in my house while I went to watch Trevor play football. The kids were all coming with me. They would watch Will at the football field where I knew he would not be destroying the house while my back was turned. No one spoke on the ride to the field.
I dropped them as far away from the scrimmage field as I could, and then went to watch the game. I could see them sitting in the adjacent field just hanging out. At least they weren't in the house anymore, bothering Tom or breaking things. It was a lovely day. I had made everyone put sun block on in the car ride over.
My poor friends, though. Everyone I ran into received my vent. I probably chased away several parents. It was just not my day. I was done with stress. I ran into a lovely mom I hadn't seen in a while. She shared her tales of family woes with me. It made me feel better to know that this kind of life is normal at times. This level of stress happens to everyone. It also helped to take that time out in the sun and just sit. I lost a day of packing, though I put in four hours when I got home that evening.
I can't say I handled my issues on Friday with grace or aplomb. When My ex brother in law did pick up his children, he was an hour earlier than planned, thanks to my calling his office and venting. I apologized to him in front of my niece when he arrived, so she knew I was sorry for when I told her her father was a word I wont print when he didn't call me back after two messages had been left earlier.
She gave me a hug of forgiveness. She had had a great week with the cousins. A little thing like her Auntie blowing a gasket was not going to spoil her memories of the week with the cousins. I wear my life on the outside. I don't like secrets. I knew my niece probably might say something about my disastrous lack of decorum in the last 24 hours. I had better just fess up and say sorry to her parents before they heard about it from her.
If I hadn't had so much going on emotionally with the renters, the house contract with the printer dying, Tom coming home and needing his space, the house being in such disarray and not child proofed for William. I hit a brick wall and exploded. Now, so far, everything is resolving itself or can be pushed out in time. The contract is with the second bank. The cousins are gone. The renters went on vacation for two weeks and didn't cancel before they left. The packing is making progress including the garage. It was just a rough couple of days so we can appreciate and recognize the good days when they come back again.
Positive Vibes, please.
The first balls Will bounced were the balls from the pool table on the concrete patio. I confiscated those balls and put them safely out of reach. He found a can of tennis balls to entertain himself with after that. I packed and sorted to the sound of bouncing balls. At least I knew what he was up to then. We were not child proof like I usually am when Will visits. The house was a mess. Food he shouldn't eat was accessible and not locked out of reach.
On Tuesday I went out with a couple of friends for dinner. They had wanted to catch me before we moved away. Just to the Mexican restaurant down the street. The kids were left in charge of watching Will. It was early in the week and we hadn't yet tired of the vigilance. At dinner my friends shared their family issues; sick husband, mother in law with memory issues living with them. Aaah, it felt so good to know this is what we women do. We handle these issues. We fill the need.
Thursday, Tom came home early. I had hoped the cousins would be picked up Thursday by their Dad, but that didn't happen. My sister had told him it was fine to leave them with me. It lasted about 15 minutes once Tom walked in the door. He called and left a message asking when would the spares be gone. No one called back. My stress level began to rise. I was tired.
The renters had called during the afternoon and were threatening to pull out of the deal because we weren't contributing to the cost of their remodel. They didn't get that we are not putting any more money than necessary into this house. It is a rental unit. You get what you get. They are getting in two weeks early at our inconvenience to do what they feel needs to be done. We are not charging them rent for those two weeks.
I like laminate. They want to put down carpeting. They want to paint the whole house to their tastes. We gave them permission, but we are not paying for any of it. I don't like carpeting. It would rent just fine as it is without our making any changes. I will have it clean and the yard weeded and barked. That is as far as I go. Tom doesn't even want to do that.
I responded through our property manager. She definitely earned her keep that day as she negotiated and mediated both cranky parties. I said I would paint the bright green bedroom. It would be white paint and they would not get in early. Tom said to ask if they wanted a three year lease with the option to buy at the end of that time at a specified price agreed upon. Our philosophy is that if they are complaining about our not helping with the costs of what they want to do then perhaps they want to buy the place, having put all this time and money into it. We want the house gone and with as little loss as possible. We have to sell within five years. They only signed a lease for one.
They were leaving for vacation and I didn't have time to meet with them that day especially with extra children and having to be vigilant with Will. I figure it was buyers remorse that they were just trying to push to see what they could get. But there isn't anything to get. It is a rental unit. She had come through a few days earlier to take another look around with her mother. We are in the midst of packing. Boxes and mess was everywhere. In hindsight I should never have let her come over. I was too nice. It scared her that the house wouldn't be ready.
At the same time as I am venting to my property manager about their inability to understand this is a rental, my real estate agent calls. If we can get papers signed with just a slight adjustment in price they will facilitate the second bank accepting our offer. They won't change the closing date from August, but once all parties accept we can close without delay. We don't have to wait for the end of the month of July.
I am almost wishful the renters would take me up on the offer to paint Trevor's room so we can have a few extra weeks to stay and wait for closing. Not having a house to move into is very stressful to say the least. The renters won't be back from vacation for two weeks. I am not going to think about that potential problem until then.
My printer ran out of ink in the middle of printing the latest contract needing my signature. I ended up receiving a fax copy and re faxing it back. Being without ink was not helping my stress. Time was critical as the BA agent was going on vacation and would forward the paper work only if it was on her desk first thing Friday morning, otherwise we would lose at least another week waiting. August will be four months waiting. Since the second just has to sign off on the contract I pray for a quick approval. We may yet make our deadlines and not be homeless.
Friday, I drop Trevor off at practice. It is a scrimmage day and beautiful. I stop by the store to pick up allergy meds for Tom. When I get home I ask if anyone wants to go watch the scrimmages. Everyone says "no". Tom says he wants to make breakfast and needs bread. I run back to the store. I buy some other things we need and as I unload I warn Tom to put everything up out of reach of Will so he doesn't eat anything he shouldn't. While carrying in the bags of groceries, I see Will bouncing on a painting that had fallen over from being leaned against a wall waiting to be packed. That was my final straw. Tom had not signed on to watch Will and was oblivious, the others were ignoring Will while on the computer playing games.
I yelled that all the kids were to put their shoes on and get in the car. I did not want to leave Will unsupervised in my house while I went to watch Trevor play football. The kids were all coming with me. They would watch Will at the football field where I knew he would not be destroying the house while my back was turned. No one spoke on the ride to the field.
I dropped them as far away from the scrimmage field as I could, and then went to watch the game. I could see them sitting in the adjacent field just hanging out. At least they weren't in the house anymore, bothering Tom or breaking things. It was a lovely day. I had made everyone put sun block on in the car ride over.
My poor friends, though. Everyone I ran into received my vent. I probably chased away several parents. It was just not my day. I was done with stress. I ran into a lovely mom I hadn't seen in a while. She shared her tales of family woes with me. It made me feel better to know that this kind of life is normal at times. This level of stress happens to everyone. It also helped to take that time out in the sun and just sit. I lost a day of packing, though I put in four hours when I got home that evening.
I can't say I handled my issues on Friday with grace or aplomb. When My ex brother in law did pick up his children, he was an hour earlier than planned, thanks to my calling his office and venting. I apologized to him in front of my niece when he arrived, so she knew I was sorry for when I told her her father was a word I wont print when he didn't call me back after two messages had been left earlier.
She gave me a hug of forgiveness. She had had a great week with the cousins. A little thing like her Auntie blowing a gasket was not going to spoil her memories of the week with the cousins. I wear my life on the outside. I don't like secrets. I knew my niece probably might say something about my disastrous lack of decorum in the last 24 hours. I had better just fess up and say sorry to her parents before they heard about it from her.
If I hadn't had so much going on emotionally with the renters, the house contract with the printer dying, Tom coming home and needing his space, the house being in such disarray and not child proofed for William. I hit a brick wall and exploded. Now, so far, everything is resolving itself or can be pushed out in time. The contract is with the second bank. The cousins are gone. The renters went on vacation for two weeks and didn't cancel before they left. The packing is making progress including the garage. It was just a rough couple of days so we can appreciate and recognize the good days when they come back again.
Positive Vibes, please.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
houses
The adorable 1955 vintage house countered. List price was $209,000 down from $235,000. We offered $185,000 or 81 dollars a square foot, which is what Tom and I figure is basic replacement value on a house these days, if you wanted to build. The vintage had laminate counters and vinyl and carpets. The bones and layout were wonderful, but it needed cosmetic work. It was a 1955 house. There would be issues. I felt the price was as if the work was already done, so I offered low. They came back at $199,900. I am letting it go. It was a one shot deal. One reason to let it go was in the same day we heard a verbal acceptance from Bank America. Maybe BA heard we had offered on another house.
Bank America, the big house has accepted our offer. The bank accepted our offer, but it is only a verbal yes so far. Nothing in writing. Now they have to settle with the second bank and make the second accept the deal. Time whittles away from us. But I am hopeful that the second will go much more quietly and swiftly than the first bank. Bank America has a bad reputation as being slow as a snail. They are telling us the first week of August, the 5th. They did make the June 15 deadline, even though we wanted it sooner, so maybe they will live up to the August 5 dead line, even though we want sooner. The wheels of power move slowly and they can't be rushed.
The vintage house was a one shot deal for us. Tom didn't love it and it was a bit small. We would have had to convert the garage to living space. The house was half the size which also meant half the return on our investment. Park hill will be lovely. If I convert that basement, it is big enough to be a rental unit or mother in law suite. It has lots of potential. You could set the house up so we could grow old in it. Even have a live in assistant downstairs in a pretty glamorous apartment if done right.
Bottom line is I think we can pull this off. The problem is timing. We are out of here in two weeks with no where to go. Putting our stuff in storage just makes me want to role my eyes. But I am living with boxes now. Today is the garage. I need to make a big dent and re pack all that stuff out there. The lids need to be able to close and breakables need to be wrapped. It is what it is.
Trevor has football day camp starting the day we originally have scheduled to move. He has to be in Longview. Otherwise we could go to the coast and stay the month at my Mom's beach house. Camp out and enjoy. His camp is Monday through Thursdays. We could go to the beach every weekend. I could pull that off. We are looking at 6 weeks in limbo at this point. Unless the banks agree early to the closing.
We can't close without free and clear title on the house. It has the two bank leans. Otherwise I would say lets just close with the owner, but then the banks could still come after the house. We have to wait for everyone to agree.
To the garage now. I can't put it off any longer.
Bank America, the big house has accepted our offer. The bank accepted our offer, but it is only a verbal yes so far. Nothing in writing. Now they have to settle with the second bank and make the second accept the deal. Time whittles away from us. But I am hopeful that the second will go much more quietly and swiftly than the first bank. Bank America has a bad reputation as being slow as a snail. They are telling us the first week of August, the 5th. They did make the June 15 deadline, even though we wanted it sooner, so maybe they will live up to the August 5 dead line, even though we want sooner. The wheels of power move slowly and they can't be rushed.
The vintage house was a one shot deal for us. Tom didn't love it and it was a bit small. We would have had to convert the garage to living space. The house was half the size which also meant half the return on our investment. Park hill will be lovely. If I convert that basement, it is big enough to be a rental unit or mother in law suite. It has lots of potential. You could set the house up so we could grow old in it. Even have a live in assistant downstairs in a pretty glamorous apartment if done right.
Bottom line is I think we can pull this off. The problem is timing. We are out of here in two weeks with no where to go. Putting our stuff in storage just makes me want to role my eyes. But I am living with boxes now. Today is the garage. I need to make a big dent and re pack all that stuff out there. The lids need to be able to close and breakables need to be wrapped. It is what it is.
Trevor has football day camp starting the day we originally have scheduled to move. He has to be in Longview. Otherwise we could go to the coast and stay the month at my Mom's beach house. Camp out and enjoy. His camp is Monday through Thursdays. We could go to the beach every weekend. I could pull that off. We are looking at 6 weeks in limbo at this point. Unless the banks agree early to the closing.
We can't close without free and clear title on the house. It has the two bank leans. Otherwise I would say lets just close with the owner, but then the banks could still come after the house. We have to wait for everyone to agree.
To the garage now. I can't put it off any longer.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Counters
The Bank countered on the big house. We dwell on what to re counter. Do we do the much smaller practical house, but a tight fit, well with in our budget, needs work, but has a lovely yard, and is much older, 1955, or go for the big house that needs yard work, is younger, 1989, has lots of possibilities and space, but a little stretch financially.
Tom loves the big house. It could be a real show stopper. I could do either one. Both are great choices. We wait until tomorrow to hear if the small one counters. Hard choices ahead in the next 24 hours.
In had my nephew over today. He is staying a couple days with us. His day camp doesn't start until next week for the summer. He wandered around playing bounce the ball, while I worked on the kitchen. I tackled the top of the cabinets. All the decorative bowls and ceramic chickens that have sat up there for four years came down and had to be washed. They were so dirty it looked like fur was growing on them. I scrubbed the top of the cabinets with concentrated cleaner to cut through the built up grime. I was thrilled with my progress. It was a big accomplishment to clean off the cabinet tops. It is an area often missed and a dead giveaway of bad housekeeping, like the top of the fridge or microwave.
I wanted the "sit abouts" to dry fully before I pack them so they are still sitting on the counter. The kitchen counter is a mess of clutter. Some of the birds are made of hammered tin and could easily bend or crush. I will need to wrap them carefully. They need to be completely dry so they don't rust. I had a couple of Toil painted serving trays. Just washing them caused scratches in the paint. I had to be so gentle to clean them. They had been my grandmothers at one time, true vintage serving trays. They would look right at home in the 1950's house.
My white rooster was covered in brown fuzz. The color change was dramatic after washing. All the bowls looked clean and bright by the time I finished. It took hours. I will do the silver tomorrow. It all needs to be polished and dried also. Everything washed today will be carefully wrapped and boxed. The counters will be cleared to prepare for the next items to be wrapped and boxed.
The movers said the kitchen takes the most time. Honestly, I am avoiding the garage. I will get as much done everywhere else, then tackle that disaster of a garage. That room may just need some thrift store deliveries to clearance. But everything has to be gone through first, since all the papers were messed up when they were put in the garage while preparing the house for sale. I should move what I know for sure I am keeping into the house. That might help bring the mess down to a dull roar.
Today I made a significant dent on one room. I will continue to plug away so when we do move we are ready for it. The boxes are piling up heavy and full. I opened up one of my linen boxes and used the linens to wrap breakable china. It seemed a more practical and efficient way to pack than using news paper. I was out of paper, but this way I didn't have to stop work to go find a new supply of paper.
My printer ran out of ink. I will need to get new ink before any more contracts or extensions arrive to be printed out and signed. My neighbor generously let me print off the last contract at her house. 20 pages of disclaimers to protect the real estate agents from their clients. Only the first page is the important one, stating we want to buy the house that is for sale, and at what price. The rest is so much legalese. Tomorrow I will get ink though so I am not running to my neighbor's again. It is no wonder we ran out of ink with the number of contracts I have printed out.
We offered on the dive at least three times over the course of three months. Now it is beyond our ability to salvage. The big house and now the vintage, both contracts were at least 20 pages long for the standard contract. Nothing fancy just lots of nit picking from the realtors.
Cleaning the house is keeping me distracted while we wait. Luckily with all the kids visiting the TVs all have shows I don't want to watch and the computers are all taken with games. Not much choice but to pack. Keeps me focused on what I need to be doing. But I do need to pick up ink. I will hopefully be receiving more papers to print out tomorrow. Just have to figure out which house we want to have with two different offers now out there. We will see who responds with what first.
Tom loves the big house. It could be a real show stopper. I could do either one. Both are great choices. We wait until tomorrow to hear if the small one counters. Hard choices ahead in the next 24 hours.
In had my nephew over today. He is staying a couple days with us. His day camp doesn't start until next week for the summer. He wandered around playing bounce the ball, while I worked on the kitchen. I tackled the top of the cabinets. All the decorative bowls and ceramic chickens that have sat up there for four years came down and had to be washed. They were so dirty it looked like fur was growing on them. I scrubbed the top of the cabinets with concentrated cleaner to cut through the built up grime. I was thrilled with my progress. It was a big accomplishment to clean off the cabinet tops. It is an area often missed and a dead giveaway of bad housekeeping, like the top of the fridge or microwave.
I wanted the "sit abouts" to dry fully before I pack them so they are still sitting on the counter. The kitchen counter is a mess of clutter. Some of the birds are made of hammered tin and could easily bend or crush. I will need to wrap them carefully. They need to be completely dry so they don't rust. I had a couple of Toil painted serving trays. Just washing them caused scratches in the paint. I had to be so gentle to clean them. They had been my grandmothers at one time, true vintage serving trays. They would look right at home in the 1950's house.
My white rooster was covered in brown fuzz. The color change was dramatic after washing. All the bowls looked clean and bright by the time I finished. It took hours. I will do the silver tomorrow. It all needs to be polished and dried also. Everything washed today will be carefully wrapped and boxed. The counters will be cleared to prepare for the next items to be wrapped and boxed.
The movers said the kitchen takes the most time. Honestly, I am avoiding the garage. I will get as much done everywhere else, then tackle that disaster of a garage. That room may just need some thrift store deliveries to clearance. But everything has to be gone through first, since all the papers were messed up when they were put in the garage while preparing the house for sale. I should move what I know for sure I am keeping into the house. That might help bring the mess down to a dull roar.
Today I made a significant dent on one room. I will continue to plug away so when we do move we are ready for it. The boxes are piling up heavy and full. I opened up one of my linen boxes and used the linens to wrap breakable china. It seemed a more practical and efficient way to pack than using news paper. I was out of paper, but this way I didn't have to stop work to go find a new supply of paper.
My printer ran out of ink. I will need to get new ink before any more contracts or extensions arrive to be printed out and signed. My neighbor generously let me print off the last contract at her house. 20 pages of disclaimers to protect the real estate agents from their clients. Only the first page is the important one, stating we want to buy the house that is for sale, and at what price. The rest is so much legalese. Tomorrow I will get ink though so I am not running to my neighbor's again. It is no wonder we ran out of ink with the number of contracts I have printed out.
We offered on the dive at least three times over the course of three months. Now it is beyond our ability to salvage. The big house and now the vintage, both contracts were at least 20 pages long for the standard contract. Nothing fancy just lots of nit picking from the realtors.
Cleaning the house is keeping me distracted while we wait. Luckily with all the kids visiting the TVs all have shows I don't want to watch and the computers are all taken with games. Not much choice but to pack. Keeps me focused on what I need to be doing. But I do need to pick up ink. I will hopefully be receiving more papers to print out tomorrow. Just have to figure out which house we want to have with two different offers now out there. We will see who responds with what first.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Hold your breath More changes
Tom slept on the idea of the duplex overnight. I woke after he left and went to check my e mail. He had left me a message to go check that small house that my friends and I had seen and loved but thought it was a bit small for all of us. 2300 square feet, No guest room or office/sitting room. Three bedroom, with a master suite to die for. Huge and glamorous master suite with great bathroom and laundry in one of the closets in the master suite. Just a really efficient well planned and laid out house. The whole house was vintage 1950's. My furniture would look beautiful in the setting.
Its an estate that has been for sale for over six months. I told my agent Tom would be calling to see it tonight after work. Tom called back, he had looked at the pictures on line. He said to just make the offer. He would still see it, but didn't want to delay the offer going in today. We discussed price and came to an agreement. I called the agent to write up the offer. No inspection, quick closing.
Tom and I are not that big on inspections. So much can be missed that it really doesn't do any good. I hear too many nightmares. We can see the big things as well as an inspector. I made the offer taking in to consideration we would be buying the house as is with no inspection. I had peaked in the attic when I was there the first time. The house is clean and doesn't smell of any dangers. I did not check the crawl space, but it is hill side with good drainage. A bit close to the neighbor in the back, but a brick fence obscures the view. A few more strategic plantings or wall extenders and the back neighbor's house disappears.
Its a one story ranch. A perfect retirement home. Another house we looked at, closer to the club is for sale, but newly on the market and too high in price still. We can't wait for it to come down and it is still generating a lot of interest because of its location. This house on the hill is ready. It would be a great easy rental later also, if we decide we just need bigger. I am thinking of converting the garage, though, to living space like we did in La Center and doing a detached garage. That would give us the missing space. We are still not next to the club, but we can always keep shopping and wait. The lot is almost half an acre so there is room for the garage. I debate whether to do the upstairs storage like I did before as the roof of the ranch style house is so low, I wonder if the proportions would look strange. We can also just live without a garage. Something to dwell on.
I just want to drive back up there again and see the place, but I should be packing. I asked the movers if I could push the moving date off a day or two to buy us some time for closing. It is going to be tight, even if they do accept our offer. I am keeping the duplex on retainer just in case. It may cost my $200 deposit, but better to be safe than sorry. Funny how the thought of living in a duplex on duplex row got Tom to adjust to buying a potential rental to live in. though this is a pretty nice home for a rental. I love that master suit. The sun room will be our office.
Lets see if they accept our offer. Again I am holding my breath.
OK now I really have to get to packing.
Its an estate that has been for sale for over six months. I told my agent Tom would be calling to see it tonight after work. Tom called back, he had looked at the pictures on line. He said to just make the offer. He would still see it, but didn't want to delay the offer going in today. We discussed price and came to an agreement. I called the agent to write up the offer. No inspection, quick closing.
Tom and I are not that big on inspections. So much can be missed that it really doesn't do any good. I hear too many nightmares. We can see the big things as well as an inspector. I made the offer taking in to consideration we would be buying the house as is with no inspection. I had peaked in the attic when I was there the first time. The house is clean and doesn't smell of any dangers. I did not check the crawl space, but it is hill side with good drainage. A bit close to the neighbor in the back, but a brick fence obscures the view. A few more strategic plantings or wall extenders and the back neighbor's house disappears.
Its a one story ranch. A perfect retirement home. Another house we looked at, closer to the club is for sale, but newly on the market and too high in price still. We can't wait for it to come down and it is still generating a lot of interest because of its location. This house on the hill is ready. It would be a great easy rental later also, if we decide we just need bigger. I am thinking of converting the garage, though, to living space like we did in La Center and doing a detached garage. That would give us the missing space. We are still not next to the club, but we can always keep shopping and wait. The lot is almost half an acre so there is room for the garage. I debate whether to do the upstairs storage like I did before as the roof of the ranch style house is so low, I wonder if the proportions would look strange. We can also just live without a garage. Something to dwell on.
I just want to drive back up there again and see the place, but I should be packing. I asked the movers if I could push the moving date off a day or two to buy us some time for closing. It is going to be tight, even if they do accept our offer. I am keeping the duplex on retainer just in case. It may cost my $200 deposit, but better to be safe than sorry. Funny how the thought of living in a duplex on duplex row got Tom to adjust to buying a potential rental to live in. though this is a pretty nice home for a rental. I love that master suit. The sun room will be our office.
Lets see if they accept our offer. Again I am holding my breath.
OK now I really have to get to packing.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Updates
The lovely sweet rental I was hoping for went to a family that could do a year lease. I was just about to leave town Sunday night after a weekend of house sitting and getting a rental lined up. I called to see if I could drop off the deposit, since I hadn't heard from them. I was disappointed at the news that someone else was getting the house. It was 2000 square feet tucked into the woods not far from the club. I t would have sustained us well.
Instead, one of my girlfriends who just knows the right people, got a frantic call from me to make some magic happen. Did she know anyone who had a rental available in two weeks. She called her old landlord that she had used between house shopping and purchase a few years ago.
A week ago he hadn't had anything open. This weekend he had renters move out. I met him twenty minutes later at the available duplex. It is a dead end street with one shabby duplex among eight. Ours luckily was one of the new models, less than three years old. Small but clean with a suitable back yard fenced for the dog. A lovely view of a field out the back made it bearable. I might even take the 10x10 back bedroom for Tom and I because of the view.
He will do month by month. and accept pets with an extra deposit of $500 on top of the $1000 cleaning deposit. Because of my friend as a reference he is letting us have it. She is a clean freak and a great tenant. I will have to hire her when we move out to help me clean the place. I thought it looked pretty good when I saw it, but the land lord was looking at the carpets and saying he would have them cleaned for us before we moved in. I am never seeing my cleaning deposit again. I just know that going in to this duplex. He is a clean freak also. My cleaning deposit is toast.
The one shabby unit was interesting.As I pulled up to park one tenant yelling up at the second story balcony of the other unit using expletives to tell them to stop slamming their doors. But the rest of the neighborhood seemed quiet and calm. We always have the club to go hide if it gets really bad. My girlfriend pointed out that Tom's propensity for fireworks would be quite welcome in this neighborhood. I told her the grass field would limit the display, but maybe not this year with all the rain.
Pretty much everything will go into storage. I might make a u haul run and then let the movers bring up the rest to store. I am thinking even of throwing down a rug in the garage to give us a little more living space. Its going to be tight. but it was either that or give up the dog and cats or sign a one year lease. and I want to limit the pain to as short a duration as possible.
Trevor said he was OK with an apartment. He "had stayed overnight in one before." Tom and I roared with laughter at that. He has no idea what we are in for. The last time Tom and I lived in an apartment was for two months before we bought our first house and before we had pets or children. This isn't quite an apartment as it is a coldasack of duplexes. Our unit is the end unit next to a field. It gave me the illusion of space when in the back yard.
Rent is $950 plus we will have to rent storage for $100 a month. Garbage and water are covered which for us is worth $150 a month. We just have to do electric. I don't believe there is air conditioning so I do want to pick up a couple fans just in case. We will be living there in August. But there is always the pool at the club when it gets really hot.
I returned home after dropping off the children I had been sitting over tyhe weekend. They had been pretty easy. The oldest teen had plans all weekend so I barely saw her. The 12 year old entertained the four year old that joined us making my job easy. I had an invitation to dinner Saturday night with my charges. We had barbecued burgers. Between my house shopping and the dinner and the spare kids, the weekend whizzed by with excitement. I even slipped in a trip to the goodwill and found a pair of tan slacks for golfing this summer. All this, between the panicked bids at finding a rental.
Now I just have to cut my walk in closet down to linen closet size and Tom's walk in closet down even more. It will be challenging. It can be done. People do it all the time.
Another friend suggested a big garage sale, but we will be getting a big house and I would just have to replace everything again. Besides a lot of our stuff is books. Or dish sets that are heirlooms for the boys future wives.
The pool table and the resistance trainer will need to go into storage. I definitely want them in our new house. Tom thinks our king bed will need to go into storage also. We will sleep on the guest room double bed. There are some strategic issues to still work out. We are in the right school district for the boys for where we want to end up, so they wont be transferring. Our dining table will go into storage also. We will use the round one for a while. Nice intimate dinners for a change. I wont be able to swear at my kids without people hearing me, so we will all have to work on our manners. Maybe it will get us all organized.
We can do this. Positive vibes, Baby. Positive vibes.
Instead, one of my girlfriends who just knows the right people, got a frantic call from me to make some magic happen. Did she know anyone who had a rental available in two weeks. She called her old landlord that she had used between house shopping and purchase a few years ago.
A week ago he hadn't had anything open. This weekend he had renters move out. I met him twenty minutes later at the available duplex. It is a dead end street with one shabby duplex among eight. Ours luckily was one of the new models, less than three years old. Small but clean with a suitable back yard fenced for the dog. A lovely view of a field out the back made it bearable. I might even take the 10x10 back bedroom for Tom and I because of the view.
He will do month by month. and accept pets with an extra deposit of $500 on top of the $1000 cleaning deposit. Because of my friend as a reference he is letting us have it. She is a clean freak and a great tenant. I will have to hire her when we move out to help me clean the place. I thought it looked pretty good when I saw it, but the land lord was looking at the carpets and saying he would have them cleaned for us before we moved in. I am never seeing my cleaning deposit again. I just know that going in to this duplex. He is a clean freak also. My cleaning deposit is toast.
The one shabby unit was interesting.As I pulled up to park one tenant yelling up at the second story balcony of the other unit using expletives to tell them to stop slamming their doors. But the rest of the neighborhood seemed quiet and calm. We always have the club to go hide if it gets really bad. My girlfriend pointed out that Tom's propensity for fireworks would be quite welcome in this neighborhood. I told her the grass field would limit the display, but maybe not this year with all the rain.
Pretty much everything will go into storage. I might make a u haul run and then let the movers bring up the rest to store. I am thinking even of throwing down a rug in the garage to give us a little more living space. Its going to be tight. but it was either that or give up the dog and cats or sign a one year lease. and I want to limit the pain to as short a duration as possible.
Trevor said he was OK with an apartment. He "had stayed overnight in one before." Tom and I roared with laughter at that. He has no idea what we are in for. The last time Tom and I lived in an apartment was for two months before we bought our first house and before we had pets or children. This isn't quite an apartment as it is a coldasack of duplexes. Our unit is the end unit next to a field. It gave me the illusion of space when in the back yard.
Rent is $950 plus we will have to rent storage for $100 a month. Garbage and water are covered which for us is worth $150 a month. We just have to do electric. I don't believe there is air conditioning so I do want to pick up a couple fans just in case. We will be living there in August. But there is always the pool at the club when it gets really hot.
I returned home after dropping off the children I had been sitting over tyhe weekend. They had been pretty easy. The oldest teen had plans all weekend so I barely saw her. The 12 year old entertained the four year old that joined us making my job easy. I had an invitation to dinner Saturday night with my charges. We had barbecued burgers. Between my house shopping and the dinner and the spare kids, the weekend whizzed by with excitement. I even slipped in a trip to the goodwill and found a pair of tan slacks for golfing this summer. All this, between the panicked bids at finding a rental.
Now I just have to cut my walk in closet down to linen closet size and Tom's walk in closet down even more. It will be challenging. It can be done. People do it all the time.
Another friend suggested a big garage sale, but we will be getting a big house and I would just have to replace everything again. Besides a lot of our stuff is books. Or dish sets that are heirlooms for the boys future wives.
The pool table and the resistance trainer will need to go into storage. I definitely want them in our new house. Tom thinks our king bed will need to go into storage also. We will sleep on the guest room double bed. There are some strategic issues to still work out. We are in the right school district for the boys for where we want to end up, so they wont be transferring. Our dining table will go into storage also. We will use the round one for a while. Nice intimate dinners for a change. I wont be able to swear at my kids without people hearing me, so we will all have to work on our manners. Maybe it will get us all organized.
We can do this. Positive vibes, Baby. Positive vibes.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
No Break
Within hours of hearing that we might be able to move in early, we found out the bank had put the house on the auction block for August. We are now banned from moving in. I can't figure out if the owner is still the owner if they are auctioning it out from under her.
I spent the day hunting for rentals. I dropped an application off at two places. One place pretty much wanted our life history with passports and bank account numbers. It was really invasive. The other place was lovely. They just wanted a list of friends and co workers and contacts. Which to me is more important. Checking out a person's character references is as important as what is in the bank. Heads up you may be getting phone calls. Warning a bad reference will lead to us moving in with you teen age boys and cats and dog and husband, and all our necessities.
We have not given up on the big house. I will be at the auction with paddle if it really goes to auction, unless we find something else. We are pulling our offer though as we don't want that to be what the bank thinks as the floor minimum bid. Maybe we can get it even cheaper.
I am wondering if the home owner did what we did and threw out a low number to entice interest in hopes of getting anything. I realized right away there was no interest when we had our low ball sale price on our house for a month and still no lookers. I am so grateful not to be going down that road. We have some wonderful renters and our credit is not going to be thrashed.
At the club Tom is hearing about a back log of people sitting on the sidelines hoping for a turn around in the housing market. Eventually they wont be able to wait forever, those houses will be available. Or perhaps a private sale can be arranged as they hear that we are shopping.
I am antsy now to hear if one of the rentals will accept us as tenants. We should know tomorrow on one. It is not big or special but it will do in a pinch and that is what we are in now, a pinch. Movers are still scheduled for June 27. Looks like we are going to make our deadlines. I am good!!
Last night I went up to the club and hung out with old friends. Tom stayed in town with me since I was there for once. I was the designated driver, Shirley Temples all night. I find I can't sleep if I do diet Coke. I remembered my ear plugs which was good because Tom's snoring is more evident when I haven't been sleeping in the same bed with him every night. Other than his rolling over and stealing all the blankets occasionally, I loved sleeping in the same bed again with Tom, but definitely needed the ear plugs. This living out of a friend's house during the week is for the birds. Besides these are really good friends and we want to keep them.
Positive vibes, baby. Positive vibes.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Cut a break
I don't know for sure yet but we may have cut a break. The Big house, I had asked if the owner might rent it to us until the bank closed. It is a huge risk for both parties, renting a potential foreclosure and having to move again if the bank turns us down and forecloses on the owner. It could happen. We are a good $50,000 below neighborhood value on our offering price. Though pretty close to the asking price. The owner owes on her first and also has a second which won't see anything in the end. But we would have had to move again anyway if we moved into a rental.
Her incentive is she would get paid rent she would otherwise never receive. She has walked on her house. Its a free windfall for her. It is a strange new world to ask permission to move into and rent an abandoned house that we are trying to buy.
When we found out the owner would consider renting to us I was thrilled. It keeps our incentive to buy her house alive. Otherwise I would continue looking. Tom has a couple leads on other houses we were going to follow. Nothing like drinking buddies to know the secrets of the city.
Once Tom knew she would rent he wanted to have the rent as low as possible. After all she was getting a free windfall and keeping the deal alive. The windfall is her only incentive though as she no longer cares about the house. We are negotiating price. I originally figured $1300 to $1500 a month, but Tom, after I made the offer, said that was way too high for all the risks we would be taking. Insurance on the house is probably lapsed. We could get renters insurance, but if it flooded or a tree fell on it, there is probably no insurance to do those kinds of big repairs and since we don't have ownership we couldn't spend that kind of money. It would also kill our wanting to purchase ithe house. We could still have our deal rejected by the banks and then where would we be.
Tom googled some legal sights to make sure the arm's length transaction of the sale of the house would not be compromised. He felt we were on safe ground. Renting early did not impact the sale in that regard. I was afraid to pay the bank as they would then have incentive not to close. The owner takes the risk that the bank may decide to come after her for any rent money to offset the debt. She might have to resubmit her financials and the payoff changes, slowing down our transaction. Which is why paying up front and having it go three months buys time if the bank does decide to renegotiate.
So I suggested $2000 for a three month lease on the house, paid up front. If the house closes early it makes no difference. We would want access now to get everything fixed and running, but the contract would expire at the end of September. She gets a $2000 summer windfall and we get into the house early. I am waiting for a response. I would do an extension on the house sales contract to expire at the end of September, so both the lease and the sale would be renewed at the same time, if needed . That would put us six months out in our contract. Hopefully the bank will be done and settled and we will own our house by then.
I wish Tom had been speaking to me the other night and opening my e mails, which he admitted to ignoring. He thought I was venting at him in my e-mails, but I was trying to get stuff done. I was the one who suggested the higher rent, trying to give the owner incentive to let us in early. Not realizing the reasoning of her receiving nothing if she didn't agree, so the amount did not have to be that generous.
Tom's philosophy was we would walk away entirely potentially, so she should accommodate us. But there is no incentive to that reasoning either as the owner has already played her cards with the bank. She could care less other than having this nightmare behind her all that much sooner. He is right though in that it is cash she would not have at all if she turns us down.
Which is why My compromise suggestion of $2000 for three months should make everyone happy. We could close in a week, and that amount would be more than she would get renting month to month to us. She can't rent to anyone else without compromising our deal. No one would want the house since it is under contract and they would get evicted at the end. Its a win win with lots of risk, a real gamble. My heart is pounding.
PS We did not get the giant Bordello. The other party was willing to do a one year lease and we couldn't.
"Positive Vibes, Baby, Positive Vibes"
Her incentive is she would get paid rent she would otherwise never receive. She has walked on her house. Its a free windfall for her. It is a strange new world to ask permission to move into and rent an abandoned house that we are trying to buy.
When we found out the owner would consider renting to us I was thrilled. It keeps our incentive to buy her house alive. Otherwise I would continue looking. Tom has a couple leads on other houses we were going to follow. Nothing like drinking buddies to know the secrets of the city.
Once Tom knew she would rent he wanted to have the rent as low as possible. After all she was getting a free windfall and keeping the deal alive. The windfall is her only incentive though as she no longer cares about the house. We are negotiating price. I originally figured $1300 to $1500 a month, but Tom, after I made the offer, said that was way too high for all the risks we would be taking. Insurance on the house is probably lapsed. We could get renters insurance, but if it flooded or a tree fell on it, there is probably no insurance to do those kinds of big repairs and since we don't have ownership we couldn't spend that kind of money. It would also kill our wanting to purchase ithe house. We could still have our deal rejected by the banks and then where would we be.
Tom googled some legal sights to make sure the arm's length transaction of the sale of the house would not be compromised. He felt we were on safe ground. Renting early did not impact the sale in that regard. I was afraid to pay the bank as they would then have incentive not to close. The owner takes the risk that the bank may decide to come after her for any rent money to offset the debt. She might have to resubmit her financials and the payoff changes, slowing down our transaction. Which is why paying up front and having it go three months buys time if the bank does decide to renegotiate.
So I suggested $2000 for a three month lease on the house, paid up front. If the house closes early it makes no difference. We would want access now to get everything fixed and running, but the contract would expire at the end of September. She gets a $2000 summer windfall and we get into the house early. I am waiting for a response. I would do an extension on the house sales contract to expire at the end of September, so both the lease and the sale would be renewed at the same time, if needed . That would put us six months out in our contract. Hopefully the bank will be done and settled and we will own our house by then.
I wish Tom had been speaking to me the other night and opening my e mails, which he admitted to ignoring. He thought I was venting at him in my e-mails, but I was trying to get stuff done. I was the one who suggested the higher rent, trying to give the owner incentive to let us in early. Not realizing the reasoning of her receiving nothing if she didn't agree, so the amount did not have to be that generous.
Tom's philosophy was we would walk away entirely potentially, so she should accommodate us. But there is no incentive to that reasoning either as the owner has already played her cards with the bank. She could care less other than having this nightmare behind her all that much sooner. He is right though in that it is cash she would not have at all if she turns us down.
Which is why My compromise suggestion of $2000 for three months should make everyone happy. We could close in a week, and that amount would be more than she would get renting month to month to us. She can't rent to anyone else without compromising our deal. No one would want the house since it is under contract and they would get evicted at the end. Its a win win with lots of risk, a real gamble. My heart is pounding.
PS We did not get the giant Bordello. The other party was willing to do a one year lease and we couldn't.
"Positive Vibes, Baby, Positive Vibes"
Thursday, June 9, 2011
OK add more stress
I called the property management company. They had told me when I dropped the key off to make an offer on the house. It was a garish nightmare of decorating on the inside. Its huge, the cost of heating or cooling it could be astronomical. So I did offer below the asking rent this morning. I thought about it overnight and called to offer to rent it.
I said we would do three months, but I wanted $1300 not $1500 in rent. $1300 is more in line with what the rest of the area is charging and still on the high side. A really nice rental in good condition goes for $1300. This house is big. That is about all it has going for it. Apartments run $800 for a three bedroom one bath. $100 will get us storage for the rest of our stuff.
When I called, the woman I spoke to told me there had been another person looking at the property yesterday, who also expressed an interest and also countered the rent. Panicked, heart racing, I told her I could sweeten the deal by paying the first two months in advance or have a bigger deductible. I would do a three month lease. I didn't want to go longer as we don't want the be obligated.
Tom pointed out that renting would give us time to get the big house up and running and ready for us. I see it as money down the toilet not to move in right away. Though my project ideas get longer each time I visit the big house. It will be stunning someday.
Meanwhile, the rental may be slipping through our fingers. I mentioned I could leave it nicer than I found it, but the woman responded she didn't want me to paint. I said if there was hard wood I could expose it for them if they wanted. I would work for free. She asked why I would want to do anything to it for such a short period of time. I told her I was a project Queen. It was my therapy. I hope I didn't scare her away from us. The house needs the deck to be cleaned and re stained. Every room inside has a different carpet.
I looked at the construction date and I think it is too young for hard wood to be hidden underneath the garish purple shag. The county assessor page said the house was built in 1968, the same age as the big house we want to buy.
The early 50's was when code required hard wood floors under the carpets. 1960's to 1970's, the years of the Brady Bunch families big homes for lots of children, great family friendly designs. Sometimes you can get lucky with the hardwood.
The FSBO friend has started to replace carpet in his house. He said he is putting in hardwood. He said he had a leak. Tom figures insurance is helping put in the new floors. That also means he will probably price it out of our range. His house was about location. It wasn't quite big enough for us. But only by one room. It had no office and no really good place to put one. Tom and I both like light and bright. The house was not as bright as the big house. Nothing quite lives up to the big house anymore. All my reservations have been washed away by revisiting the house and seeing our other choices. I have concerns, the leaking basement and unfinished spaces, the bad island in the kitchen and no gas range or fireplace. But all those things can be dealt with over time. It has a wide open floor plan we both like. It is a house that will stand the test of time. It has good bones.
"Positive vibes, Baby"
I said we would do three months, but I wanted $1300 not $1500 in rent. $1300 is more in line with what the rest of the area is charging and still on the high side. A really nice rental in good condition goes for $1300. This house is big. That is about all it has going for it. Apartments run $800 for a three bedroom one bath. $100 will get us storage for the rest of our stuff.
When I called, the woman I spoke to told me there had been another person looking at the property yesterday, who also expressed an interest and also countered the rent. Panicked, heart racing, I told her I could sweeten the deal by paying the first two months in advance or have a bigger deductible. I would do a three month lease. I didn't want to go longer as we don't want the be obligated.
Tom pointed out that renting would give us time to get the big house up and running and ready for us. I see it as money down the toilet not to move in right away. Though my project ideas get longer each time I visit the big house. It will be stunning someday.
Meanwhile, the rental may be slipping through our fingers. I mentioned I could leave it nicer than I found it, but the woman responded she didn't want me to paint. I said if there was hard wood I could expose it for them if they wanted. I would work for free. She asked why I would want to do anything to it for such a short period of time. I told her I was a project Queen. It was my therapy. I hope I didn't scare her away from us. The house needs the deck to be cleaned and re stained. Every room inside has a different carpet.
I looked at the construction date and I think it is too young for hard wood to be hidden underneath the garish purple shag. The county assessor page said the house was built in 1968, the same age as the big house we want to buy.
The early 50's was when code required hard wood floors under the carpets. 1960's to 1970's, the years of the Brady Bunch families big homes for lots of children, great family friendly designs. Sometimes you can get lucky with the hardwood.
The FSBO friend has started to replace carpet in his house. He said he is putting in hardwood. He said he had a leak. Tom figures insurance is helping put in the new floors. That also means he will probably price it out of our range. His house was about location. It wasn't quite big enough for us. But only by one room. It had no office and no really good place to put one. Tom and I both like light and bright. The house was not as bright as the big house. Nothing quite lives up to the big house anymore. All my reservations have been washed away by revisiting the house and seeing our other choices. I have concerns, the leaking basement and unfinished spaces, the bad island in the kitchen and no gas range or fireplace. But all those things can be dealt with over time. It has a wide open floor plan we both like. It is a house that will stand the test of time. It has good bones.
"Positive vibes, Baby"
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
More house hunting
Tom got a little stressed last night. We could not have a civil conversation. Time is running out. The movers are coming in less than three weeks and we have no home to go to yet. He wants me to line up a rental and wonders why I haven't already done so. I chewed him out that he was the one up there. He could be looking also, since I was home packing.
I have no doubt I can find something to rent in a pinch. I was planning to go up and look at a rental already the next day, and also some other option homes. I couldn't back track and make it already happen. I was mad to say the least. He was so unreasonable. I am pulled in multiple directions with lots of balls being juggled, and he wants things to happen yesterday.
We are still making extensions on the house he loves. The bank still has to approve the sale. The renters have to have access to our house mid July. We don't have a place, this is the week to do a deposit on a rental. We still have hopes of closing in a week. I don't want to lose a rental deposit if I can help it.
What really made me cranky was when he said people at the club were telling him about a great house down by the lake that would be perfect for us. He wants me to check it out. So I ask for the address and he doesn't know it. Does he even have a phone number? "No". How am I supposed to check out a house if I don't know where it is or who to contact about it. I looked for it today and I still don't know where it is.
I did see another house. A great big place up on the hill. I stopped by to get a key from the property manager and took my friend E with me. We wandered through this great big old place. The interior had red shag carpet in some rooms. Victorian wall paper in the bathrooms and halls. Purple shag rugs in other rooms. There were many rooms and it was spacious. Just awful ugly. The owner had grown up in the house so to him it all is good memories. My friend E said she thought it might have been a house of ill repute in a previous life. It reminded me of a frat house full of make out rooms.
The grass was a foot tall. Birds had ripped off the air screens to the attic and started roosting. It was only slightly better than the dive. But a little better can go a long way. It just needed paint to tone down some of the striped walls and counter the carpets. perhaps there was hard wood under that neon shag. The house was a converted Victorian to a 1970's Hippie Hilton. I fell in love with the possibilities. Too bad the owner thinks its so special. But we could rent it without worry of damage with teen age boys and pets.
When I returned the key I told the guy I thought it was asking a bit much considering the interior and the yard condition. He said make an offer, they would consider it. Hmmm, owner wont sell, but again great no stress rental.
I also saw another house, but it was in a not so nice area of town and probably the nicest house on the block. I didn't love the neighborhood. Besides it had a ton of carpeting, sigh. I went to lunch and then hooked up with my realtor to see a couple new listings just in case. We also checked out the big house to make sure it was still in fair contition, which just reaffirmed my wanting to continue the fight for it with the bank, to do another extension.
Up until the day we move, I will probably do the good fight and keep up the offer on the big house. There was another house that has come down in price, but it is a bit small for us. I am dwelling on it as I think we could close in two weeks as it doesn't have any encumbrances and is empty, an estate.
I started crying as I drove up the other two addresses, as they had belonged to friends that had passed away. It caught me off guard to see their homes vacant and for sale. I had memories of decorating the Christmas tree at one with my boys. The other had hosted our year end nine holers golf party and my going away party. Those two houses made my day long and sad. I missed those people and knowing I will not being seeing them again was very draining.
It is one thing to know you are seeing an estate house for sale. It is another feeling entirely to visit a friend's home who has passed away. Now the house is empty and unloved when once it had lots of laughter filling the rooms.
I went up to the Club and had diet coke with a friend to unwind from my funk. We hung out until after I knew rush hour would be over and I could drive home with no traffic. I had had enough stress for one day. I have a potential rental that I am pretty sure will still be available next week. I am ripping out my finger nails with stress as we wait on the bank.
I also found out that even after the first bank accepts, then the offer has to go to the bank holding the second and have them sign off. Add another week potentially, if not longer. 19 days before the movers arrive. The boxes are getting packed either way we leap. Should we offer on the one that is a bit small but can close in two weeks. Do we get the rental. Do we wait for the big house great deal.
Every house we saw only affirmed the big house is a great deal. It may be worth moving into a rental and waiting on the banks, though they could reject the offer, but we are thinking that is unlikely. It is taking too long for a rejection. Rejections usually come quickly.
I am intrigued by that wild rental on the hill. What fun and improvements I could have with it, even if it is for a short time. I just hate the thought of moving into a rental and the next day finding out we can close, or it could be months more without knowing.
Bank of America lost a case in Florida. The judge ruled they owed the home owners their legal fees. When the Bank didn't pay the Lawyer he got an injunction and had one of their branches shut down for a day until they cut him his check. We are dealing with Bank of America. Everyone I talk to says they are the worst in the business right now. Patience and my new mantra "Positive Vibes, Baby, Positive Vibes. "
I have no doubt I can find something to rent in a pinch. I was planning to go up and look at a rental already the next day, and also some other option homes. I couldn't back track and make it already happen. I was mad to say the least. He was so unreasonable. I am pulled in multiple directions with lots of balls being juggled, and he wants things to happen yesterday.
We are still making extensions on the house he loves. The bank still has to approve the sale. The renters have to have access to our house mid July. We don't have a place, this is the week to do a deposit on a rental. We still have hopes of closing in a week. I don't want to lose a rental deposit if I can help it.
What really made me cranky was when he said people at the club were telling him about a great house down by the lake that would be perfect for us. He wants me to check it out. So I ask for the address and he doesn't know it. Does he even have a phone number? "No". How am I supposed to check out a house if I don't know where it is or who to contact about it. I looked for it today and I still don't know where it is.
I did see another house. A great big place up on the hill. I stopped by to get a key from the property manager and took my friend E with me. We wandered through this great big old place. The interior had red shag carpet in some rooms. Victorian wall paper in the bathrooms and halls. Purple shag rugs in other rooms. There were many rooms and it was spacious. Just awful ugly. The owner had grown up in the house so to him it all is good memories. My friend E said she thought it might have been a house of ill repute in a previous life. It reminded me of a frat house full of make out rooms.
The grass was a foot tall. Birds had ripped off the air screens to the attic and started roosting. It was only slightly better than the dive. But a little better can go a long way. It just needed paint to tone down some of the striped walls and counter the carpets. perhaps there was hard wood under that neon shag. The house was a converted Victorian to a 1970's Hippie Hilton. I fell in love with the possibilities. Too bad the owner thinks its so special. But we could rent it without worry of damage with teen age boys and pets.
When I returned the key I told the guy I thought it was asking a bit much considering the interior and the yard condition. He said make an offer, they would consider it. Hmmm, owner wont sell, but again great no stress rental.
I also saw another house, but it was in a not so nice area of town and probably the nicest house on the block. I didn't love the neighborhood. Besides it had a ton of carpeting, sigh. I went to lunch and then hooked up with my realtor to see a couple new listings just in case. We also checked out the big house to make sure it was still in fair contition, which just reaffirmed my wanting to continue the fight for it with the bank, to do another extension.
Up until the day we move, I will probably do the good fight and keep up the offer on the big house. There was another house that has come down in price, but it is a bit small for us. I am dwelling on it as I think we could close in two weeks as it doesn't have any encumbrances and is empty, an estate.
I started crying as I drove up the other two addresses, as they had belonged to friends that had passed away. It caught me off guard to see their homes vacant and for sale. I had memories of decorating the Christmas tree at one with my boys. The other had hosted our year end nine holers golf party and my going away party. Those two houses made my day long and sad. I missed those people and knowing I will not being seeing them again was very draining.
It is one thing to know you are seeing an estate house for sale. It is another feeling entirely to visit a friend's home who has passed away. Now the house is empty and unloved when once it had lots of laughter filling the rooms.
I went up to the Club and had diet coke with a friend to unwind from my funk. We hung out until after I knew rush hour would be over and I could drive home with no traffic. I had had enough stress for one day. I have a potential rental that I am pretty sure will still be available next week. I am ripping out my finger nails with stress as we wait on the bank.
I also found out that even after the first bank accepts, then the offer has to go to the bank holding the second and have them sign off. Add another week potentially, if not longer. 19 days before the movers arrive. The boxes are getting packed either way we leap. Should we offer on the one that is a bit small but can close in two weeks. Do we get the rental. Do we wait for the big house great deal.
Every house we saw only affirmed the big house is a great deal. It may be worth moving into a rental and waiting on the banks, though they could reject the offer, but we are thinking that is unlikely. It is taking too long for a rejection. Rejections usually come quickly.
I am intrigued by that wild rental on the hill. What fun and improvements I could have with it, even if it is for a short time. I just hate the thought of moving into a rental and the next day finding out we can close, or it could be months more without knowing.
Bank of America lost a case in Florida. The judge ruled they owed the home owners their legal fees. When the Bank didn't pay the Lawyer he got an injunction and had one of their branches shut down for a day until they cut him his check. We are dealing with Bank of America. Everyone I talk to says they are the worst in the business right now. Patience and my new mantra "Positive Vibes, Baby, Positive Vibes. "
Food fight
Trevor out grew Tom's wardrobe this year. I finally caved in a few weeks ago and took him shopping. He didn't want to go because he and his brother were on the x box. I got Tom to make him. So you can imagine the mood he was in. Pouting and groaning the whole time. So unappreciative of the money I was about to spend on him. I told him he had to come because he complains that I don't pick out things he likes.
I swung by the thrift store first, hoping we could make this a cheap experience. The thrift store was closed. Trevor was desperate for some pants that he could button up. He had some band performances and eighth grade promotion coming up. He had to have clothes that fit. I caved in and went to Fred Meyer, which is in our neighborhood and would have everything we needed. I know some of you are laughing that we didn't go to the mall. But you try driving a block with a cranky teen in your car and you see how far you get. I had to do the clothes, but he was being such a pill I just didn't want to draw out this time. I even offered to make it a fun experience but Trevor didn't think it was manly going clothes shopping.
He had been complaining that he didn't like the selections I picked out, which was why I was dragging him along in the first place. Otherwise it would have been you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.
It was somewhat my way of lessening the blow of not going on the band trip for grades. He did not bring his grades up. I still am unsure whether he is getting promoted. The jury is still out.
He barely spoke to me on the day the band left. They didn't win for the first time in four years. They came in second. One boy told me it was because Trevor wasn't there. The seventh grader that took over his part playing the crash cymbals was not nearly as good as Trevor I was told. Trevor had been awesome at the concert night at school. He wore his new clothes and looked wonderful. But he had to have passing grades in my book for me to pay for the band trip, which was not cheap. $250 for each of us.
Trevor did pick out some shirts I probably would not have chosen, so I did feel it was worth suffering his disgruntlement to get him clothes he liked. I spent $257 on his new wardrobe. Four pairs of size 38 waist band pants and a few nice shirts, not T shirts but not button down either. Just nice pull overs. I also had him pick out underwear and socks and a belt. It was the whole package from the skin out. It still didn't thrill him and the errand was done in less than an hour. Though it seemed longer with cranky boy along.
I feel guilty that the band may have lost the competition because Trevor didn't go. But I had to show him how strongly I felt about his grades. I don't think it worked too well as he still hasn't improved them much. Its all homework. Tests are fine and passing. The school grades on effort and one way to measure effort is if you can get your work in on time.
This week is promotion. A small group of eighth graders had a food fight at their table. The boys have been suspended for three days including missing promotion. Trevor told me their names. I had my heart in my throat because they were boys Trevor knew. He could have easily been one of those boys. A wonderful dinner theater had to be canceled, possibly as a result of the food fight suspensions. Some of those boys were supposed to perform at the Dinner theater.
I was proud that Trevor had not been one of the suspended boys, as Animal House is one of his favorite movies. I am glad he realizes it is just a fun movie and not real life. I also feel that because I do take the hard line with my boys (sometimes Tom says I am too hard), my boy was not among those suspended. I police my own children so someone else doesn't have too. They fear my anger and punishment more than the school.
I think a three day suspension and missing promotion ceremonies is a pretty harsh punishment for a food fight that was just at a table. but I also know the fear schools have that food fights could become a huge animal house fiasco and a cleaning nightmare. Food fights are always punished severely to discourage them from happening again. Those boys probably wont do it again. Neither will anyone who heard the punishment. If Trevor had been suspended it wouldn't have stopped with school punishment.
He was suspended for defending himself last year when he was jumped on from behind. There were witnesses that defended him by saying he did not start the fight. He kicked the boy that attacked him and swore loudly using an expletive not allowed at school or at home. He kicked the boy from lying on the ground having been knocked over in the initial pounce. He kicked from lying on the ground and made good contact. As a result he was suspended for a day. The proper response was to curl up into the fetal position and wait for a teacher. I gave him a little slack and didn't yell. He spent the day doing chores, no access to TV or X box or computer. It was the only time he has been suspended. There has been no repeat.
My hope is that he will now get his grades up and keep them up as he knows I will ground him for grades.We will see. The verdict is still out. He definitely will not get to drive or a cell phone or any other gizmo until he has decent grades. At least he looks good in his new clothes that can button at the waist.
I was sorry that my punishing Trevor resulted in the loss of the first place trophy. The teacher had asked me if I would let him go, but he had F's and not just one. I had been hopeful that the school might step in and get a tutor to help if they wanted him to go that much, but that didn't happen either.
In the end I am happy my son made the good choice to keep himself out of trouble because he knew getting into trouble with his mom would be worse. He is learning good judgement.
I swung by the thrift store first, hoping we could make this a cheap experience. The thrift store was closed. Trevor was desperate for some pants that he could button up. He had some band performances and eighth grade promotion coming up. He had to have clothes that fit. I caved in and went to Fred Meyer, which is in our neighborhood and would have everything we needed. I know some of you are laughing that we didn't go to the mall. But you try driving a block with a cranky teen in your car and you see how far you get. I had to do the clothes, but he was being such a pill I just didn't want to draw out this time. I even offered to make it a fun experience but Trevor didn't think it was manly going clothes shopping.
He had been complaining that he didn't like the selections I picked out, which was why I was dragging him along in the first place. Otherwise it would have been you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.
It was somewhat my way of lessening the blow of not going on the band trip for grades. He did not bring his grades up. I still am unsure whether he is getting promoted. The jury is still out.
He barely spoke to me on the day the band left. They didn't win for the first time in four years. They came in second. One boy told me it was because Trevor wasn't there. The seventh grader that took over his part playing the crash cymbals was not nearly as good as Trevor I was told. Trevor had been awesome at the concert night at school. He wore his new clothes and looked wonderful. But he had to have passing grades in my book for me to pay for the band trip, which was not cheap. $250 for each of us.
Trevor did pick out some shirts I probably would not have chosen, so I did feel it was worth suffering his disgruntlement to get him clothes he liked. I spent $257 on his new wardrobe. Four pairs of size 38 waist band pants and a few nice shirts, not T shirts but not button down either. Just nice pull overs. I also had him pick out underwear and socks and a belt. It was the whole package from the skin out. It still didn't thrill him and the errand was done in less than an hour. Though it seemed longer with cranky boy along.
I feel guilty that the band may have lost the competition because Trevor didn't go. But I had to show him how strongly I felt about his grades. I don't think it worked too well as he still hasn't improved them much. Its all homework. Tests are fine and passing. The school grades on effort and one way to measure effort is if you can get your work in on time.
This week is promotion. A small group of eighth graders had a food fight at their table. The boys have been suspended for three days including missing promotion. Trevor told me their names. I had my heart in my throat because they were boys Trevor knew. He could have easily been one of those boys. A wonderful dinner theater had to be canceled, possibly as a result of the food fight suspensions. Some of those boys were supposed to perform at the Dinner theater.
I was proud that Trevor had not been one of the suspended boys, as Animal House is one of his favorite movies. I am glad he realizes it is just a fun movie and not real life. I also feel that because I do take the hard line with my boys (sometimes Tom says I am too hard), my boy was not among those suspended. I police my own children so someone else doesn't have too. They fear my anger and punishment more than the school.
I think a three day suspension and missing promotion ceremonies is a pretty harsh punishment for a food fight that was just at a table. but I also know the fear schools have that food fights could become a huge animal house fiasco and a cleaning nightmare. Food fights are always punished severely to discourage them from happening again. Those boys probably wont do it again. Neither will anyone who heard the punishment. If Trevor had been suspended it wouldn't have stopped with school punishment.
He was suspended for defending himself last year when he was jumped on from behind. There were witnesses that defended him by saying he did not start the fight. He kicked the boy that attacked him and swore loudly using an expletive not allowed at school or at home. He kicked the boy from lying on the ground having been knocked over in the initial pounce. He kicked from lying on the ground and made good contact. As a result he was suspended for a day. The proper response was to curl up into the fetal position and wait for a teacher. I gave him a little slack and didn't yell. He spent the day doing chores, no access to TV or X box or computer. It was the only time he has been suspended. There has been no repeat.
My hope is that he will now get his grades up and keep them up as he knows I will ground him for grades.We will see. The verdict is still out. He definitely will not get to drive or a cell phone or any other gizmo until he has decent grades. At least he looks good in his new clothes that can button at the waist.
I was sorry that my punishing Trevor resulted in the loss of the first place trophy. The teacher had asked me if I would let him go, but he had F's and not just one. I had been hopeful that the school might step in and get a tutor to help if they wanted him to go that much, but that didn't happen either.
In the end I am happy my son made the good choice to keep himself out of trouble because he knew getting into trouble with his mom would be worse. He is learning good judgement.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Stress tears
I swung by Home Depot and picked up book boxes and tape. I tried to pack some boxes yesterday. Mid way through the first book box, I found a cute children's book I hadn't read. I figured it would be quick, and sat down on the bed to read. The book took longer than I intended. I heard the children come in from school, just as I finished. It is going to be a hard packing at this rate. Trevor though did pitch in and start doing the books in his room. I was really proud of him. Riley played x box, moving the boxes I had placed that blocked the TV.
PTA had their final meeting. last night. This one was held at a member's house so we could have wine and celebrate. It was lovely. I enjoyed the camaraderie. I took tequila and margarita mixer, and a blender and made up a batch. It was a mellow crowd, I didn't have too many takers. I drank most of it. It was a pretty weak batch out of consideration, but it still tasted great. I ended up bringing most of the fixings home.
We will just use the Tequila later. Either an empty house party, once we are all packed or a new house party depending on the move and landing spot. Many of our friends don't drink anymore as good role models to their children, or because they got burned and had to give it up. I love hosting parties at my house because then I can enjoy the drinks and not worry about driving. I have always been a social drinker. Though I did enjoy those mornings after when I didn't drink the night before and felt great and strong the next day. I have been low to no alcohol for a few years. I wanted to give my children a good example. Show them they have choices. With the stress in my life right now, I have enjoyed relaxing over a cocktail now and then. Getting out and escaping the drama.
I have been crying over my computer screen lately, as I follow the postings of my friend with the sick eleven year old boy. I am so scared for them. He is not the poster child as Riley was. Everything that can go wrong has. He had a blood transfusion that caused blood blisters in his mouth and on his face. He now has to have his lungs biopsied for a spot that might be a fungal infection.
I worried when he went home that first time. He has a basement bedroom. Molds and spores and fungus are the most dangerous exposures for people with Aplastic Anemia. It is why I ripped out the carpets for solid flooring and started cleaning and vacuuming and put an industrial filter in my son's room, before he came home from the hospital.
I don't stress it so much now, but that filter still runs in his room. I still owe my sister for getting it. Eventually I will be in a position to pay her back. I doubted her at the time for her paranoia. But after six months with a week of not having it on, and Riley getting stuffy noses and just not feeling as well, I realized it made a huge difference. It may have saved his life for all I know. Kept some mold or fungus away from him that could otherwise have taken root and killed him.
I am so worried about this sweet dear boy, who used to play baseball and now probably wont be able to play again for years. He doesn't know it yet. We are still praying that he survives as at every bend and turn, something horrible happens. Spiking fevers, allergies to medications, you name it, he has been doing this decease the hard way. Even when we were in the throws of survival with Riley, we did not suffer the setbacks this child is seeing constantly. We did have a couple visits to the ER, but Riley always bounced back. I like to think it was my positive vibes and Tom's proactive approach.
Anyway with the stress of getting packed with no where yet to move, I have been following their saga, which puts my situation into perspective. My life is so easy at the moment compared to that sick child striving to live and how his parents are feeling. I am having a picnic in comparison. Life is good. I know we will come out fine somewhere. So my stuff, our stuff ends up in storage for a while, worse case scenario. Or we move twice. We will land on our feet. We are healthy, excited about the future, and have options. Options are good. They are fantastic.
I just cry with fear over my little friend and his family. I know too intimately how they feel, what is going through their minds at the moment. There is nothing they can do but pray, and hope he responds to the next course of action. The future is not under their control. The outlook is unknown.
I still have control of our future. My life is a piece of cake. I have houses to look at and choices to make. The dive dropped its price, but they let it sit too long damp and unloved. It now has a bad case of black mold in the basement. Because of the black mold and Riley, it is now completely off the table as an option, land value only. Who would want to build a house when you can buy one already built for so much cheaper, including remodeling.
The FSBO is still available. We would probably have to move twice if we bought that house. It also needs a 45 year face lift that would be a little spendy. I keep extending our contract on the big house. It is a commute to our club. But the boys will be driving. They could become cab drivers for us. Get them a little scooter they could put in the trunk. I have seen it done in the city. It could be big business at the club or at least for their parents. Designated driver, mmm, I will research that idea. Trevor would love a scooter. I would love one with limited speeds. Another club member has a scooter. I will ask him how he likes it.
Meanwhile, I need to get back to packing. I am going to have the boys carry boxes downstairs for me when they get home from school. The renters want to come through and pick colors and take measurements. I am so hopeful that they will eventually buy the place once they are back into a position to get a mortgage. Two years I am guessing is the time they would need. They already said they probably want to stay two years. Am I being too optimistic to think that our first renters will eventually buy our house in two years? We have to sell within five years for tax reasons or take a big penalty hit in capital gains because of the depreciation.
"Positive Vibes, Baby. Positive Vibes." ( Odd Ball from the movie Kelly's Heroes")
PTA had their final meeting. last night. This one was held at a member's house so we could have wine and celebrate. It was lovely. I enjoyed the camaraderie. I took tequila and margarita mixer, and a blender and made up a batch. It was a mellow crowd, I didn't have too many takers. I drank most of it. It was a pretty weak batch out of consideration, but it still tasted great. I ended up bringing most of the fixings home.
We will just use the Tequila later. Either an empty house party, once we are all packed or a new house party depending on the move and landing spot. Many of our friends don't drink anymore as good role models to their children, or because they got burned and had to give it up. I love hosting parties at my house because then I can enjoy the drinks and not worry about driving. I have always been a social drinker. Though I did enjoy those mornings after when I didn't drink the night before and felt great and strong the next day. I have been low to no alcohol for a few years. I wanted to give my children a good example. Show them they have choices. With the stress in my life right now, I have enjoyed relaxing over a cocktail now and then. Getting out and escaping the drama.
I have been crying over my computer screen lately, as I follow the postings of my friend with the sick eleven year old boy. I am so scared for them. He is not the poster child as Riley was. Everything that can go wrong has. He had a blood transfusion that caused blood blisters in his mouth and on his face. He now has to have his lungs biopsied for a spot that might be a fungal infection.
I worried when he went home that first time. He has a basement bedroom. Molds and spores and fungus are the most dangerous exposures for people with Aplastic Anemia. It is why I ripped out the carpets for solid flooring and started cleaning and vacuuming and put an industrial filter in my son's room, before he came home from the hospital.
I don't stress it so much now, but that filter still runs in his room. I still owe my sister for getting it. Eventually I will be in a position to pay her back. I doubted her at the time for her paranoia. But after six months with a week of not having it on, and Riley getting stuffy noses and just not feeling as well, I realized it made a huge difference. It may have saved his life for all I know. Kept some mold or fungus away from him that could otherwise have taken root and killed him.
I am so worried about this sweet dear boy, who used to play baseball and now probably wont be able to play again for years. He doesn't know it yet. We are still praying that he survives as at every bend and turn, something horrible happens. Spiking fevers, allergies to medications, you name it, he has been doing this decease the hard way. Even when we were in the throws of survival with Riley, we did not suffer the setbacks this child is seeing constantly. We did have a couple visits to the ER, but Riley always bounced back. I like to think it was my positive vibes and Tom's proactive approach.
Anyway with the stress of getting packed with no where yet to move, I have been following their saga, which puts my situation into perspective. My life is so easy at the moment compared to that sick child striving to live and how his parents are feeling. I am having a picnic in comparison. Life is good. I know we will come out fine somewhere. So my stuff, our stuff ends up in storage for a while, worse case scenario. Or we move twice. We will land on our feet. We are healthy, excited about the future, and have options. Options are good. They are fantastic.
I just cry with fear over my little friend and his family. I know too intimately how they feel, what is going through their minds at the moment. There is nothing they can do but pray, and hope he responds to the next course of action. The future is not under their control. The outlook is unknown.
I still have control of our future. My life is a piece of cake. I have houses to look at and choices to make. The dive dropped its price, but they let it sit too long damp and unloved. It now has a bad case of black mold in the basement. Because of the black mold and Riley, it is now completely off the table as an option, land value only. Who would want to build a house when you can buy one already built for so much cheaper, including remodeling.
The FSBO is still available. We would probably have to move twice if we bought that house. It also needs a 45 year face lift that would be a little spendy. I keep extending our contract on the big house. It is a commute to our club. But the boys will be driving. They could become cab drivers for us. Get them a little scooter they could put in the trunk. I have seen it done in the city. It could be big business at the club or at least for their parents. Designated driver, mmm, I will research that idea. Trevor would love a scooter. I would love one with limited speeds. Another club member has a scooter. I will ask him how he likes it.
Meanwhile, I need to get back to packing. I am going to have the boys carry boxes downstairs for me when they get home from school. The renters want to come through and pick colors and take measurements. I am so hopeful that they will eventually buy the place once they are back into a position to get a mortgage. Two years I am guessing is the time they would need. They already said they probably want to stay two years. Am I being too optimistic to think that our first renters will eventually buy our house in two years? We have to sell within five years for tax reasons or take a big penalty hit in capital gains because of the depreciation.
"Positive Vibes, Baby. Positive Vibes." ( Odd Ball from the movie Kelly's Heroes")
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
