My sister is very good at making the effort at seeing everyone when she comes to town. Better than me, she arranges to visit my brother and family in Bend. I probably wouldn't see them half as much if she didn't arrange these family gatherings. This trip was driving to see the family for dinner on Wednesday, river raft on Thursday then back home on Friday.
We stopped at the top of Mt Hood to meet at the adventure park, as some of us were coming from different locations and at different time commitments. Mt Hood allowed for long and short hang outs. My boys were able to eat our packed picnic lunch of Turkey and cheese sandwiches. Wander the park and look at the beautiful scenery while we waited for everyone else to join us.
My sister had car troubles. Radiator fluid drained out onto the parking lot asphalt while we chatted at the rendezvous site, which put a damper on her adventure, with the stress of whether the car would make it the whole way.
She and her husband picked up a bottle of anti freeze to pour in as needed. We arranged for the children all to ride in various other cars. My taking some and some going in the grandparent's care, so if the car she was driving did break down she wouldn't have to deal with children on top of everything else. It is a lot easier to hang out with a broken car if you don't have to entertain children.
The car made it to Bend where they dropped it at a mechanic for repair. A new radiator and $600 later the car was good for another few years of service to the family.
Wednesday night we had dinner with the family. My lovely sister in law cooked up a fettuccine pasta with sausages, and a caprice salad for dinner. The perfect dish for a large hungry crowd. We stayed late but my brother had to work the next day so eventually we all did have to head back to our hotel nearby.
In the morning I sent one of the boys to the front desk for ibuprofen so I could function for the day. I ended up skipping breakfast. Trev brought me up a little plate of food to nibble on once I felt functional enough.
We piled into the car around 11:00am to head to our meeting place for rafting. The facility had a big school bus to drive all the participants to the river, only 10 minutes away. Six rafts were heading out at the same time. Our family all would fit in one. There were nine of us going.
The raft trip was a two hour excursion down the Deschutes River. We had all done it before but it is a fun event, worth repeating. Trevor's eighth birthday was the last time we had done this rafting event. We had rafted the Rogue river out of Ashland, the last time. This year because of forest fires the rogue river was closed at this time, so we were lucky we had chosen Bend as our destination.
This rafting trip has only one serious rapid in the whole trip. Several small rapids to keep the excitement going and prepare you for the biggest one. Enough to get your heart rate going without killing yourself. I didn't have to paddle the first section, but one of my nephews decided he wanted to be at the front of the boat going through the rapids where the water splashes up and the thrill of being first into the fray is quite exciting. He passed his paddle to me and I had to get to work.
I have a big bruise on my thigh where I smacked myself with the T head of the paddle while the boat was tossed around going through the hard part.
The guide, Travis, was terrific. In one of the calm stretches, he had all the young teens sit up on the side of the raft on the pontoon, wrap their arms and legs around each other until they were tangled then gave a push to the center child and they all went into the water together. Laughing uproariously. Riley of course saw what was coming and opted out. The guide noticed the one dry smart child. He convinced Riley to play the game also. Riley very reluctantly allowed himself to be tossed overboard in good spirits.
When we went to pull Trevor back into the raft, he laughingly said "hold on, I am using the bathroom" . It took two to pull Trevor on board. My youngest nephew C, at age six, was not so enamored with the whole adventure. He was quite frightened by the tenseness of the rapids. He cried, but it quickly passed as the children jumped into the cool water to play in the calm afterwards.
My sister had to head back after rafting as the children's plane left for the East in the morning Friday. It would be the first time the boys flew alone. I knew I didn't want to do the drive back after rafting so arranged to stay one more night at the hotel.
There was a music festival in the park walking distance from the hotel. Fair food for dinner. Though being Bend it was no ordinary fair food. These vendors were high end fancy restaurants with amazing foods to taste.. Ice cream wasn't just ordinary ice cream, it was home made gelatoe in fancy flavors. The pizza stand had a brick oven right there cooking every pizza fresh.
I ordered Thai food, which was delightfully prepared, and shared my meal with Trevor so we could all try different options. The cousins went to the bouncy house for a frolic while the grown ups had one last night chatting and just enjoying living the beautiful summer night in the park with good loving family.
I walked back to my brother's home just off the park for an evening of conversation and good company which is rare to come by when we live over 4 hours from each other. I have to say Bend is a wonderful community. He and his wife have a home very centrally located. biking distance to everything. Their neighbors all know each other and say " hello" as they take their evening strolls. My brother spent over an hour watering his garden and showing me his plantings. I was impressed. I had had no idea he was such a green thumb. He garden is loved. It makes me motivated to put more into my still un landscaped back yard.
Friday, The last day of our wonderful adventure in sports paradise, the cousins came over to have breakfast and swim in the hotel pool for our last hours.
We eventually had to leave as the dog was waiting to be picked up from the sitter. .
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Kayak trip
Wow, what a whirl wind vacation. Took the family on a kayak trip around a wildlife preserve. We saw swimming in the water an otter and as we all pointed and waited for the other kayaks to catch up the otter became three baby otter heads to our delight, staring at us as curiously as we were watching them.A few minutes later our guide shouts out that a beaver just went under her kayak. The boys shouted that there was a snake in the water. Our guide told us that yes some snakes in our area do swim.
All sorts of birds flew by of all sorts of sizes. A blue heron flew up the estuary only to have us catch up paddling, so he flew on again. I can't name the birds we saw; Hawks, eagle, kestrel and a multitude of other birds. WE turned the corner to a beach and played in the water and ate our lunches of turkey and cheese sandwiches with peaches. The water play was a delight after sitting in the Kayake of over two hours. Thjis was a six hour experience my sister reserved for us all. I was a little leery of six hours, but she said she liked to push our limits and I was game.
The next leg was a bit more aggressive and dangerous. One leg of the island circuit was a stretch on the Columbia river. The tide was incoming and the wind had picked up. We were paddling with the current while being pushed back by the wind and tide. When a big cargo ship went by we turned into the wake to ride out the bumps, before straightening our course and continuing on. The water was not the smooth glistening surface of the protected estuary. The waves joggled the kayak. My partner was Rils, on this leg, for which I am grateful. He handles my stress the best in the family. I had not absorbed the fact we would be on the Columbia for a stretch. It is a mighty river that deserves respect and caution. It is extremely unpredictable and dangerous.
Trev was in his own Kayak as he is just too big to fit in the average kayak. Even then it was a tight squeeze. We tried to switch him out to a tandem after playing on the beach, but there was just no shoving him into the shared space. He had a blast though paddling and racing with his cousins.
On the big river though , there was no messing around. Our young guest, K, began to get sea sick from the waves of the river. Poor boy even threw up in his mouth, only to try and swallow it so he wouldn't make a mess. My sister offered to switch out and row with him in his tandem, which my young nephew was paddling with the extra weight, as K was having a hard time doing anything, feeling so ill, but the guide said no stopping on this leg. We had to just plow through and get off the river. If the wind picked up any more the waves would be too big for us novices. We were under pressure to continue. Our guide was awesome and stuck with the sea sick boy and his partner, encouraging them to try their best to continue until there was a safe beach to stop and rest and recover sea legs.
There wasn't anything I could do so I left the guide to handle the situation and continued on paddling with my heart thumping and my wish to just finish this dangerous leg and get back to the calm beautiful estuary where I could relax and enjoy my ride.
Once we made the turn to get off the river, the guide had us pull over to another beach for a rest and for K to recover his equilibrium again. More water play and horse play ensued. Then back into our Kayaks for the last leg of the trip. riley and I were a good team as we surged ahead of the crowd.
One reason I wanted to stay ahead is Trevor wanted me to hold stuff from his Kayak.He was all wet and wanted me to keep his stuff dry. He tried to pass me his binoculars in open water and was all whiny when I refused, afraid they would be dropped in the transfer and lost forever. I told him to hang on to everything until we hit dry land. He can be such a whiner sometimes. I surged ahead.
Shortly after taking the lead and heading down the beautiful quiet estuary for our last leg, Trev's voice could be heard beginning "One hundred Bottles of Bear on the wall" . He was not so romantically inclined to view nature. The excitement of the big river and now the quiet estuary did not hold him as it had on the first leg of the trip, when we all were admiring the baby otters and the birds, and Trev was trying hard to figure out how to paddle properly. Now he was an expert and ready to play.
We arrived back at our starting dock, having made a 9 mile trip around the island. I would go again in an instant. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It hit all my favorite buttons with friends and family and fun activities. The Columbia River part was a bit of a thrill seeker's stretch, but I know not to take that river for granted. Next time I might just do the down and back trip in the estuary instead of the full circle. Kayaking is a delight.
All sorts of birds flew by of all sorts of sizes. A blue heron flew up the estuary only to have us catch up paddling, so he flew on again. I can't name the birds we saw; Hawks, eagle, kestrel and a multitude of other birds. WE turned the corner to a beach and played in the water and ate our lunches of turkey and cheese sandwiches with peaches. The water play was a delight after sitting in the Kayake of over two hours. Thjis was a six hour experience my sister reserved for us all. I was a little leery of six hours, but she said she liked to push our limits and I was game.
The next leg was a bit more aggressive and dangerous. One leg of the island circuit was a stretch on the Columbia river. The tide was incoming and the wind had picked up. We were paddling with the current while being pushed back by the wind and tide. When a big cargo ship went by we turned into the wake to ride out the bumps, before straightening our course and continuing on. The water was not the smooth glistening surface of the protected estuary. The waves joggled the kayak. My partner was Rils, on this leg, for which I am grateful. He handles my stress the best in the family. I had not absorbed the fact we would be on the Columbia for a stretch. It is a mighty river that deserves respect and caution. It is extremely unpredictable and dangerous.
Trev was in his own Kayak as he is just too big to fit in the average kayak. Even then it was a tight squeeze. We tried to switch him out to a tandem after playing on the beach, but there was just no shoving him into the shared space. He had a blast though paddling and racing with his cousins.
On the big river though , there was no messing around. Our young guest, K, began to get sea sick from the waves of the river. Poor boy even threw up in his mouth, only to try and swallow it so he wouldn't make a mess. My sister offered to switch out and row with him in his tandem, which my young nephew was paddling with the extra weight, as K was having a hard time doing anything, feeling so ill, but the guide said no stopping on this leg. We had to just plow through and get off the river. If the wind picked up any more the waves would be too big for us novices. We were under pressure to continue. Our guide was awesome and stuck with the sea sick boy and his partner, encouraging them to try their best to continue until there was a safe beach to stop and rest and recover sea legs.
There wasn't anything I could do so I left the guide to handle the situation and continued on paddling with my heart thumping and my wish to just finish this dangerous leg and get back to the calm beautiful estuary where I could relax and enjoy my ride.
Once we made the turn to get off the river, the guide had us pull over to another beach for a rest and for K to recover his equilibrium again. More water play and horse play ensued. Then back into our Kayaks for the last leg of the trip. riley and I were a good team as we surged ahead of the crowd.
One reason I wanted to stay ahead is Trevor wanted me to hold stuff from his Kayak.He was all wet and wanted me to keep his stuff dry. He tried to pass me his binoculars in open water and was all whiny when I refused, afraid they would be dropped in the transfer and lost forever. I told him to hang on to everything until we hit dry land. He can be such a whiner sometimes. I surged ahead.
Shortly after taking the lead and heading down the beautiful quiet estuary for our last leg, Trev's voice could be heard beginning "One hundred Bottles of Bear on the wall" . He was not so romantically inclined to view nature. The excitement of the big river and now the quiet estuary did not hold him as it had on the first leg of the trip, when we all were admiring the baby otters and the birds, and Trev was trying hard to figure out how to paddle properly. Now he was an expert and ready to play.
We arrived back at our starting dock, having made a 9 mile trip around the island. I would go again in an instant. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had. It hit all my favorite buttons with friends and family and fun activities. The Columbia River part was a bit of a thrill seeker's stretch, but I know not to take that river for granted. Next time I might just do the down and back trip in the estuary instead of the full circle. Kayaking is a delight.
Monday, August 5, 2013
teen visitors
My New York sister is out visiting. She came up with my step mom for an overnight. The fair was in town so we went down to see the animals, and ride the rides, and ( my personal favorite) eat fair food. We had a blast. My step mom and I enjoyed walking the different booths and seeing the local art and 4 H submissions. I enjoyed the chicken barn immensely
I ordered Gyros and hot dogs and hamburgers and flannel cakes and ice cream. Of course I shared everything with the boys. I just like to have a couple of bites then pass it on. I even ordered food that my step mom could eat from a vendor, toppings for a salad. She has health concerns and is a very difficult person to feed. We have all figured out what she can eat and just take the matter into our own hands rather than have her try and figure out what is available that she can eat.
The boys climbed the climbing wall. Trevor did it barefoot, which was excruciatingly painful, but he had worn flip flops, which are not good for climbing walls.
WE watched the Derby, where cars battle it out by crashing into each other. We have decided my nephew is not Derby material as, for the second year in a row, he started crying when his particular favorite car crashed and was knocked out of the race. He totally misses the point of the smash up bash up being the fun part.
I got a call that one of Riley's old friends was in town and wanted to know if he could come play for a few days. He is dropped at the fair with suitcase in hand. Riley takes him to the car to leave his case and they come back for more rides and food.
We stay until the fair closes for the night. We all have a lovely time. A perfect day of sun and fun and family.
I ordered Gyros and hot dogs and hamburgers and flannel cakes and ice cream. Of course I shared everything with the boys. I just like to have a couple of bites then pass it on. I even ordered food that my step mom could eat from a vendor, toppings for a salad. She has health concerns and is a very difficult person to feed. We have all figured out what she can eat and just take the matter into our own hands rather than have her try and figure out what is available that she can eat.
The boys climbed the climbing wall. Trevor did it barefoot, which was excruciatingly painful, but he had worn flip flops, which are not good for climbing walls.
WE watched the Derby, where cars battle it out by crashing into each other. We have decided my nephew is not Derby material as, for the second year in a row, he started crying when his particular favorite car crashed and was knocked out of the race. He totally misses the point of the smash up bash up being the fun part.
I got a call that one of Riley's old friends was in town and wanted to know if he could come play for a few days. He is dropped at the fair with suitcase in hand. Riley takes him to the car to leave his case and they come back for more rides and food.
We stay until the fair closes for the night. We all have a lovely time. A perfect day of sun and fun and family.
car shopping
OK . We are big people. We are physically big people. Trev is over 240 pounds and six three and still growing at not quite 16. We do not fit in little interior spaces with sloping roof lines in the back and no leg room in the back seat.
Shopping cars is work. I find I like the boxy look to allow for the interior head room and I want cargo space for my work suitcase of samples and the case of molds. What I like and what Tom likes are turning out to be two different designs of cars. We both agree to better gas mileage. But for the space I need, I am finding I need a shape Tom thinks is a joke.
I looked at the Ford focus. I couldn't fit my clubs in the trunk without folding down the seats, let alone loading it up with my work cases. I did look at the Toyota Scion and the Cube (can't even remember the manufacturer) . The shape works. The cube may be ugly on the outside but when you get into the car the capacity for its size is amazing. Good gas mileage also. Tom asked if I was joking, when I sent him pictures of the cars.
I am going to look at Chevy's HHR and a couple of other cars as I try to find what I want. I know it is out there someplace. If I could just shrink my jeep and get the mileage, I would have my car. The other problem is having ground clearance. Many of these cars ride low. I am bottoming out on my low riding Taurus upon occasion. I would like to find something that can get down awkward driveways or gravel roads, as that may happen with some patients.
I am looking. I know when I see the car it will speak to me.
Shopping cars is work. I find I like the boxy look to allow for the interior head room and I want cargo space for my work suitcase of samples and the case of molds. What I like and what Tom likes are turning out to be two different designs of cars. We both agree to better gas mileage. But for the space I need, I am finding I need a shape Tom thinks is a joke.
I looked at the Ford focus. I couldn't fit my clubs in the trunk without folding down the seats, let alone loading it up with my work cases. I did look at the Toyota Scion and the Cube (can't even remember the manufacturer) . The shape works. The cube may be ugly on the outside but when you get into the car the capacity for its size is amazing. Good gas mileage also. Tom asked if I was joking, when I sent him pictures of the cars.
I am going to look at Chevy's HHR and a couple of other cars as I try to find what I want. I know it is out there someplace. If I could just shrink my jeep and get the mileage, I would have my car. The other problem is having ground clearance. Many of these cars ride low. I am bottoming out on my low riding Taurus upon occasion. I would like to find something that can get down awkward driveways or gravel roads, as that may happen with some patients.
I am looking. I know when I see the car it will speak to me.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Car shopping
Tom told me my cars are getting to the point of being unreliable and I need to start thinking about a new car and what I want. I was overwhelmed by choices. No idea what direction to look and what I want and need. Good gas mileage and the rest was up in the air.
I took my jeep in for an oil change, finally, Tom told me when he brought it back over memorial weekend it needed some love after all the dust storms of Nevada. Went to my mechanic Not the Jiffy lube place but the real mechanic. I wanted him to look it over when the check engine light came on on Friday. Make sure it wasn't related to the accident on Thursday. He is also going to pop in the new side light box for free. I had already ordered the head light from the store before the service light came on. The store called and said the light was in and the car was still at the mechanic, serendipitous.
No issues with the car, thank goodness. He said there seemed to be no reason for the transmission light to be on. Just a fluke, needing a reset. He is going to take it for another drive this afternoon before calling me to pick the car up. While there I told him I was car shopping and what did he recommend.
He said hands down Honda is the best reliable car manufacturer out there.
He said if I like jeep to check out the Honda Element as a fun funky and roomy on the inside good size comparison with good gas mileage
He also listed other options depending on what I was looking for the Honda Accord, Element, CRV, Ridgeline (as truckish), Pilot as bigger but still getting 30 miles to the gallon.
He said the Acura TL was the high performance car in the Honda line, if you like Cadillac. He said the most reliable Cadillac is the CTS-V with its LS engine which is also the engine in the Corvette. He said he preferred the German cars for performance vehicles. His wife has the 323 and he has the M5. He says BMW is known as the million miles car for the performance cars.
I am going to check out his suggestions, especially the element. But all of them are possibilities He said $11,000 to $15,000 should get me a car with 30,000 on it and a great deal, 3 years old or so. He said 30,000 is just getting warmed up.
He also said he was a fan of Craigslist since I was shopping used. Loved to hear that. Now I have some helpful direction on where to go for test drives and to look at models. I feel much less stress.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Car OOOps
Between keeping an eye on the construction going on at home and getting to my patients I had a busy day on Thursday. I was off running errands when I had a little fender bender. Waiting at a stop to make a left turn., waited and waited for the other car to go first. I finally decide to go but then so does the other car. I stop just at the beginning of my turn, when I realize she is coming, but the other car does not stop. Nor does it try to avoid me. Its like the Titanic hitting the ice burg. Everything in slow motion. neither of us going more than 5 miles an hour. I had stopped by the time she hit me. No air bags deployed.
My jeep has a hitch and pulley on its bumper reinforcing the bumper. All I get is a few scrapes and punctures and a broken light cover. Her impala is creamed on the corner and scraped all the way back to the back seat door.
She gets out of her car once she stops. She apologizes and says her foot got stuck on the gas. She is in flip flops. She begins to cry and tell me she has no license or insurance. She is on disability. She is in her husband's car without permission and is scared about what she is going to tell him.
I don't have collision on my car anymore. Tom canceled it less than a month ago. I know I am not getting my car repaired.It is not that bad anyway. I give her my phone number and name and with a little nudging and asking several times, she gives me her name and address. She has no phone number.
I don't think anything about calling the police. There was no altercation. She was asking me if she was going to get arrested. I am not one to call the police over a small fender bender as far as I am concerned. I am thinking they may not file with insurance as she will get in trouble. I know I am going to repair my damage myself.
Later in the afternoon I get a call from the woman asking me to come to her home to speak to her husband. He does want to file with insurance even though it will get her wife in trouble. I ask Trev to go with me just to have someone with me. The address is not in the best part of town.
The husband speaks little English. He is not happy. I give him my insurance card and ask him for his. he refuses. He doesn't want to give me any information. I look at his wife and she tells me it probably would be a good idea to call the police. So I do. I dial 911 and explain that we had a fender bender and the other party does not want to give me their insurance information.
Trev and I hang out sitting on the hood of my car, in front of their house, until an officer swings by. The husband cooperates and gives up his insurance information for the officer. The officer asks me why didn't the man want to share his insurance. I told him I had no idea. I figure the man might not know how insurance works. Perhaps he thought he could file with mine and not report the accident to his insurance or the fact his wife was driving his car without a legal drivers license. Insurance doesn't work that way. Each party files with his own company and then the companies duke it out. I am not even stressed as my car isn't getting expensive repairs. I have already decided to put the incident behind me.
I don't want to hear from everyone that I should have called the police in the first place. I just thought that the police have better things to do then handle a small fender bender. Next ding I will call the police. I just hated getting that woman in trouble more than she already was. I didn't want to see her cuffed and hauled away. She was already a basket case over what to tell her husband about his car. I totally got that concept. If I had done damage to Tom's car, well, I would be panicked also.
Riley walked round my car to see the accident wounds. He didn't even see the damage at first. I had to point it out. It is close to the area he dented himself, backing out of the garage, and his dent is worse. Just scrapes and the broken light cover for mine. He even poo pooed the scratches once he saw them as nothing.
.I stopped at the car store and ordered a new head light unit. I have to get the whole unit, I am told. They don't just sell the covers. $32 and a little sweat and my car will be fine again. .
I head home and get on the computer to file my report. I need to alert my insurance that they may be contacted. Turns out that since I was the one making the left I am the most at fault, 60/40 even though she may not have been competent to drive. I would have been 100% if she had a license. I told the agent I thought maybe 50/50 since she said she was on disability and I think she might not have been competent to drive. And she told me her foot got stuck with her flip flops. He said we may not even hear from the other company if she was a disqualified driver. We would know in a month or less. If we haven't heard in a month then it is over without issue. otherwise my insurance will pay a portion of their repairs and I still move on.
He said my premiums may go up, but then maybe not. I have renamed my Jeep ' Tank". Tank was good to me.Tom always complains we are over insured but I am a big advocate for insurance. I happen to use mine occasionally, so it is well worth every penny.
tom told me yesterday he wants me to think about what I want for my next car. He says it is getting time to replace my cars. At the moment I feel good about driving my old beater cars. When a ding happens there is no stress. If we get cars that I have to worry about every scratch, well that is just not me. I also don't want to freak out if my boys are driving my cars and make mistakes from inexperience.
If Tank didn't get such bad mileage I would continue driving him all the time. The 1997 Taurus, though, has begun to have health issues, and needs some loving expenses, which we don't really want to spend the money on. So looks like Santa might be giving me a new car. I will take advice on what I should go look at. Just remember Tom is the engineer. I could care less about all the hoops and whistles. good mileage and four doors will do it for me. Tank will still take us on the family trips. He has the most room and capacity with a bike hitch and a roof box. and all wheel drive for those snow vacations. He has payed for himself, by keeping us safe several times .
As soon as Tank gets a new head light I am taking him to a car wash for a treat and pampering..
My jeep has a hitch and pulley on its bumper reinforcing the bumper. All I get is a few scrapes and punctures and a broken light cover. Her impala is creamed on the corner and scraped all the way back to the back seat door.
She gets out of her car once she stops. She apologizes and says her foot got stuck on the gas. She is in flip flops. She begins to cry and tell me she has no license or insurance. She is on disability. She is in her husband's car without permission and is scared about what she is going to tell him.
I don't have collision on my car anymore. Tom canceled it less than a month ago. I know I am not getting my car repaired.It is not that bad anyway. I give her my phone number and name and with a little nudging and asking several times, she gives me her name and address. She has no phone number.
I don't think anything about calling the police. There was no altercation. She was asking me if she was going to get arrested. I am not one to call the police over a small fender bender as far as I am concerned. I am thinking they may not file with insurance as she will get in trouble. I know I am going to repair my damage myself.
Later in the afternoon I get a call from the woman asking me to come to her home to speak to her husband. He does want to file with insurance even though it will get her wife in trouble. I ask Trev to go with me just to have someone with me. The address is not in the best part of town.
The husband speaks little English. He is not happy. I give him my insurance card and ask him for his. he refuses. He doesn't want to give me any information. I look at his wife and she tells me it probably would be a good idea to call the police. So I do. I dial 911 and explain that we had a fender bender and the other party does not want to give me their insurance information.
Trev and I hang out sitting on the hood of my car, in front of their house, until an officer swings by. The husband cooperates and gives up his insurance information for the officer. The officer asks me why didn't the man want to share his insurance. I told him I had no idea. I figure the man might not know how insurance works. Perhaps he thought he could file with mine and not report the accident to his insurance or the fact his wife was driving his car without a legal drivers license. Insurance doesn't work that way. Each party files with his own company and then the companies duke it out. I am not even stressed as my car isn't getting expensive repairs. I have already decided to put the incident behind me.
I don't want to hear from everyone that I should have called the police in the first place. I just thought that the police have better things to do then handle a small fender bender. Next ding I will call the police. I just hated getting that woman in trouble more than she already was. I didn't want to see her cuffed and hauled away. She was already a basket case over what to tell her husband about his car. I totally got that concept. If I had done damage to Tom's car, well, I would be panicked also.
Riley walked round my car to see the accident wounds. He didn't even see the damage at first. I had to point it out. It is close to the area he dented himself, backing out of the garage, and his dent is worse. Just scrapes and the broken light cover for mine. He even poo pooed the scratches once he saw them as nothing.
.I stopped at the car store and ordered a new head light unit. I have to get the whole unit, I am told. They don't just sell the covers. $32 and a little sweat and my car will be fine again. .
I head home and get on the computer to file my report. I need to alert my insurance that they may be contacted. Turns out that since I was the one making the left I am the most at fault, 60/40 even though she may not have been competent to drive. I would have been 100% if she had a license. I told the agent I thought maybe 50/50 since she said she was on disability and I think she might not have been competent to drive. And she told me her foot got stuck with her flip flops. He said we may not even hear from the other company if she was a disqualified driver. We would know in a month or less. If we haven't heard in a month then it is over without issue. otherwise my insurance will pay a portion of their repairs and I still move on.
He said my premiums may go up, but then maybe not. I have renamed my Jeep ' Tank". Tank was good to me.Tom always complains we are over insured but I am a big advocate for insurance. I happen to use mine occasionally, so it is well worth every penny.
tom told me yesterday he wants me to think about what I want for my next car. He says it is getting time to replace my cars. At the moment I feel good about driving my old beater cars. When a ding happens there is no stress. If we get cars that I have to worry about every scratch, well that is just not me. I also don't want to freak out if my boys are driving my cars and make mistakes from inexperience.
If Tank didn't get such bad mileage I would continue driving him all the time. The 1997 Taurus, though, has begun to have health issues, and needs some loving expenses, which we don't really want to spend the money on. So looks like Santa might be giving me a new car. I will take advice on what I should go look at. Just remember Tom is the engineer. I could care less about all the hoops and whistles. good mileage and four doors will do it for me. Tank will still take us on the family trips. He has the most room and capacity with a bike hitch and a roof box. and all wheel drive for those snow vacations. He has payed for himself, by keeping us safe several times .
As soon as Tank gets a new head light I am taking him to a car wash for a treat and pampering..
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Voting old draft
I found this in my draft box. It must be from last fall or something. decided I could put it out there as I just got a new local ballot today, to vote on the school district board new members. very controversial at the moment as they don't know quite how to balance the budget and are thinking of closing schools.
Mailed the ballots yesterday. Dropped them in the special ballot collection boxes stationed by our city center. Our old town had a drop box on the steps of the local mayor's office. It all seems very Mayberry; The old black and white TV show about the cute little town.with Andy Griffith as the sheriff.
I do love that our state has mail in ballots. I used to order absentee ballots in College and kept to that format for most of my life. The convenience of not having to stand in line and being able to take my time in the comfort of my own home made the process so much less stressful.
In the years I was in Seattle, in the late 80's, my roommates and I would walk up to the voting location, near our home, and go into one of those curtained boxes. There was never much of a line. I would stand in front of the contraption used to punch the holes in the voting card. It was a hastle to get a new card if you miss punched one hole. I liked to take my time. But there would be people waiting to vote by the time I came out. Voting at home is so much easier.
Tom doesn't like the voting at home. He sees the opportunity for too much fraud. People voting for their elderly relatives or friends or stealing the ballots out of boxes. That doesn't happen at our house. Tom and I don't even show each other how we voted. I may solicite an opinion from Tom but the final decision is mine on my ballot.
Riles asked how I voted. I told him it is a personal choice. I told him I could discuss issues with him or people, but I would not say how I filled in the little circle in the end, though from our discussions, he can surmise my choices. The boys are supposed to come to school having followed some of the issues. They will be discussing the elections this week. I have a feeling we might not know the results for a few days if even that soon.
I have a friend who only casts her vote based on women's issues, the right to abortion. That is her most important above all else choice. I didn't argue, but there are so many more issues to worry about. Abortion was not my main concern above all else. If I tried to put in order the list of issues, I would start with the economy. Break that topic down into subsections of the price of oil, the decline of coal power plants, the natural gas pipeline, housing costs, the bail out debt, government taxes at all levels, the EPA interferance, mismanagement of National forest lands, not treating for the Japanese Beatles, or allowing for natural burns to occur causing massive fires due to the overgrown underbrush. The economy list of issues is long and overlaps the environmental issues and the EPA's overbearing fanatical approach, making it almost impossible for manufacturing to survive in this country with out doing something illegal.
Next issue might be education, health care, social security, welfare, the debt. So many other issues are as important if not more so than whether one woman can have an abortion. There is still the morning after pill, now available over the counter if you are over sixteen. Should tax payer dollars be spent on abortion? I can see preventative measures and health care for the poor as part of the health care package. I know someone who had six abortions. Now tell me the sanity in that. She had them all on tax payer money. Abortion was her birth control.
A civilized country, where people can afford to follow the rules, is a country of wealth and prosperity. We give generously when there is the ability to give. Suck us dry and we have nothing to give. Suck us too dry and we take. Give free hand outs and who wouldn't take it.
Women's issues are only going to be important when we can afford to have just a "woman's issue". Every minority wants their own cut of the pie. Can't we just live our lives in private? Do I have to vote on people's sex lives? Do I have to decide what decisions you and your doctor are allowed to make? These issues should not even be in the public sector. You want to level the playing field? Take away the benifits of marriage so no one need fight over special rights someone may have over another. It is more of a marriage penalty anyway. Combined income knocks married couples into a hire tax bracket. I am not on this earth to judge anyone's choices. First and foremost I would like to have a job to help feed and house my family. A strong economy will help towards that goal.
Communities support each other only so far is their own homes and families can afford to help. Watching Sandy this week only emphasizes how important it is to have a strong vibrant economy and resources. We need people who can think quickly and out of the box. Have a system in place that can leap to the aid as needed but stay out of the way. The concept of the National Guard is brilliant to me. Volunteers trained and ready to go when call upon. Red Cross has similar staff; people who are trained for the crisis and how to help, ready to go into hazard's way. The Red cross is a private sector sponsored program. Our taxes support the National Guard, but our free will supports the Red Cross.
If we could target directly programs through our taxes, I wonder if we would be so frustrated with our government. I doubt we would fund the IRS, but we wouldn't need to if I could tell the government how I want every dollar of my tax dollars spent, what programs I want sponsored. If I was strong on defence or the arts or planned parenthood, break down my taxes into the areas I want supported . Wouldn't it be great to take out all the graft. Someone abuses the funds and the next year I choose not to sent any money their way. It irritates me that the only control I have is over the $1 that I can choose to send to the Presidential campaign. Why only that one program? Why are't there dozens of boxes to check to send multiple dollars the way I want my money spent.
Bad roads? check the box for transportation or infrastructure. Just like paying your telephone bill or the cable bill, the tax bill would be targeted. In this modern day of technology, you could log on to your tax account and specify what you feel are your priorities. Give us our choices back.
Mailed the ballots yesterday. Dropped them in the special ballot collection boxes stationed by our city center. Our old town had a drop box on the steps of the local mayor's office. It all seems very Mayberry; The old black and white TV show about the cute little town.with Andy Griffith as the sheriff.
I do love that our state has mail in ballots. I used to order absentee ballots in College and kept to that format for most of my life. The convenience of not having to stand in line and being able to take my time in the comfort of my own home made the process so much less stressful.
In the years I was in Seattle, in the late 80's, my roommates and I would walk up to the voting location, near our home, and go into one of those curtained boxes. There was never much of a line. I would stand in front of the contraption used to punch the holes in the voting card. It was a hastle to get a new card if you miss punched one hole. I liked to take my time. But there would be people waiting to vote by the time I came out. Voting at home is so much easier.
Tom doesn't like the voting at home. He sees the opportunity for too much fraud. People voting for their elderly relatives or friends or stealing the ballots out of boxes. That doesn't happen at our house. Tom and I don't even show each other how we voted. I may solicite an opinion from Tom but the final decision is mine on my ballot.
Riles asked how I voted. I told him it is a personal choice. I told him I could discuss issues with him or people, but I would not say how I filled in the little circle in the end, though from our discussions, he can surmise my choices. The boys are supposed to come to school having followed some of the issues. They will be discussing the elections this week. I have a feeling we might not know the results for a few days if even that soon.
I have a friend who only casts her vote based on women's issues, the right to abortion. That is her most important above all else choice. I didn't argue, but there are so many more issues to worry about. Abortion was not my main concern above all else. If I tried to put in order the list of issues, I would start with the economy. Break that topic down into subsections of the price of oil, the decline of coal power plants, the natural gas pipeline, housing costs, the bail out debt, government taxes at all levels, the EPA interferance, mismanagement of National forest lands, not treating for the Japanese Beatles, or allowing for natural burns to occur causing massive fires due to the overgrown underbrush. The economy list of issues is long and overlaps the environmental issues and the EPA's overbearing fanatical approach, making it almost impossible for manufacturing to survive in this country with out doing something illegal.
Next issue might be education, health care, social security, welfare, the debt. So many other issues are as important if not more so than whether one woman can have an abortion. There is still the morning after pill, now available over the counter if you are over sixteen. Should tax payer dollars be spent on abortion? I can see preventative measures and health care for the poor as part of the health care package. I know someone who had six abortions. Now tell me the sanity in that. She had them all on tax payer money. Abortion was her birth control.
A civilized country, where people can afford to follow the rules, is a country of wealth and prosperity. We give generously when there is the ability to give. Suck us dry and we have nothing to give. Suck us too dry and we take. Give free hand outs and who wouldn't take it.
Women's issues are only going to be important when we can afford to have just a "woman's issue". Every minority wants their own cut of the pie. Can't we just live our lives in private? Do I have to vote on people's sex lives? Do I have to decide what decisions you and your doctor are allowed to make? These issues should not even be in the public sector. You want to level the playing field? Take away the benifits of marriage so no one need fight over special rights someone may have over another. It is more of a marriage penalty anyway. Combined income knocks married couples into a hire tax bracket. I am not on this earth to judge anyone's choices. First and foremost I would like to have a job to help feed and house my family. A strong economy will help towards that goal.
Communities support each other only so far is their own homes and families can afford to help. Watching Sandy this week only emphasizes how important it is to have a strong vibrant economy and resources. We need people who can think quickly and out of the box. Have a system in place that can leap to the aid as needed but stay out of the way. The concept of the National Guard is brilliant to me. Volunteers trained and ready to go when call upon. Red Cross has similar staff; people who are trained for the crisis and how to help, ready to go into hazard's way. The Red cross is a private sector sponsored program. Our taxes support the National Guard, but our free will supports the Red Cross.
If we could target directly programs through our taxes, I wonder if we would be so frustrated with our government. I doubt we would fund the IRS, but we wouldn't need to if I could tell the government how I want every dollar of my tax dollars spent, what programs I want sponsored. If I was strong on defence or the arts or planned parenthood, break down my taxes into the areas I want supported . Wouldn't it be great to take out all the graft. Someone abuses the funds and the next year I choose not to sent any money their way. It irritates me that the only control I have is over the $1 that I can choose to send to the Presidential campaign. Why only that one program? Why are't there dozens of boxes to check to send multiple dollars the way I want my money spent.
Bad roads? check the box for transportation or infrastructure. Just like paying your telephone bill or the cable bill, the tax bill would be targeted. In this modern day of technology, you could log on to your tax account and specify what you feel are your priorities. Give us our choices back.
Wild weekend
My 30th class reunion was this weekend. I went with my sister to the Friday night mixer at a bar downtown. I was a little intimidated by the crowd so I had a couple of drinks on the balcony above the fray before venturing down the stairs into the big group. T and I were dressed in casual nice clothes. Showing off the fact that we have aged well in 30 years. T's class was three years before mine. I thought she might enjoy partying with me and I needed a date. Tom being out of town. I hosted T. bought all our drinks and we took a taxi. so we wouldn't have to worry about the end of the night, who had to drive home.
That was both a curse and a blessing that Taxi. It gave us free rein to get carried away. WE were in the last group to leave, as a result we were invited up to an old building around the corner from the bar, to an unfinished old office space for an after after party. The group was passing around Whiskey Firewall, which I don't care for, so I opted out. T, on the other hand was very much into the spirit of the evening. She had no rings on her fingers, where I had made sure to wear all my rings so there would be no doubt as to my unavailability. She had let it be known she was free of any spouse or significant other. Three men had shown interest, but from their histories they were either married in an open marriage, or separated, or I didn't catch the story on the third guy. T was enjoying herself and that made me happy .
As the bottle of Firewall was killed the party broke up. We headed back to the street. I was going to call a taxi, when T did a little fancy foot work and ended up lying on her back in the middle of the street, bumping her head on the asphalt. Giving us all a little scare. One of the Gentlemen helped us to the doorway stoop of a close building and told us to wait while he went to get his car and proceeded to drive us home. He thoughtfully did not want to leave two women on the street probably thoroughly intoxicated, though I was planning to call a cab.
The next morning we were both feeling a little worse for where. I took some pepto and aspirin and around 2:00 pm began to rally. T on the other hand was not rallying. She was still prone an hour before we were to head out to the fancy night event. She made the call not to go. It just wasn't going to happen . She was afraid to still sit upright. I wasn't going to go without her. I still don't know who we were hanging with the night before even though they were my classmates.
I met two people I knew from high school that whole evening. The one person I had wanted to see was a friend I had gone out with my final week of my senior year. A really nice guy. I was curious to see where he had ended up. He had become a radiologist with a brilliant beautiful science researcher as his wife and three children. even younger than my boys by 10 years. They started really late with children.. And I thought I had been old popping out my first at 30. He has an 11, 8 and 4 year old. T loved his wife as they talked the science of research studies.
The other was a woman I occasionally run into around town as her family has social circles that overlap my family's social circles. In other words our moms know each other. I probably would have seen a few more people I knew the second night, but without T with me I didn't want to go. I needed the crutch of my sister to broach that intimidating crowd. My graduating class was 450 graduating of a class closer to 650 . I have to say though that the one guy I found at all interesting in high school went on to become a doctor. I did have good taste in intelligent men.
I drove home Saturday night feeling a little blue and disappointed about not braving my reunion without a date, but there is always the 40th to attend.
Sunday morning, Trevor reminded me he had been invited to a scout event. He thought he had heard 11:00 am pick up but it was an 11:00 performance with pick up at 8:30 am. We arrived at the pick up at what I thought was on time, only to find out we were over 2 hours late. Trevor!!!
Riley was with me and he asked me not to yell at Trevor again with him in the car, so I restrained myself. The event was a civil war reenactment and encampment. It was 30 minutes away. I had thought it would be fun for Riley and I to go also, which was why Riley was with me. I had given both boys $20 each for food and stuff. WE were late but there was also an afternoon show.
I ended up buying the entrance tickets and we shared fair food and wandered the camps, much like our trip to Gettysburg in 2010. The nice thing about smaller venues are that they are sometimes more intimate than the big shows. You can get up close and personal. WE were less than 20 feet from the cannons and the performers were right in front of us. WE could hear the commands and see them fall and fake their injuries as if really hit. Then ten minutes later they are not wounded and another fake firing and another injury brings them down. One guy was a fantastic wailer, as if really injured and screaming in pain. The reenactment went on for a good hour. Until there were many fallen in the battle field. It was hot in those wool uniforms. I am sure the ones playing dead appreciated being able to lay down.
Afterwards we passed the soldiers in line for pickles and lemonade and watermelon. WE were told if the dill pickle tastes sweet, then the soldier is dehydrated and needs attention. It is a quick and brilliant method to culling out the sick and sun stroke, dill pickles.
Trevor and I went hunting for a belt in the historic tent store. He had of course forgotten his belt as usual. He had to use his hands to hold up his pants. WE have been giving him a hard time about exposing his underwear all the time. We ended up buying a leather lace for $1 for shoe lacing to tie up his loose shorts. It was just long enough. The belts were too wide for his belt loops. Which was a disappointment as we have been trying to find a nice decent belt and these were lovely. The belts were real leather with fancy civil war buckles. They started at $60 . So it was a good thing that they didn't fit. It left a lot of money for more fair food.
WE bought a sampling of barbecue sauces, hand made. Two rounds of spicy hot dogs and hamburgers and drinks to wash it all down. a frozen strawberry dessert with cream cheese between layers then dipped in chocolate with nuts. a couple of snow cones of different flavors. Riley bought an elephant ear, but dropped half of it, before he could share with everyone. WE talked to wonderfully colorful characters. The weather was glorious. Now if I had attended my big class reunion party I would not have had such a wonderful quality day with my boys. In the grand scheme of my life, a good day with my boys has more value than one night of partying with a group of people I hadn't thought about in 30 years.
Meanwhile my sister got a text from one of the gentlemen saying he missed the " Shirley girls" at the big shindig. That definitely cheered T up . I got a text from the photographer for the event through the invitation e mail connection . She had taken many pictures of us Friday night. We are very photogenic and having a good time as you can imagine. She wanted to let me know she was going to be posting the pictures and also wanted to know if T was alright as we did not make the second night. Wanted to know if the head bump was serious. Which meant the tale of our end of the night stumble had made the rounds of the reunion. It was too bad T couldn't rally because I know we could have had another wild night. Or at least killed any rumors. We never really partied in high school. My brother was the high school partier. Both T and I have close college friends.
T and I were looking hot Friday night. I think we disappointed a few by our no show the next night. I was going to look even hotter. I had a black cocktail dress to wear. But there is that old saying about leaving them wanting more. I told Tom I was going to my reunion just to let all those boys know what they missed by not seeing me in High school. I was a late bloomer. I think that was why Tom was all a twitch about us going, and underneath just a little pleased we missed the next night. Though he did a poor job of hiding it. He can be very possessive and this tended to push a few of his buttons. I made sure to wear my wedding rings, that sign of ownership.
It is all good in the end. I did have one of those wonderful weekends full of adventure and family and love with my sister and then my boys. I was blessed with the way the weekend turned out. As my Sunday adventure would not have happened if things had been different on Saturday. With any luck perhaps T will connect with one of those interesting men who were checking her out Friday night. I haven't a clue who they were even though they were class mates of mine. Or maybe they were spouses of classmates, or just crashed the party. I leave it to T to try and figure out who those handsome men were who invited us to that After party in that loft, and the one that drove us home. It was truly an interesting night for a girl who did not really enjoy those four years in high school, that shadow who roamed the halls of school unnoticed.
That was both a curse and a blessing that Taxi. It gave us free rein to get carried away. WE were in the last group to leave, as a result we were invited up to an old building around the corner from the bar, to an unfinished old office space for an after after party. The group was passing around Whiskey Firewall, which I don't care for, so I opted out. T, on the other hand was very much into the spirit of the evening. She had no rings on her fingers, where I had made sure to wear all my rings so there would be no doubt as to my unavailability. She had let it be known she was free of any spouse or significant other. Three men had shown interest, but from their histories they were either married in an open marriage, or separated, or I didn't catch the story on the third guy. T was enjoying herself and that made me happy .
As the bottle of Firewall was killed the party broke up. We headed back to the street. I was going to call a taxi, when T did a little fancy foot work and ended up lying on her back in the middle of the street, bumping her head on the asphalt. Giving us all a little scare. One of the Gentlemen helped us to the doorway stoop of a close building and told us to wait while he went to get his car and proceeded to drive us home. He thoughtfully did not want to leave two women on the street probably thoroughly intoxicated, though I was planning to call a cab.
The next morning we were both feeling a little worse for where. I took some pepto and aspirin and around 2:00 pm began to rally. T on the other hand was not rallying. She was still prone an hour before we were to head out to the fancy night event. She made the call not to go. It just wasn't going to happen . She was afraid to still sit upright. I wasn't going to go without her. I still don't know who we were hanging with the night before even though they were my classmates.
I met two people I knew from high school that whole evening. The one person I had wanted to see was a friend I had gone out with my final week of my senior year. A really nice guy. I was curious to see where he had ended up. He had become a radiologist with a brilliant beautiful science researcher as his wife and three children. even younger than my boys by 10 years. They started really late with children.. And I thought I had been old popping out my first at 30. He has an 11, 8 and 4 year old. T loved his wife as they talked the science of research studies.
The other was a woman I occasionally run into around town as her family has social circles that overlap my family's social circles. In other words our moms know each other. I probably would have seen a few more people I knew the second night, but without T with me I didn't want to go. I needed the crutch of my sister to broach that intimidating crowd. My graduating class was 450 graduating of a class closer to 650 . I have to say though that the one guy I found at all interesting in high school went on to become a doctor. I did have good taste in intelligent men.
I drove home Saturday night feeling a little blue and disappointed about not braving my reunion without a date, but there is always the 40th to attend.
Sunday morning, Trevor reminded me he had been invited to a scout event. He thought he had heard 11:00 am pick up but it was an 11:00 performance with pick up at 8:30 am. We arrived at the pick up at what I thought was on time, only to find out we were over 2 hours late. Trevor!!!
Riley was with me and he asked me not to yell at Trevor again with him in the car, so I restrained myself. The event was a civil war reenactment and encampment. It was 30 minutes away. I had thought it would be fun for Riley and I to go also, which was why Riley was with me. I had given both boys $20 each for food and stuff. WE were late but there was also an afternoon show.
I ended up buying the entrance tickets and we shared fair food and wandered the camps, much like our trip to Gettysburg in 2010. The nice thing about smaller venues are that they are sometimes more intimate than the big shows. You can get up close and personal. WE were less than 20 feet from the cannons and the performers were right in front of us. WE could hear the commands and see them fall and fake their injuries as if really hit. Then ten minutes later they are not wounded and another fake firing and another injury brings them down. One guy was a fantastic wailer, as if really injured and screaming in pain. The reenactment went on for a good hour. Until there were many fallen in the battle field. It was hot in those wool uniforms. I am sure the ones playing dead appreciated being able to lay down.
Afterwards we passed the soldiers in line for pickles and lemonade and watermelon. WE were told if the dill pickle tastes sweet, then the soldier is dehydrated and needs attention. It is a quick and brilliant method to culling out the sick and sun stroke, dill pickles.
Trevor and I went hunting for a belt in the historic tent store. He had of course forgotten his belt as usual. He had to use his hands to hold up his pants. WE have been giving him a hard time about exposing his underwear all the time. We ended up buying a leather lace for $1 for shoe lacing to tie up his loose shorts. It was just long enough. The belts were too wide for his belt loops. Which was a disappointment as we have been trying to find a nice decent belt and these were lovely. The belts were real leather with fancy civil war buckles. They started at $60 . So it was a good thing that they didn't fit. It left a lot of money for more fair food.
WE bought a sampling of barbecue sauces, hand made. Two rounds of spicy hot dogs and hamburgers and drinks to wash it all down. a frozen strawberry dessert with cream cheese between layers then dipped in chocolate with nuts. a couple of snow cones of different flavors. Riley bought an elephant ear, but dropped half of it, before he could share with everyone. WE talked to wonderfully colorful characters. The weather was glorious. Now if I had attended my big class reunion party I would not have had such a wonderful quality day with my boys. In the grand scheme of my life, a good day with my boys has more value than one night of partying with a group of people I hadn't thought about in 30 years.
Meanwhile my sister got a text from one of the gentlemen saying he missed the " Shirley girls" at the big shindig. That definitely cheered T up . I got a text from the photographer for the event through the invitation e mail connection . She had taken many pictures of us Friday night. We are very photogenic and having a good time as you can imagine. She wanted to let me know she was going to be posting the pictures and also wanted to know if T was alright as we did not make the second night. Wanted to know if the head bump was serious. Which meant the tale of our end of the night stumble had made the rounds of the reunion. It was too bad T couldn't rally because I know we could have had another wild night. Or at least killed any rumors. We never really partied in high school. My brother was the high school partier. Both T and I have close college friends.
T and I were looking hot Friday night. I think we disappointed a few by our no show the next night. I was going to look even hotter. I had a black cocktail dress to wear. But there is that old saying about leaving them wanting more. I told Tom I was going to my reunion just to let all those boys know what they missed by not seeing me in High school. I was a late bloomer. I think that was why Tom was all a twitch about us going, and underneath just a little pleased we missed the next night. Though he did a poor job of hiding it. He can be very possessive and this tended to push a few of his buttons. I made sure to wear my wedding rings, that sign of ownership.
It is all good in the end. I did have one of those wonderful weekends full of adventure and family and love with my sister and then my boys. I was blessed with the way the weekend turned out. As my Sunday adventure would not have happened if things had been different on Saturday. With any luck perhaps T will connect with one of those interesting men who were checking her out Friday night. I haven't a clue who they were even though they were class mates of mine. Or maybe they were spouses of classmates, or just crashed the party. I leave it to T to try and figure out who those handsome men were who invited us to that After party in that loft, and the one that drove us home. It was truly an interesting night for a girl who did not really enjoy those four years in high school, that shadow who roamed the halls of school unnoticed.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
construction
Last winter we had tried to paint and caulk around the windows of the south wall exterior to see if we had solved our problem of winter rains seeping into the house through the seams around the window. It did not work. This year Tom hired two friends to come in who are in the business of construction and have a crew. They would not guarantee their work of just replacing the windows unless we did the siding because it was really the siding that was warped and allowing the rain to make its way into the house.
The men came by the house to measure the windows for replacement and take a sample of the siding to match. The siding is vertical 5 inch cedar. It has to be custom ordered.We need 16 foot lengths, tong and
groove. Today I awoke to the crew arriving at 7:00 am. they got right to work.
the boys tried to sleep through the hammering but i made them get up. Trevor had weight training and Riley needed to clean up his room before the men came in to replace his windows.
When the first window came off we saw immediately what the problem had been with the water getting in. . There was no flashing around windows. The previous job had cut the openings and cut the flashing to remove what was previously there, and not replaced the flashing with new. That wont happen this time.
I had to leave at 10:30 am but they were already over half way through. Most of the old windows on the house were removed and new ones going in quickly after the space was made ready.
The new code requires a six inch or more wide strip of stick seal to go around the window under the flashing, much like a toilet flange. The plywood walls will be wrapped with a third layer of house wrap. The new siding will be on top of all that, sealing everything, no more leaking walls or windows.
From the look of things this is at least the third or fourth window replacement the house has had. Once the walls were opened up when the old windows were removed you could see where the original framing had been added to at least once. I am counting on modern technology making this the last window replacement for the next 50 years or more.
The project is moving along smoothly. We were nail biting as the siding came off as we looked for dry rot or carpenter ant damage. To our surprise the walls were in pretty good condition. Only a couple of small spots needed replacing on the ply wood level. The insulation was in good condition with no signs of wet or mold or ant or animal activity. If the boards weren't so warped that they would just crack if you tried to flatten them , even the cedar boards themselves from the old siding were in good condition. Makes me wonder if they were hung green, which could be why they warped and had gaping .
Our biggest snaffoo was while re sizing the office window to match the rest of windows, the crew stumbled on some wiring running just below the original window. We had wanted to put a door in the office but there was an air vent below the window that Tom would not let me just block off. We compromised with agreeing to get a window that matched the rest on the deck in height and length. Not realizing we would be dealing with having to still move wiring. One of the wires was partially cut during the re size. The project stopped for a short while, while we tried to locate what the wire serviced.
At first we thought it went upstairs. I sent Riley up to his room with a power sensor only to find everything was fine. I had him do the whole upstairs and found nothing wrong. As far as we can tell it is a power wire to nowhere. I am guessing it goes to those unfinished sockets in the basement. A none issue. An electrician has been called though to move the wires out of the way and cap off the cut wire properly. It did not slow the crew down much though. They just covered the opening and moved on to another window.
The man cave is left with three windows to go, and this office window for tomorrow. The siding gets delivered in the morning and they will probably start putting the exterior wall back together. I have a guy coming to talk staining to me once the siding is up. Tom wants to match the front of the house with clear cedar stain.
I asked the guys if they were going to use scaffolding for the second story window. they laughed and said no just two ladders and a board. I laughed. do you know how much grief Tom gave me when I used two ladders and a board to paint the second story of our new garage in our first home. It was the construction crew's set up. I hadn't thought anything of it. Tom had a fit seeing me up on that ladder. I was glad to see everything put away when I got home today . What I don't know...
I left for work, just as the crew was beginning to remove the first upstairs window by ladder, at around 10:00 am on the second floor. They were handing the glass in tthrough the opening in the bedroom to carry downstairs from inside. that way the frame would be lighter and easier to manage. No risk of broken glass.
I came home to a quiet house and almost all the windows set in place. Riley told me they had left a few hours earlier. I figure they quit this house for another when the sun made the work on the south side uncomfortable. They left themselves enough work for another few hours tomorrow with four windows to go out of the 17 and the electrical needing to be moved. The crew is going to have to replace all the interior molding as they had to remove the molding to make the windows fit properly. The new windows are a bit beefier than what was removed.
The old windows are a mix of wood and vinyl windows and over half were shot, with the seals blown leaving that fog between the pains. Half the trouble with this house was the many different styles of window used. The house is not quite standard, but it will be glorious when we are done.
I am still in a muddle regarding gas in the kitchen. I am not thrilled with my options. One company I really wanted to work with told me no interior work until things slow down in October. I was hoping to have the ovens in for Tom's birthday. The crew may bail me out. Tom's friend said he would ask his cabinet guy about an oven cabinet. With the electrician coming for the window, I thought I might grab him for the oven project and perhaps the laundry room project while he is here. I will see what time he comes tomorrow.I am seeing a couple of patients in the morning, but they will be quick deliveries with luck. it has been exciting watching the fast pace of the progress and seeing how thorough the men are.
Most of all I am thrilled to find out why our house kept leaking despite our best efforts, and knowing that the big storms wont drip water into my living room this winter.
The men came by the house to measure the windows for replacement and take a sample of the siding to match. The siding is vertical 5 inch cedar. It has to be custom ordered.We need 16 foot lengths, tong and
groove. Today I awoke to the crew arriving at 7:00 am. they got right to work.
the boys tried to sleep through the hammering but i made them get up. Trevor had weight training and Riley needed to clean up his room before the men came in to replace his windows.
When the first window came off we saw immediately what the problem had been with the water getting in. . There was no flashing around windows. The previous job had cut the openings and cut the flashing to remove what was previously there, and not replaced the flashing with new. That wont happen this time.
I had to leave at 10:30 am but they were already over half way through. Most of the old windows on the house were removed and new ones going in quickly after the space was made ready.
The new code requires a six inch or more wide strip of stick seal to go around the window under the flashing, much like a toilet flange. The plywood walls will be wrapped with a third layer of house wrap. The new siding will be on top of all that, sealing everything, no more leaking walls or windows.
From the look of things this is at least the third or fourth window replacement the house has had. Once the walls were opened up when the old windows were removed you could see where the original framing had been added to at least once. I am counting on modern technology making this the last window replacement for the next 50 years or more.
The project is moving along smoothly. We were nail biting as the siding came off as we looked for dry rot or carpenter ant damage. To our surprise the walls were in pretty good condition. Only a couple of small spots needed replacing on the ply wood level. The insulation was in good condition with no signs of wet or mold or ant or animal activity. If the boards weren't so warped that they would just crack if you tried to flatten them , even the cedar boards themselves from the old siding were in good condition. Makes me wonder if they were hung green, which could be why they warped and had gaping .
Our biggest snaffoo was while re sizing the office window to match the rest of windows, the crew stumbled on some wiring running just below the original window. We had wanted to put a door in the office but there was an air vent below the window that Tom would not let me just block off. We compromised with agreeing to get a window that matched the rest on the deck in height and length. Not realizing we would be dealing with having to still move wiring. One of the wires was partially cut during the re size. The project stopped for a short while, while we tried to locate what the wire serviced.
At first we thought it went upstairs. I sent Riley up to his room with a power sensor only to find everything was fine. I had him do the whole upstairs and found nothing wrong. As far as we can tell it is a power wire to nowhere. I am guessing it goes to those unfinished sockets in the basement. A none issue. An electrician has been called though to move the wires out of the way and cap off the cut wire properly. It did not slow the crew down much though. They just covered the opening and moved on to another window.
The man cave is left with three windows to go, and this office window for tomorrow. The siding gets delivered in the morning and they will probably start putting the exterior wall back together. I have a guy coming to talk staining to me once the siding is up. Tom wants to match the front of the house with clear cedar stain.
I asked the guys if they were going to use scaffolding for the second story window. they laughed and said no just two ladders and a board. I laughed. do you know how much grief Tom gave me when I used two ladders and a board to paint the second story of our new garage in our first home. It was the construction crew's set up. I hadn't thought anything of it. Tom had a fit seeing me up on that ladder. I was glad to see everything put away when I got home today . What I don't know...
I left for work, just as the crew was beginning to remove the first upstairs window by ladder, at around 10:00 am on the second floor. They were handing the glass in tthrough the opening in the bedroom to carry downstairs from inside. that way the frame would be lighter and easier to manage. No risk of broken glass.
I came home to a quiet house and almost all the windows set in place. Riley told me they had left a few hours earlier. I figure they quit this house for another when the sun made the work on the south side uncomfortable. They left themselves enough work for another few hours tomorrow with four windows to go out of the 17 and the electrical needing to be moved. The crew is going to have to replace all the interior molding as they had to remove the molding to make the windows fit properly. The new windows are a bit beefier than what was removed.
The old windows are a mix of wood and vinyl windows and over half were shot, with the seals blown leaving that fog between the pains. Half the trouble with this house was the many different styles of window used. The house is not quite standard, but it will be glorious when we are done.
I am still in a muddle regarding gas in the kitchen. I am not thrilled with my options. One company I really wanted to work with told me no interior work until things slow down in October. I was hoping to have the ovens in for Tom's birthday. The crew may bail me out. Tom's friend said he would ask his cabinet guy about an oven cabinet. With the electrician coming for the window, I thought I might grab him for the oven project and perhaps the laundry room project while he is here. I will see what time he comes tomorrow.I am seeing a couple of patients in the morning, but they will be quick deliveries with luck. it has been exciting watching the fast pace of the progress and seeing how thorough the men are.
Most of all I am thrilled to find out why our house kept leaking despite our best efforts, and knowing that the big storms wont drip water into my living room this winter.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
All Good
Its been a while, but I had a few people tell me they want updates on our lives. You know I went back to work. It has been fun and challenging. I work with diabetics, giving them a pair of shoes and a medical foot inspection each year covered under their insurance. I have been doing a lot of driving and growing a new patient book. My job is to find every diabetic in a 40 mile radius and let them know we make house calls and can get them shoes to help them stay stable and as mobile as they can be.
I can't talk about my work more than that because it is medical and I would get in big trouble. Kind of like when I pick up my husband's meds, for what ever, at the pharmacy, but I can't get a year end summary for our taxes because that would be too much information.
Our premiums went up again this year. Every year the premium goes up 8%. Nothing changes on the the deductible. The first $5000 per person is still on us, and that is no typo. We are still paying for the rest of the uninsured as far as I can tell. $1200 a month and we pay all our medical bills. Old subject.
Riley had his one year check up at the end of June at OHSU. Still doing well with all his blood numbers. Slowly every thing seems to be climbing. Red cells, white cells, platelets were all good. His platelets were at 168,000. Red cells were 15.4. Strong Red cell numbers. White cells were at 5 or 6 which is where they should be for a healthy boy.
Riley giggled when the Doctor checked his kidneys and liver. Riley has always been tickilish when the doctor prods his stomach. the doctor ask how we all were and we asked how he was. Riley will be turning 18 in November. He will be getting too old for the children's hospital. the doctor said one more check up next summer about this time and then we get booted on with life. I don't know if I wont always be looking over my shoulder for that shadow though. I am always surupticiously viewing Riley's legs for strange spots or bruises.
Riley gave us a very decent report card at the end of his Junior year. As a result he will be taking classes at the local community college next year, as a Senior in high school. A nice test run for after graduating high school. We had to renew Riley's driving permit as it expired before he wanted to take the driving test. I hadn't been in any hurry to do the test as our car insurance would go up. He was quite content with just renewing the permit. As a matter of fact it was three months past expiration. We had both assumed it was a two year permit until a friend said no, it was one year. Riley pulled his permit out of his wallet and we laughed, he had been driving illegally for months. The next week we were at the DMV getting a renewal. We would have had to get one anyway as you can't take the test to drive without a permit.
I will probably push him when he turns 18 in November, to get the drivers license.
Trevor did not give me a great report card. It is funny when all the teachers' comments were that they love having him in their class, but his homework was late or missing. I told Trevor without good grades there would be no drivers ed and no permit. Instead I bought him a new bike so he could get himself around as needed. he hates our hill, but he loves his new bike he picked out himself. I had promised him a bike last year but didn't get around to it, until now. I told him it was a early birthday present for this year. With Trevor he needed a bigger bike seat, one of those wide ones, and a heavier frame to take his weight.
Riley borrowed the bike the other day and said the seat was very uncomfortable the handle bars were too low, the gear box was backwards for him and the bike was too heavy. I told Trevor that was a good thing as Riley wouldn't be borrowing his brother's bike very often if he didn't like it that much.
Tom is still away on business. He was home for the 4th of July. Thank goodness for a metal roofed home. He tested many fireworks to find the perfect launch location. He went up to the reservation because they have the best deals. Bought a litteral pallet of fireworks. the pallet came with its own dolly. didn't need another dolly as we have one already, but the five foot stack was impressive.
Tom plans to be home again labor day weekend. I am hoping to have some of our projects done. it is getting quite exciting and nerve racking around here. he hired a friend who comes tomorrow with a crew to rip off the leaking siding and replace all the windows and siding on the south side of the house. Our first big investment since the man cave.
Between the last two visits home. I stripped the finish and stained all the cabinets in his man cave. He picked a wall color he liked by long distance with photos and several false starts. The room was finished by the time he came home on the fourth of July. He wanted dark cabinets and had been threatening just to rip out the light colored ones we had as he really didn't like them. I wanted to give them a shot because we needed the storage. I also put more shelves in the cabinets to make them function better. He wanted an old tavern feel. I think the cabinets came out well. He liked the look and was very happy.
This interlude, we have hired experienced contractors to make the repairs needed. it is really bad when it rains and the wind blows the water into your living room. Nothing like buying a neglected home for good projects.
We did try sealing the wall by painting it but the warped boards were beyond salvaging. When our friend came to get a sample piece to match the rest of the house, the board came off easily and below the window was dry rot. I am thrilled to know all that will be fixed. Once the wall is done we will be staining the back of the house to match the rest of the house. And all the windows will match and not leak.
We still have not decided about the back yard. Tom wants to put in a $15,000 retaining wall and build out the lawn. I don't really see the point as neither of us want to care for a yard. The blackberries poke up their heads and I spray them down as needed. I threw out some grass seed and the beautiful grasses billow in the wind. I am thinking if we are considering back yard expenses at that level we should run paths with a mini tractor and hill sculpture or do a deck. The cost would be similar. I would love a patio below, off the basement.
I am very excited to be getting this very important maintenance taken care of. Tom wants the laundry and kitchen tackled next, after the windows and siding and staining. We have come to a great way of communicating long distance. It is too hard to argue over the phone, so we throw our ideas to each other to consider over the phone. We dwell on each other's thoughts and come back agreeing.
Tom wants the gas brought in this fall. I am not as enamored by the idea as he is. We have a perfectly good furnace and water heater. This house, by the time we are done will be back in good health and harmony and pretty glamorous.
I need to shop range hoods if we are bringing in gas. We have a glass top with a down draft now, which wont work with the gas cook top we also have to install.
Trev worked at scout day camp as a staffer last week. He taught little cub scouts how to cast and fish. he said only a few boys each day got stuck. He also was on one end of the tug of war, at the end of the week , against packs of little boys. I can visualize it. I came to pick him up and help with take down. I timed it well as most of the work was done by the time I got there. Trevor was exhausted from the week and turned down a camping trip to sleep and recover all weekend.
I had Riley doing chores all week. I told him as long as he doesn't have a job or doing regular volunteer work he would be picking up the slack for Trevor and me as we worked. Riley was not happy but he saw my logic. mostly he didn't want to make me cranky.
We have been working hard at keeping up appearances. We have had visitors coming and going with the contractors checking on the bids. We have been staying on top of the every day messes of kitchen and laundry. I hired a friend's daughter to come right before Tom got home to give the house a deep scrub and vacuum so the place sparkled. My boys can't seem to get that thorough finished look I desire without my screaming and pulling out my hair. They just don't make the effort. They can do the heavy labor and and the flipping of laundry and loading and unloading of dishes, but they can still drive me crazy with the jam on the counters or the dried pancake batter.
The clothes Washer has been leaking into its water drip tray, Not a good thing when we are going to be moving it upstairs, so today the Sears man came out to fix it. He had been on vacation so I did have to wait for two weeks for an appointment. It was a simple repair of a torn gasket. Luckily we have a warranty good until 2015. I bought the max warranty after our last repair cost me $350 .I was interested to hear that even though our local Sears closed, the repair service was in a different location and will still be local. I had been doing my laundry regardless of the pool of water in the tray below. I didn't want to drag my laundry to the laundry mat, which poor tom has to do every week. His apartment building has no laundry facility.
I golfed last weekend in a very fun two day tournament. Exhausting playing that much golf. I bought a new golf outfit so at least I would look like a golfer, even if I didn't play like one. In honor of Tom I dressed all in Orange on the second day.
Well, it is getting late and the contractors come tomorrow for the first day of demolition. I am supposed to golf in the morning. I am tempted. Tom said to stay out of the way and just let his friends do the work. They know what they are doing. It is just so hard to stay hands off on such a fun project.
I can't talk about my work more than that because it is medical and I would get in big trouble. Kind of like when I pick up my husband's meds, for what ever, at the pharmacy, but I can't get a year end summary for our taxes because that would be too much information.
Our premiums went up again this year. Every year the premium goes up 8%. Nothing changes on the the deductible. The first $5000 per person is still on us, and that is no typo. We are still paying for the rest of the uninsured as far as I can tell. $1200 a month and we pay all our medical bills. Old subject.
Riley had his one year check up at the end of June at OHSU. Still doing well with all his blood numbers. Slowly every thing seems to be climbing. Red cells, white cells, platelets were all good. His platelets were at 168,000. Red cells were 15.4. Strong Red cell numbers. White cells were at 5 or 6 which is where they should be for a healthy boy.
Riley giggled when the Doctor checked his kidneys and liver. Riley has always been tickilish when the doctor prods his stomach. the doctor ask how we all were and we asked how he was. Riley will be turning 18 in November. He will be getting too old for the children's hospital. the doctor said one more check up next summer about this time and then we get booted on with life. I don't know if I wont always be looking over my shoulder for that shadow though. I am always surupticiously viewing Riley's legs for strange spots or bruises.
Riley gave us a very decent report card at the end of his Junior year. As a result he will be taking classes at the local community college next year, as a Senior in high school. A nice test run for after graduating high school. We had to renew Riley's driving permit as it expired before he wanted to take the driving test. I hadn't been in any hurry to do the test as our car insurance would go up. He was quite content with just renewing the permit. As a matter of fact it was three months past expiration. We had both assumed it was a two year permit until a friend said no, it was one year. Riley pulled his permit out of his wallet and we laughed, he had been driving illegally for months. The next week we were at the DMV getting a renewal. We would have had to get one anyway as you can't take the test to drive without a permit.
I will probably push him when he turns 18 in November, to get the drivers license.
Trevor did not give me a great report card. It is funny when all the teachers' comments were that they love having him in their class, but his homework was late or missing. I told Trevor without good grades there would be no drivers ed and no permit. Instead I bought him a new bike so he could get himself around as needed. he hates our hill, but he loves his new bike he picked out himself. I had promised him a bike last year but didn't get around to it, until now. I told him it was a early birthday present for this year. With Trevor he needed a bigger bike seat, one of those wide ones, and a heavier frame to take his weight.
Riley borrowed the bike the other day and said the seat was very uncomfortable the handle bars were too low, the gear box was backwards for him and the bike was too heavy. I told Trevor that was a good thing as Riley wouldn't be borrowing his brother's bike very often if he didn't like it that much.
Tom is still away on business. He was home for the 4th of July. Thank goodness for a metal roofed home. He tested many fireworks to find the perfect launch location. He went up to the reservation because they have the best deals. Bought a litteral pallet of fireworks. the pallet came with its own dolly. didn't need another dolly as we have one already, but the five foot stack was impressive.
Tom plans to be home again labor day weekend. I am hoping to have some of our projects done. it is getting quite exciting and nerve racking around here. he hired a friend who comes tomorrow with a crew to rip off the leaking siding and replace all the windows and siding on the south side of the house. Our first big investment since the man cave.
Between the last two visits home. I stripped the finish and stained all the cabinets in his man cave. He picked a wall color he liked by long distance with photos and several false starts. The room was finished by the time he came home on the fourth of July. He wanted dark cabinets and had been threatening just to rip out the light colored ones we had as he really didn't like them. I wanted to give them a shot because we needed the storage. I also put more shelves in the cabinets to make them function better. He wanted an old tavern feel. I think the cabinets came out well. He liked the look and was very happy.
This interlude, we have hired experienced contractors to make the repairs needed. it is really bad when it rains and the wind blows the water into your living room. Nothing like buying a neglected home for good projects.
We still have not decided about the back yard. Tom wants to put in a $15,000 retaining wall and build out the lawn. I don't really see the point as neither of us want to care for a yard. The blackberries poke up their heads and I spray them down as needed. I threw out some grass seed and the beautiful grasses billow in the wind. I am thinking if we are considering back yard expenses at that level we should run paths with a mini tractor and hill sculpture or do a deck. The cost would be similar. I would love a patio below, off the basement.
I am very excited to be getting this very important maintenance taken care of. Tom wants the laundry and kitchen tackled next, after the windows and siding and staining. We have come to a great way of communicating long distance. It is too hard to argue over the phone, so we throw our ideas to each other to consider over the phone. We dwell on each other's thoughts and come back agreeing.
Tom wants the gas brought in this fall. I am not as enamored by the idea as he is. We have a perfectly good furnace and water heater. This house, by the time we are done will be back in good health and harmony and pretty glamorous.
I need to shop range hoods if we are bringing in gas. We have a glass top with a down draft now, which wont work with the gas cook top we also have to install.
Trev worked at scout day camp as a staffer last week. He taught little cub scouts how to cast and fish. he said only a few boys each day got stuck. He also was on one end of the tug of war, at the end of the week , against packs of little boys. I can visualize it. I came to pick him up and help with take down. I timed it well as most of the work was done by the time I got there. Trevor was exhausted from the week and turned down a camping trip to sleep and recover all weekend.
I had Riley doing chores all week. I told him as long as he doesn't have a job or doing regular volunteer work he would be picking up the slack for Trevor and me as we worked. Riley was not happy but he saw my logic. mostly he didn't want to make me cranky.
We have been working hard at keeping up appearances. We have had visitors coming and going with the contractors checking on the bids. We have been staying on top of the every day messes of kitchen and laundry. I hired a friend's daughter to come right before Tom got home to give the house a deep scrub and vacuum so the place sparkled. My boys can't seem to get that thorough finished look I desire without my screaming and pulling out my hair. They just don't make the effort. They can do the heavy labor and and the flipping of laundry and loading and unloading of dishes, but they can still drive me crazy with the jam on the counters or the dried pancake batter.
The clothes Washer has been leaking into its water drip tray, Not a good thing when we are going to be moving it upstairs, so today the Sears man came out to fix it. He had been on vacation so I did have to wait for two weeks for an appointment. It was a simple repair of a torn gasket. Luckily we have a warranty good until 2015. I bought the max warranty after our last repair cost me $350 .I was interested to hear that even though our local Sears closed, the repair service was in a different location and will still be local. I had been doing my laundry regardless of the pool of water in the tray below. I didn't want to drag my laundry to the laundry mat, which poor tom has to do every week. His apartment building has no laundry facility.
I golfed last weekend in a very fun two day tournament. Exhausting playing that much golf. I bought a new golf outfit so at least I would look like a golfer, even if I didn't play like one. In honor of Tom I dressed all in Orange on the second day.
Well, it is getting late and the contractors come tomorrow for the first day of demolition. I am supposed to golf in the morning. I am tempted. Tom said to stay out of the way and just let his friends do the work. They know what they are doing. It is just so hard to stay hands off on such a fun project.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
The favor
Aver dear friend of mine has rentals. She moved a couple hours south of us which was a bit too far to care for the rental she has in our area. The most recent tenant moved out after 5 years and no one came to look at the house while it was for sale for a month. My friend asked if I could show the place for rent and I could keep the first month's rent.
It seemed an easy task as the house is not far from where we live. She called the listing agent to take the lock off the door and give me the key. The agent called and said she had left the key but that the neighbors were out on the street at the time and she feared they had seen her hide it.
She also asked if I was a property manager as she was desperate to find a good one in town. She had the demand if I was interested. I said I would think about it. I will have to look up the qualifications, if there are any. I think finding a good handyman is half the battle for a good property manager. And being a good judge of character. Get the good renters in the first time. But good renters want good houses and I am not sure what I am going to get with this property. It is an interesting neighborhood.
I took Riley with me since it was after dark and popped down to the house. I had told Riley it would just be a quick stop to get the key so he just threw on his sweats and no shoes for the trip in the car. The house really isn't that far away from our house but it is amazing how quickly the neighborhoods change quality.
This rental sits almost under a bridge. I counted 12 grocery carts just left to sit kitty corner to the house. A neighbor told me, when I asked what was being done about the carts, a woman comes by every few days and returns the carts to the stores. I wonder if she gets a finders fee. I asked once how much the carts cost. Those carts cost $400 each. The stores probably have someone designated to round them up, or all the homeless people would make a business of stealing them and bringing them back.
It was after 8:00 pm. The sun had set and it was very dark. I had brought a flash light as I thought the power had probably been turned off. I wanted to be able to find the hidden key. It was right where it was supposed to be but I thought I had better do a walk through of the house. I unlocked and opened the door and the door fell off its hinges. I called out to Riley in the car and flashed my light at him to get his attention. He had to walk over to me in his bare feet. The neighbors across the street, about 5 of them, were hanging out on their front porch watching me, a young crowd enjoying the warmer night without rain. I couldn't make out much more than that in the dark and they didn't have their outside lights on, just standing around in the dark.
It took Riley and me a good thirty minutes to get the door back into its frame and lock it so it would stay in place until I could come back with new bigger, fatter, longer screws to reattach the hinges to the door jamb.
I swung by Ace in the morning and picked up the screws and made copies of the keys for me to have a spare. I waited until Riley got home from school as I knew this was a two man job. Someone would need to hold the door in place while the other screwed the hing down. Riley commented on our way down to the rental asking if we were bringing a gun with us for our safety. I told him it was daylight and he was there to protect me. Trev had after school activities, so it was up to Riley to be there with me. I told Riley I would pay him to mow the lawn at the rental, but he declined and said he wanted to spend as little time in that neighborhood as possible.
We got the door fixed. It really needs a new surround, but it will hold for a while. I could have used longer screws but I didn't have a cordless power drill so we had to use a Phillips head screw driver and do it all by hand. Riley and I traded off who was holding the door as both our wrists were soar with twisting.
Just as we finished the people who were going to view it showed up. Riley watched me in action. These girls did not qualify to rent as one was unemployed and the other only made $1200 a month. The rent would be over half their income. I told them if it was still available when the other woman had a job, they could come back and talk to me. I hope to have it rented sooner than that.
As Riley and I headed back to my car after locking up without incident, A skinny man started to walk towards us. I speed up my pace to the car. The man called out that he was the room mate of the house next door. He was pretty scruffy and missing his four top front teeth. The house next door has piles of discarded furniture and broken bikes in the yard. I had met the neighbor next door at my first visit when my girlfriend took me to the house. He was a nice stout older man. Single guy who doesn't care what his yard looks like. Perhaps a hoarder with his life spilling out into the yard.
The man with missing teeth asked if I would like the yard mowed or anything done to the house. I had remembered the gutters on this one story vintage cottage needed cleaning. I said I would find out what the owner wanted to do. Honestly, I might pay him to clean up his own yard so I can get this place rented. You don't necessarily want to put up bushes to block views because someone could hide in them. Since Riley didn't want to mow the lawn I probably will have this guy do it. At least then The rental will have someone keeping an eye on it and it wont look neglected.
So I have something to distract me while Tom is gone, and definitely an eye opener for my boys and me, on the choices you make in life and where you can end up with the wrong choices. I just want to hug Tom and tell him how much I love him and appreciate everything he does for us, and the lifestyle he has given us. I miss him terribly.
I am showing the house again this week. It has a lot of interest, but being qualified for the rental price is important. I don't want to have to deal with this house again for a while. I call it Adorable Vintage in my ad, built in 1922. My friend remodeled the bathroom and kitchen. It really is quaint. I tell people the neighbors watch each other, but I don't say they may not be the kind of neighbors you want keeping an eye on you.
It seemed an easy task as the house is not far from where we live. She called the listing agent to take the lock off the door and give me the key. The agent called and said she had left the key but that the neighbors were out on the street at the time and she feared they had seen her hide it.
She also asked if I was a property manager as she was desperate to find a good one in town. She had the demand if I was interested. I said I would think about it. I will have to look up the qualifications, if there are any. I think finding a good handyman is half the battle for a good property manager. And being a good judge of character. Get the good renters in the first time. But good renters want good houses and I am not sure what I am going to get with this property. It is an interesting neighborhood.
I took Riley with me since it was after dark and popped down to the house. I had told Riley it would just be a quick stop to get the key so he just threw on his sweats and no shoes for the trip in the car. The house really isn't that far away from our house but it is amazing how quickly the neighborhoods change quality.
This rental sits almost under a bridge. I counted 12 grocery carts just left to sit kitty corner to the house. A neighbor told me, when I asked what was being done about the carts, a woman comes by every few days and returns the carts to the stores. I wonder if she gets a finders fee. I asked once how much the carts cost. Those carts cost $400 each. The stores probably have someone designated to round them up, or all the homeless people would make a business of stealing them and bringing them back.
It was after 8:00 pm. The sun had set and it was very dark. I had brought a flash light as I thought the power had probably been turned off. I wanted to be able to find the hidden key. It was right where it was supposed to be but I thought I had better do a walk through of the house. I unlocked and opened the door and the door fell off its hinges. I called out to Riley in the car and flashed my light at him to get his attention. He had to walk over to me in his bare feet. The neighbors across the street, about 5 of them, were hanging out on their front porch watching me, a young crowd enjoying the warmer night without rain. I couldn't make out much more than that in the dark and they didn't have their outside lights on, just standing around in the dark.
It took Riley and me a good thirty minutes to get the door back into its frame and lock it so it would stay in place until I could come back with new bigger, fatter, longer screws to reattach the hinges to the door jamb.
I swung by Ace in the morning and picked up the screws and made copies of the keys for me to have a spare. I waited until Riley got home from school as I knew this was a two man job. Someone would need to hold the door in place while the other screwed the hing down. Riley commented on our way down to the rental asking if we were bringing a gun with us for our safety. I told him it was daylight and he was there to protect me. Trev had after school activities, so it was up to Riley to be there with me. I told Riley I would pay him to mow the lawn at the rental, but he declined and said he wanted to spend as little time in that neighborhood as possible.
We got the door fixed. It really needs a new surround, but it will hold for a while. I could have used longer screws but I didn't have a cordless power drill so we had to use a Phillips head screw driver and do it all by hand. Riley and I traded off who was holding the door as both our wrists were soar with twisting.
Just as we finished the people who were going to view it showed up. Riley watched me in action. These girls did not qualify to rent as one was unemployed and the other only made $1200 a month. The rent would be over half their income. I told them if it was still available when the other woman had a job, they could come back and talk to me. I hope to have it rented sooner than that.
As Riley and I headed back to my car after locking up without incident, A skinny man started to walk towards us. I speed up my pace to the car. The man called out that he was the room mate of the house next door. He was pretty scruffy and missing his four top front teeth. The house next door has piles of discarded furniture and broken bikes in the yard. I had met the neighbor next door at my first visit when my girlfriend took me to the house. He was a nice stout older man. Single guy who doesn't care what his yard looks like. Perhaps a hoarder with his life spilling out into the yard.
The man with missing teeth asked if I would like the yard mowed or anything done to the house. I had remembered the gutters on this one story vintage cottage needed cleaning. I said I would find out what the owner wanted to do. Honestly, I might pay him to clean up his own yard so I can get this place rented. You don't necessarily want to put up bushes to block views because someone could hide in them. Since Riley didn't want to mow the lawn I probably will have this guy do it. At least then The rental will have someone keeping an eye on it and it wont look neglected.
So I have something to distract me while Tom is gone, and definitely an eye opener for my boys and me, on the choices you make in life and where you can end up with the wrong choices. I just want to hug Tom and tell him how much I love him and appreciate everything he does for us, and the lifestyle he has given us. I miss him terribly.
I am showing the house again this week. It has a lot of interest, but being qualified for the rental price is important. I don't want to have to deal with this house again for a while. I call it Adorable Vintage in my ad, built in 1922. My friend remodeled the bathroom and kitchen. It really is quaint. I tell people the neighbors watch each other, but I don't say they may not be the kind of neighbors you want keeping an eye on you.
Monday, March 25, 2013
next project
Tom left for his next project in Nevada. I found an apartment with much stress and anxiety for him, searching the classifieds and craigslist, and calling local agents. This area, he is working in, I am told from multiple sources is a very popular rental area with a coal plant and a coal mine both giving a lot of short term engineers projects to work on needing short term residences to live in.
I had a place lined up before, a little cottage with maid service once a week. But we took too long starting the project and the cottage was grabbed for the next 11 months by some other engineers coming in to work at the coal mine.
I left my name with several apartment complexes. I received a call asking if I was still looking as this apartment complex had an opening due to a no show in one of their units. It was a two bedroom. They charge more for short term, but I was happy to find something at all. I had seen an ad on Craigslist where a woman had a room to rent in her home and was offering her master suite in the arraingment. I wondered if she came with the bedroom, after all it is Nevada, and I didn't want to get so desperate for a place for Tom that I would have to ask.
The owner's partner had died recently so when I asked if there was any way I could get some furniture into it, the owner agreed, for a fee. He provided a dining room set and a couch and coffee table and a recliner that reminded me of Tom's first recliner when we were dating, 20 years ago. He also provided a Queen bed and frame. I really didn't want Tom sleeping on a mattress on the floor. I remember Vashon Island with Tom on a twin mattress, on the floor, we had stuffed into the backseat of his cadillac for a bed.
Tom took my jeep with the new tires and 4 wheel drive. Just in case he had bad weather while he was gone. The jeep holds more stuff anyway. Tom packed his HDTV, the mid size one from our bedroom. He had the boys move their smaller one up to my room to replace it, though small is relative in this household when it comes to TV's. Our smallest is 40 inches. I didn't even notice at first until the boys told me.
I threw in some dishes, pots and pans, and blankets into the car. I gave up my can opener just to make sure he had one when he arrived. I must remember to pick up a new one for myself. I used an old style beer opener to open a can of re fried beans after Tom left, and just demolished the can.
The trip was uneventful. Tom stopped in Pasco to see an old friend. He arrived Saturday morning about noon at his destination. He told me he had thought Wyoming was a desolate place until he drove through Northern Nevada. He spent a year during college in Wyoming working at a "man camp". After that year he went back to college and got his degree.
I had called for power to be hooked up before Tom arrived, and for the Direct TV guy to be available the first day so he didn't have to live without TV for even one day. I was thrilled to hear the installer worked on both Saturdays and Sundays. The Direct TV offers a second account for those that have two residences and you can keep your packages.
What I missed was the gas heat and gas water heater. When I called the electric company I asked them about gas hook up and they said "We don't have gas in that area." I took that to mean no gas. Well, Tom arrived down there to find clear skies and 17 degrees at night, and no heat. No hot water to shower either. He put a pot of water on the stove and turned the oven on and survived the first night. Thank goodness for the Direct TV's successful install. Tom can survive anything as long as there is HDTV.
The property manager has the unit across from Tom's. He is a golfer and had several conversations with Tom. Doug has been allowing Tom to use his shower over the weekend until the gas man can come get Tom hooked up.
I called to get the gas hooked up while Tom went to his first day at work. The account had to be put in my name as Tom wasn't with me to say hello to the agent on the phone, hooking up the power in Nevada. I made the appointment for the gas man to come over while Tom was at work. I begged for same day hook up so he wouldn't have to go another night without heat or hot water.
Tom called from his work the apartment manager to unlock the closet where the water heater pilot light needs to be turned on and accessible.It is in the closet between the two apartments. The door was unlocked by someone, but no one was there when the gas man arrived. It turned out the door was an automatic locking door when the door is shut. So after unlocking the door and leaving, the door shut and relocked. When the gas man arrived the door was locked. Tom has to go another night without hot water or heat. The gas company can't get back to him until Wednesday.
I am just glad Tom's next door neighbor, the apartment manager, is so accommodating, or Tom would be pretty stinky for his first few days on the job. Tom makes friends where ever he goes, the manager is a golfer. I am sure they are already arranging Tee times at the closest decent course for Tom's first day off from work. He will be working six tens so Sundays are his day of rest. Tom sent me a picture of the area and noted the blue sky in the background. As soon as he left the weather turned nice here also. Some how we need to figure out how to have these between projects times happen during summer, so Tom can get some golf in with nice weather.
Tom is all set up now at his new location. I'll wait to hear when I can come for conjugal visits, maybe Memorial weekend. I tried so hard to get everything comfortable and ready for Tom. My poor guy is freezing in the desert.
I had a place lined up before, a little cottage with maid service once a week. But we took too long starting the project and the cottage was grabbed for the next 11 months by some other engineers coming in to work at the coal mine.
I left my name with several apartment complexes. I received a call asking if I was still looking as this apartment complex had an opening due to a no show in one of their units. It was a two bedroom. They charge more for short term, but I was happy to find something at all. I had seen an ad on Craigslist where a woman had a room to rent in her home and was offering her master suite in the arraingment. I wondered if she came with the bedroom, after all it is Nevada, and I didn't want to get so desperate for a place for Tom that I would have to ask.
The owner's partner had died recently so when I asked if there was any way I could get some furniture into it, the owner agreed, for a fee. He provided a dining room set and a couch and coffee table and a recliner that reminded me of Tom's first recliner when we were dating, 20 years ago. He also provided a Queen bed and frame. I really didn't want Tom sleeping on a mattress on the floor. I remember Vashon Island with Tom on a twin mattress, on the floor, we had stuffed into the backseat of his cadillac for a bed.
Tom took my jeep with the new tires and 4 wheel drive. Just in case he had bad weather while he was gone. The jeep holds more stuff anyway. Tom packed his HDTV, the mid size one from our bedroom. He had the boys move their smaller one up to my room to replace it, though small is relative in this household when it comes to TV's. Our smallest is 40 inches. I didn't even notice at first until the boys told me.
I threw in some dishes, pots and pans, and blankets into the car. I gave up my can opener just to make sure he had one when he arrived. I must remember to pick up a new one for myself. I used an old style beer opener to open a can of re fried beans after Tom left, and just demolished the can.
The trip was uneventful. Tom stopped in Pasco to see an old friend. He arrived Saturday morning about noon at his destination. He told me he had thought Wyoming was a desolate place until he drove through Northern Nevada. He spent a year during college in Wyoming working at a "man camp". After that year he went back to college and got his degree.
I had called for power to be hooked up before Tom arrived, and for the Direct TV guy to be available the first day so he didn't have to live without TV for even one day. I was thrilled to hear the installer worked on both Saturdays and Sundays. The Direct TV offers a second account for those that have two residences and you can keep your packages.
What I missed was the gas heat and gas water heater. When I called the electric company I asked them about gas hook up and they said "We don't have gas in that area." I took that to mean no gas. Well, Tom arrived down there to find clear skies and 17 degrees at night, and no heat. No hot water to shower either. He put a pot of water on the stove and turned the oven on and survived the first night. Thank goodness for the Direct TV's successful install. Tom can survive anything as long as there is HDTV.
The property manager has the unit across from Tom's. He is a golfer and had several conversations with Tom. Doug has been allowing Tom to use his shower over the weekend until the gas man can come get Tom hooked up.
I called to get the gas hooked up while Tom went to his first day at work. The account had to be put in my name as Tom wasn't with me to say hello to the agent on the phone, hooking up the power in Nevada. I made the appointment for the gas man to come over while Tom was at work. I begged for same day hook up so he wouldn't have to go another night without heat or hot water.
Tom called from his work the apartment manager to unlock the closet where the water heater pilot light needs to be turned on and accessible.It is in the closet between the two apartments. The door was unlocked by someone, but no one was there when the gas man arrived. It turned out the door was an automatic locking door when the door is shut. So after unlocking the door and leaving, the door shut and relocked. When the gas man arrived the door was locked. Tom has to go another night without hot water or heat. The gas company can't get back to him until Wednesday.
I am just glad Tom's next door neighbor, the apartment manager, is so accommodating, or Tom would be pretty stinky for his first few days on the job. Tom makes friends where ever he goes, the manager is a golfer. I am sure they are already arranging Tee times at the closest decent course for Tom's first day off from work. He will be working six tens so Sundays are his day of rest. Tom sent me a picture of the area and noted the blue sky in the background. As soon as he left the weather turned nice here also. Some how we need to figure out how to have these between projects times happen during summer, so Tom can get some golf in with nice weather.
Tom is all set up now at his new location. I'll wait to hear when I can come for conjugal visits, maybe Memorial weekend. I tried so hard to get everything comfortable and ready for Tom. My poor guy is freezing in the desert.
Ski trip
Busy week barely time to breath. Took the boys to the mountains skiing. Trevor had gone the weekend before with his scouting buddy. They had a blast. Trev was pulled over for speeding down the slopes. I warned him this time if he loses his pass that is it, I will not replace it.
My sisters came with their children. First time my NY sister has had her children on skies. They did an hour lesson s day. By the end of three days my 4 year old nephew was getting down the hill by himself. My Dad always said if you start kids young skiing they don't have the fear factor to overcome.
Trevor wore his sun glasses and a fedora on his head. He had on a t shirt and his jacket. You would think he would freeze, but he was more worried about looking cool.
By the end of the weekend we all agreed we wanted to repeat this ski vacation. We stayed at Collins Lake. The Condo was bigger than my sisters two houses put together. There was a great room off to the side that had two double sized bunk beds and two double beds with room to spare and its own bathroom. A kind of giant sleeping porch arrangement. The master and the other bedroom shared another bathroom. The place was well designed for a big ski trip.
I was told by the concierge that summers are even more booked and busy than winters. This place rocked. It had a huge hot hot tub and a big luke warm pool. The kids liked the pool but I could have had it a bit warmer. There was a sauna that was delightfully warm. It was a luxury resort, but worth every penny we wincingly paid.
I brought all the food so we wouldn't have to eat out or deal with that extra expense. Every one supplemented with hot cocoas at the ski lodges or an extra hot dog, but over all we kept the cost to just the resort. Our ski tickets were deep discounted by staying where we did.
I had stayed there before with friends so I knew it was worth it. A good vacation is all in the details.
My boys had a ball. Riley injured his wrist slipping on some icy stairs during the tubing adventures. He ended up in a brace for two weeks and is still trying to make up English assignments from when he couldn't write with his hand.
Trevor hung with my sisters on the slope as he wanted to go FAST. Aunt J was about the only one that would do the speed skiing with him.
I had my knee injury skiing a few years ago so I played hostess. Having breakfast, lunch and dinner ready and prepped for when needed. I was so happy that everyone had a good time. I was the coordinator for this trip so I felt a lot of pressure to make sure everyone got their money's worth. I wanted everyone to go home sated but craving another family ski vacation next year.
My sisters came with their children. First time my NY sister has had her children on skies. They did an hour lesson s day. By the end of three days my 4 year old nephew was getting down the hill by himself. My Dad always said if you start kids young skiing they don't have the fear factor to overcome.
Trevor wore his sun glasses and a fedora on his head. He had on a t shirt and his jacket. You would think he would freeze, but he was more worried about looking cool.
By the end of the weekend we all agreed we wanted to repeat this ski vacation. We stayed at Collins Lake. The Condo was bigger than my sisters two houses put together. There was a great room off to the side that had two double sized bunk beds and two double beds with room to spare and its own bathroom. A kind of giant sleeping porch arrangement. The master and the other bedroom shared another bathroom. The place was well designed for a big ski trip.
I was told by the concierge that summers are even more booked and busy than winters. This place rocked. It had a huge hot hot tub and a big luke warm pool. The kids liked the pool but I could have had it a bit warmer. There was a sauna that was delightfully warm. It was a luxury resort, but worth every penny we wincingly paid.
I brought all the food so we wouldn't have to eat out or deal with that extra expense. Every one supplemented with hot cocoas at the ski lodges or an extra hot dog, but over all we kept the cost to just the resort. Our ski tickets were deep discounted by staying where we did.
I had stayed there before with friends so I knew it was worth it. A good vacation is all in the details.
My boys had a ball. Riley injured his wrist slipping on some icy stairs during the tubing adventures. He ended up in a brace for two weeks and is still trying to make up English assignments from when he couldn't write with his hand.
Trevor hung with my sisters on the slope as he wanted to go FAST. Aunt J was about the only one that would do the speed skiing with him.
I had my knee injury skiing a few years ago so I played hostess. Having breakfast, lunch and dinner ready and prepped for when needed. I was so happy that everyone had a good time. I was the coordinator for this trip so I felt a lot of pressure to make sure everyone got their money's worth. I wanted everyone to go home sated but craving another family ski vacation next year.
Dog gone it
Sorry I haven't written in a while. I got a job selling shoes to diabetics, well really giving them away. In 1993 Congress passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of a new pair of shoes and Orthodox for diabetics with foot issues to help prevent the deterioration of their feet. Medicare and Medicaid are on board to pay my fee.
A crisis was occurring with injuries and infections leading to amputations and death. A new pair of shoes helps to keep the diabetic foot healthy. I go to people's homes and fit them. Many of my clients are elderly and have a hard time getting out and about, let alone go shopping for a custom pair of shoes for their feet, especially if they have nerve issues or soars.
I do a medical foot exam in the home and take molds for the Orthodox, and come back in a month with a new pair of shoes that fit the way they should. We also do educational seminars to make people aware of how important it is to care for your feet.
Even the simple every day process of washing and drying a foot well can prevent the spread of fungus that leads to infected nails and the nail falling off leaving an open wound. I could tell you I have seen some feet, but all my visits are confidential. Reminding people to check inside a shoe before putting it on, to see if they might have picked up a rock or pebble they can't feel, can save injury. Putting lotion on a dry chapping foot prevents cracking, split skin, and soars.
Today I had a humorous moment I have to share.
I was picking up an item from a client for a little tweaking for a better fit. We do that. If a shoe or orthotic doesn't feel right, we come back and adjust it or replace it as necessary as part of the package, at no extra fee.
The home had two small yappy dogs. They were all excited when I knocked on the door. It took a while for the owner to reach the door to open it. When the door opened the owner says "don't let the dogs out". but by that time the smaller one had squeezed through the opening. It hadn't wasted a moment to escape. It was attacking my feet and legs. The dog bit me, my pant leg, and my shoe, before taking off across the street. There is no way the owner was in any condition to chase the dog. I sell Orthodox to people with foot issues, remember. I tell her I will go after the dog, even though the dam dog just attacked me before running off. The owner hands me a doggy treat to entice the escapee.
I run after the dog. He is so small he can go under the cars rather than around them. He is having a ball. He pauses to piss on the neighbor's car tires and mail box and garbage can and flower bed. Any time I get close, holding out my little treat calling in a sweet voice "Here dear nice adorable doggy, come for your treat." He knows I just want to call the pound.
The owner stands at the door of the house watching helplessly. The dog finally runs out of fluids. After having me follow him around the block in a little circle, twice, turns for home and runs into his house where the owner is patiently waiting, holding the door open. He never did take the treat, but he sure had a swell time at my expense.
I can tell dogs are going to be an adventure in this business. I had one house where the dog just wanted to sit in my lap, with his nose in my face, while I tried to do the foot exam. Another dog had flea issues. Feet are easy compared to dogs.
A crisis was occurring with injuries and infections leading to amputations and death. A new pair of shoes helps to keep the diabetic foot healthy. I go to people's homes and fit them. Many of my clients are elderly and have a hard time getting out and about, let alone go shopping for a custom pair of shoes for their feet, especially if they have nerve issues or soars.
I do a medical foot exam in the home and take molds for the Orthodox, and come back in a month with a new pair of shoes that fit the way they should. We also do educational seminars to make people aware of how important it is to care for your feet.
Even the simple every day process of washing and drying a foot well can prevent the spread of fungus that leads to infected nails and the nail falling off leaving an open wound. I could tell you I have seen some feet, but all my visits are confidential. Reminding people to check inside a shoe before putting it on, to see if they might have picked up a rock or pebble they can't feel, can save injury. Putting lotion on a dry chapping foot prevents cracking, split skin, and soars.
Today I had a humorous moment I have to share.
I was picking up an item from a client for a little tweaking for a better fit. We do that. If a shoe or orthotic doesn't feel right, we come back and adjust it or replace it as necessary as part of the package, at no extra fee.
The home had two small yappy dogs. They were all excited when I knocked on the door. It took a while for the owner to reach the door to open it. When the door opened the owner says "don't let the dogs out". but by that time the smaller one had squeezed through the opening. It hadn't wasted a moment to escape. It was attacking my feet and legs. The dog bit me, my pant leg, and my shoe, before taking off across the street. There is no way the owner was in any condition to chase the dog. I sell Orthodox to people with foot issues, remember. I tell her I will go after the dog, even though the dam dog just attacked me before running off. The owner hands me a doggy treat to entice the escapee.
I run after the dog. He is so small he can go under the cars rather than around them. He is having a ball. He pauses to piss on the neighbor's car tires and mail box and garbage can and flower bed. Any time I get close, holding out my little treat calling in a sweet voice "Here dear nice adorable doggy, come for your treat." He knows I just want to call the pound.
The owner stands at the door of the house watching helplessly. The dog finally runs out of fluids. After having me follow him around the block in a little circle, twice, turns for home and runs into his house where the owner is patiently waiting, holding the door open. He never did take the treat, but he sure had a swell time at my expense.
I can tell dogs are going to be an adventure in this business. I had one house where the dog just wanted to sit in my lap, with his nose in my face, while I tried to do the foot exam. Another dog had flea issues. Feet are easy compared to dogs.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Exemplary
R was so disappointed he didn't win in a competition . He was presenting, as a mock sales man, a new make believe product. 700 students presented their ideas. Only four were chosen to go to state. R's idea was foam filled tires to prevent flats on bikes.
He borrowed his father's suit and tie. He made a big tri fold poster, with graphs and pictures. The problem, I felt , was the poster board did not look professional. He had cut out the words with scissors and it looked like a kid had put the poster together, which he had. I had seen it, but I am now in the hands off mode. I did not help. The end product was all R's work. They have to make this stuff up themselves.
I found out later that R forgot to close. He didn't ask for the sale in the end. That was the big difference between winning and losing the competition. Have to remember the end game is to get the sale.
Last year T did a poster for English. It came out looking really professional. He printed pictures off the computer and pinned them to his poster. He received an exemplary score for the work, which meant he could include the project in his graduation manual. Important achievement, as you need a couple exemplary works a year to graduate, theoretically.
I can't believe that you can't graduate without these projects, but when you start to look into all these layers of requirements you find that there are layers of graduation certificates. To get the highest certificate you have to jump through these exemplary hoops.
Graduation is not about taking classes and tests anymore, they want you to be sales men and artists and professional writers before graduating regardless of ability. Excel in several areas at once in High School. I pity the under achiever or the late blossom. Conceptually this seems like a great idea. It encourages students to strive for their best work. But the time flies by and they are eighteen and are missing graduation requirements.
The school district has a 51% graduation rate. I would love to see the drop out statistics to find the reason for the poor graduation numbers. Could it be all this exemplary work? Tracking all the requirements, when T can barely find where he put his shoes from the night before, is a lot to ask, and we are a functional family with a support network, and encouragement.
Imagine a child from a divorced family with two households trying to keep track of school work. Three out of five families are divorced these days. Though statistics are falling because families can't afford to divorce and maintain two households.
I do not remember having to jump through as many hoops as students today. We had year end projects, but we did not have to keep track of them for the four years of High School. Add volunteer requirements to the graduation list. Our district has a horrible drop out rate. We don't even target kids into trades as an option just to keep them viable. I would love some conversation on what ever happened to just teaching the basics. They don't even have time to teach world history anymore, only current events. Anything not related to the USA or older than this country is off the table. Crazy.
He borrowed his father's suit and tie. He made a big tri fold poster, with graphs and pictures. The problem, I felt , was the poster board did not look professional. He had cut out the words with scissors and it looked like a kid had put the poster together, which he had. I had seen it, but I am now in the hands off mode. I did not help. The end product was all R's work. They have to make this stuff up themselves.
I found out later that R forgot to close. He didn't ask for the sale in the end. That was the big difference between winning and losing the competition. Have to remember the end game is to get the sale.
Last year T did a poster for English. It came out looking really professional. He printed pictures off the computer and pinned them to his poster. He received an exemplary score for the work, which meant he could include the project in his graduation manual. Important achievement, as you need a couple exemplary works a year to graduate, theoretically.
I can't believe that you can't graduate without these projects, but when you start to look into all these layers of requirements you find that there are layers of graduation certificates. To get the highest certificate you have to jump through these exemplary hoops.
Graduation is not about taking classes and tests anymore, they want you to be sales men and artists and professional writers before graduating regardless of ability. Excel in several areas at once in High School. I pity the under achiever or the late blossom. Conceptually this seems like a great idea. It encourages students to strive for their best work. But the time flies by and they are eighteen and are missing graduation requirements.
The school district has a 51% graduation rate. I would love to see the drop out statistics to find the reason for the poor graduation numbers. Could it be all this exemplary work? Tracking all the requirements, when T can barely find where he put his shoes from the night before, is a lot to ask, and we are a functional family with a support network, and encouragement.
Imagine a child from a divorced family with two households trying to keep track of school work. Three out of five families are divorced these days. Though statistics are falling because families can't afford to divorce and maintain two households.
I do not remember having to jump through as many hoops as students today. We had year end projects, but we did not have to keep track of them for the four years of High School. Add volunteer requirements to the graduation list. Our district has a horrible drop out rate. We don't even target kids into trades as an option just to keep them viable. I would love some conversation on what ever happened to just teaching the basics. They don't even have time to teach world history anymore, only current events. Anything not related to the USA or older than this country is off the table. Crazy.
Job
I haven't wrote in a while. Been busy and stressing. A friend called from my old shoe store job wanting to know if I would be interested working for the company she now works for, selling orthodics and shoes for diabetics, the cost covered by insurance. This is a home health service. They needed someone in the area I now live. The boss of the company called and I drove into the city for an interview the next week, was hired the next day and started work.
Meanwhile my tenant in the old house was coming to the end of his contract and told me he would be moving out. I asked if I could start showing the place and he agreed. I hyped up the house on face book and Craigslist and put it for sale on zillow.com. Craigslist, I had the house both for sale and for rent and for lease to own. A lot of calls and e mails came in inquiring. I set a date for the open house so I wouldn't have to drive back and forth all the time. I picked a Wednesday night as my tenant usually leaves town on weekends. Wednesdays work well for him in the evenings. I pushed it out until after bowling league was over. I wouldn't want to have to miss bowling night.
Wednesday, was my first day on the job visiting customers. My boss was coming up to supervise me ; I shadow him, He shadows me. We were seeing new patients and old patients and delivering shoes and checking on a fit. The day was full. I got us lost twice passing the right retirement center for the wrong one. We will stick to the maps next time. He was quick and efficient, liked my work, so we were done early. I can't speak to the visits as they are confidential.
I was able to head out of town to Canby and the open house scheduled for that night. I stopped to have the tire pressure checked on the car as the tires looked low in the front to me. Got the oil changed since we were at 5000 miles on a 3000 mile notification. Nice thing about small towns is you really don't put a lot of miles on your car even when you drive around a lot. My oil change was due in October and I was only now coming for the change in February. I had checked the color last month and the oil looked good so I was well within the car's happy zone. There was a long line at the jiffy lube so I sat for an hour waiting on my car before I could hit the freeway. Chatted on the cell with my mom and family and friends.
Work had gone so well that I even had time to swing by my moms house and help her do some computer stuff and have a quick bite.Mom and I split a $5 foot long subway sandwich for dinner. Then I raced off to Canby for the purpose of the day
As I came into Canby I stopped to fill up on gas in the car. I had been down to the little warning light but wanted to fill up in Canby as it proves for tax purposes that I was in town on the day I said I was so I can write off the trip for business purposes. I bought balloons at the store to identify the driveway. Since we are a flag log, people have a hard time finding the house.
A woman arrived early while I was still setting up. The traffic kept coming after that. I was really happy with the amount of people coming through. One woman found our rent to be a bit steep for not having some serious up grades, but this house sells to families and it is all about size. One family came through with six children all under the age of 11. I was glad that the mom was not thrilled we were short a couple rooms for them all.
The woman that came early, her husband was out of town so she took pictures. In the end she texted me that they were going to pass. She had a short sale foreclosure tale of woe that made me think she should pass on our house.
.
A family from Arizona came through, a work move bringing the whole family to a new place for a new job. They took an application but at first just wanted to rent, as they still had their home down south. That put them in second tier as I wanted lease to own.
Another family came through at the same time. They had a worm farm out of town. They had bought it a couple of years ago with plans to build their home on the farm. When they put in the permit to build on the farm, the city denied the permit. Now they were looking for a home to own close to the farm. I really liked this family. I liked their story and they were local, and hard working. I recognized their oldest son from my years of subbing in the school district. I got good vibes.
I slept at my mom's house to save on the long drive home after the open house, which ended around 7:00pm. No one came through after 6:30 though. I was happy the first hour was well attended. We stayed up late watching Flight with Densal Washington. After that movie, I was glad I had not had a cocktail, even though the day had warranted one.
When we turned out the lights, my mom and I talked for another hour in the dark before trying to fall asleep. The dog lay down on top of the covers so I didn't have enough on my side and he was shoving me towards the edge of the bed. Probably not happy to have someone in his spot next to Mom. After tossing for hours my mom finally sent me to the guest room to sleep out the rest of the night. She has a little space heater in her room to help keep the temperature a little warmer as the rest of the house cools down and the furnace stays off at night. She put plenty of covers on me in the guest room so I wouldn't get cold, and we could all sleep soundly, undisturbed.
First thing, the next morning I got a call. The worm farm family wanted to sign the lease to own contract that day, and so did I. It would put my stress to bed and I wouldn't have to do the drive again. Having to put the same clothes on again, due to the spontanious sleep over, wasn't good. Mom told me I was a little stinky. I had pitted out my shirt working the day before.
The worm farmers and the Arizona family had both returned apps. I set an appointment for later in the afternoon, Thursday. As far as qualifying, everyone has their story. People wouldn't have to rent my house or do a lease to own if they can work within the system. All the people looking at my house had stories to tell. None were immune to the banks, or the economy and how they manipulate our lives, ruin good credit scores or down size companies.
I liked both families. Either would have worked, but the farmer family said they wanted to buy the house, They were local, with work history in the community. They wanted to do the lease to own right away, that put them first.
Mom and I worked on the computer in the morning. Mom has a dreadful fear of the computer, that it is out to get her, or that she will do something to make it freeze up. We sent out some e mails. We had time for a Costco run where I picked up two cases of soap for the family. You would think it would last a while but we go through soap fast and Tom likes a big new bar often. Probably why he is always so sweet smelling.
I met the family at Starbucks as the house really belongs to the tenant until the lease is over. He needs 24 hour notice for any intrusions. It is the law. I had a contract I had taken of the intranet when all this started, and doctored up to fit our needs. Tom read it over and said it was fine. We chatted. I explained each area and gave them time to read it over, see if they had any comments. They wrote the non refundable deposit check for $500 and we went to the bank to deposit the check and give them deposit slips for the rent. The bank made copies of the contract for us.
After Presidents weekend I am headed back to Canby to exchange the keys around, pro rate the tenant as a courtesy, even though his contract doesn't officially end until end of March. He was so nice to get the house ready for the open house, it was a win win situation. I only have an eight day gap between tenants.
I headed home Thursday night so I could make the scout fundraiser training meeting I had set up as the new Fundraiser district chair. We were meeting at a pizza parlor. 12 units of scouts, pack and troop are participating in the candy and cookie drive this spring. This is the big scout fund raiser. It pays for camp and other scouting events. I started scheduling group times for store fronts. We try not to overlap as that causes conflict. The girl scouts are also doing their cookies at the same time. Nothing I can do about overlapping with them. Hopefully, everyone will play nice. Any one wanting really good candy or beef sticks or cookie dough get in touch with me.
That was my 48 hours in mega drive. I spent the weeks prior surfing the net reading contracts and looking for notes on how to be a landlord. I am money ahead doing this myself. I couldn't
be my own landlord if we were much further away. The drive would be prohibitive. With the house getting new ownership and the new job, I am in a happy place.
My New York Sister is headed to town to go skiing with me and the boys with her family. We are so excited. I will be the snow bunny in the lodge as I don't ski anymore with my bad knees, but it will be fun. I worry though as Trevor has a cold he is fighting and has now passed on to the rest of us. We have a week to blow through this cold. I am getting fresh oranges and drinking lots of fluids. Besides I can't see elderly patients with a cold.
I will be trying to schedule diabetes and healthy feet awareness seminars at the retirement homes and visit people who can use my services. These shoes and orthodics are paid for by insurance as a preventive measure for diabetics with complications in their feet. I feel good to be doing something worthwhile. Its been a while since I felt this up beat and useful.
Somehow I have to figure out how to spread out these activities though. I was swamped, having the new job, the open house, and the fund raiser all start at the same time. It does get the adrenaline going. I have even been doing exercises at a friends house twice a week. We motivate each other with a call in the morning around 8:00 am or 8:30. We see who calls first. She usually wins. If it is sunny we may walk. But mostly it has been too cold so we do aerobics in the living room to music for an hour. I can feel the difference. I can see my body toning up and getting back into shape. " Positive Vibes, Baby". Haven't said that in a while!!
Meanwhile my tenant in the old house was coming to the end of his contract and told me he would be moving out. I asked if I could start showing the place and he agreed. I hyped up the house on face book and Craigslist and put it for sale on zillow.com. Craigslist, I had the house both for sale and for rent and for lease to own. A lot of calls and e mails came in inquiring. I set a date for the open house so I wouldn't have to drive back and forth all the time. I picked a Wednesday night as my tenant usually leaves town on weekends. Wednesdays work well for him in the evenings. I pushed it out until after bowling league was over. I wouldn't want to have to miss bowling night.
Wednesday, was my first day on the job visiting customers. My boss was coming up to supervise me ; I shadow him, He shadows me. We were seeing new patients and old patients and delivering shoes and checking on a fit. The day was full. I got us lost twice passing the right retirement center for the wrong one. We will stick to the maps next time. He was quick and efficient, liked my work, so we were done early. I can't speak to the visits as they are confidential.
I was able to head out of town to Canby and the open house scheduled for that night. I stopped to have the tire pressure checked on the car as the tires looked low in the front to me. Got the oil changed since we were at 5000 miles on a 3000 mile notification. Nice thing about small towns is you really don't put a lot of miles on your car even when you drive around a lot. My oil change was due in October and I was only now coming for the change in February. I had checked the color last month and the oil looked good so I was well within the car's happy zone. There was a long line at the jiffy lube so I sat for an hour waiting on my car before I could hit the freeway. Chatted on the cell with my mom and family and friends.
Work had gone so well that I even had time to swing by my moms house and help her do some computer stuff and have a quick bite.Mom and I split a $5 foot long subway sandwich for dinner. Then I raced off to Canby for the purpose of the day
As I came into Canby I stopped to fill up on gas in the car. I had been down to the little warning light but wanted to fill up in Canby as it proves for tax purposes that I was in town on the day I said I was so I can write off the trip for business purposes. I bought balloons at the store to identify the driveway. Since we are a flag log, people have a hard time finding the house.
A woman arrived early while I was still setting up. The traffic kept coming after that. I was really happy with the amount of people coming through. One woman found our rent to be a bit steep for not having some serious up grades, but this house sells to families and it is all about size. One family came through with six children all under the age of 11. I was glad that the mom was not thrilled we were short a couple rooms for them all.
The woman that came early, her husband was out of town so she took pictures. In the end she texted me that they were going to pass. She had a short sale foreclosure tale of woe that made me think she should pass on our house.
.
A family from Arizona came through, a work move bringing the whole family to a new place for a new job. They took an application but at first just wanted to rent, as they still had their home down south. That put them in second tier as I wanted lease to own.
Another family came through at the same time. They had a worm farm out of town. They had bought it a couple of years ago with plans to build their home on the farm. When they put in the permit to build on the farm, the city denied the permit. Now they were looking for a home to own close to the farm. I really liked this family. I liked their story and they were local, and hard working. I recognized their oldest son from my years of subbing in the school district. I got good vibes.
I slept at my mom's house to save on the long drive home after the open house, which ended around 7:00pm. No one came through after 6:30 though. I was happy the first hour was well attended. We stayed up late watching Flight with Densal Washington. After that movie, I was glad I had not had a cocktail, even though the day had warranted one.
When we turned out the lights, my mom and I talked for another hour in the dark before trying to fall asleep. The dog lay down on top of the covers so I didn't have enough on my side and he was shoving me towards the edge of the bed. Probably not happy to have someone in his spot next to Mom. After tossing for hours my mom finally sent me to the guest room to sleep out the rest of the night. She has a little space heater in her room to help keep the temperature a little warmer as the rest of the house cools down and the furnace stays off at night. She put plenty of covers on me in the guest room so I wouldn't get cold, and we could all sleep soundly, undisturbed.
First thing, the next morning I got a call. The worm farm family wanted to sign the lease to own contract that day, and so did I. It would put my stress to bed and I wouldn't have to do the drive again. Having to put the same clothes on again, due to the spontanious sleep over, wasn't good. Mom told me I was a little stinky. I had pitted out my shirt working the day before.
The worm farmers and the Arizona family had both returned apps. I set an appointment for later in the afternoon, Thursday. As far as qualifying, everyone has their story. People wouldn't have to rent my house or do a lease to own if they can work within the system. All the people looking at my house had stories to tell. None were immune to the banks, or the economy and how they manipulate our lives, ruin good credit scores or down size companies.
I liked both families. Either would have worked, but the farmer family said they wanted to buy the house, They were local, with work history in the community. They wanted to do the lease to own right away, that put them first.
Mom and I worked on the computer in the morning. Mom has a dreadful fear of the computer, that it is out to get her, or that she will do something to make it freeze up. We sent out some e mails. We had time for a Costco run where I picked up two cases of soap for the family. You would think it would last a while but we go through soap fast and Tom likes a big new bar often. Probably why he is always so sweet smelling.
I met the family at Starbucks as the house really belongs to the tenant until the lease is over. He needs 24 hour notice for any intrusions. It is the law. I had a contract I had taken of the intranet when all this started, and doctored up to fit our needs. Tom read it over and said it was fine. We chatted. I explained each area and gave them time to read it over, see if they had any comments. They wrote the non refundable deposit check for $500 and we went to the bank to deposit the check and give them deposit slips for the rent. The bank made copies of the contract for us.
After Presidents weekend I am headed back to Canby to exchange the keys around, pro rate the tenant as a courtesy, even though his contract doesn't officially end until end of March. He was so nice to get the house ready for the open house, it was a win win situation. I only have an eight day gap between tenants.
I headed home Thursday night so I could make the scout fundraiser training meeting I had set up as the new Fundraiser district chair. We were meeting at a pizza parlor. 12 units of scouts, pack and troop are participating in the candy and cookie drive this spring. This is the big scout fund raiser. It pays for camp and other scouting events. I started scheduling group times for store fronts. We try not to overlap as that causes conflict. The girl scouts are also doing their cookies at the same time. Nothing I can do about overlapping with them. Hopefully, everyone will play nice. Any one wanting really good candy or beef sticks or cookie dough get in touch with me.
That was my 48 hours in mega drive. I spent the weeks prior surfing the net reading contracts and looking for notes on how to be a landlord. I am money ahead doing this myself. I couldn't
be my own landlord if we were much further away. The drive would be prohibitive. With the house getting new ownership and the new job, I am in a happy place.
My New York Sister is headed to town to go skiing with me and the boys with her family. We are so excited. I will be the snow bunny in the lodge as I don't ski anymore with my bad knees, but it will be fun. I worry though as Trevor has a cold he is fighting and has now passed on to the rest of us. We have a week to blow through this cold. I am getting fresh oranges and drinking lots of fluids. Besides I can't see elderly patients with a cold.
I will be trying to schedule diabetes and healthy feet awareness seminars at the retirement homes and visit people who can use my services. These shoes and orthodics are paid for by insurance as a preventive measure for diabetics with complications in their feet. I feel good to be doing something worthwhile. Its been a while since I felt this up beat and useful.
Somehow I have to figure out how to spread out these activities though. I was swamped, having the new job, the open house, and the fund raiser all start at the same time. It does get the adrenaline going. I have even been doing exercises at a friends house twice a week. We motivate each other with a call in the morning around 8:00 am or 8:30. We see who calls first. She usually wins. If it is sunny we may walk. But mostly it has been too cold so we do aerobics in the living room to music for an hour. I can feel the difference. I can see my body toning up and getting back into shape. " Positive Vibes, Baby". Haven't said that in a while!!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Money lessons
T set up a free 24 hour session on x box live, a teacher gave him a pass for solving a problem at school, for the weekend. T arranged a bunch of friends to be on at the same time today. He needed a mike so he could talk with his friends while playing. He told me typing takes too long even though it is available.
This morning he awoke an hour before noon, when the games were supposed to begin. He wanted to rush to the store to buy the mike. He had $7 in his wallet. He owes work to his Dad for previous funds. I had told him no honor role no money. His grades are not satisfactory, nor does he bother to study at home. He just plays x box or watches U tube clips on his computer. His PSATs were not good either. He needs to read some books. I was not loaning him any money.
He asked if we could, really fast, run to the store so he could buy the mike. I needed some poster boards for a project for Riley. I wasn't rushing but he could hitch a ride. The store is also walking distance in a pinch, less than a mile away. I took my time.
When we got to the store he found that the mikes cost a lot more than the money he had on hand. I was not accommodating. I told him again pay for performance and he hadn't performed. He wasn't making any effort. I had told him on the drive to the store I would not help pay for this toy.
Oh, was he pissed. I am the meanest mom. Now he had to contact everyone and tell them he couldn't play. Boo Hoo. When he shows me effort, I'll get him a mike myself. He has a list of missing homework I get e mailed every week. When that list is done and handed in, then I will consider helping him out. Right now I am as angry at T, as he is at me. I am the meanest Mom, my foot. I am being a parent of a lazy, spoiled, teenager. Today, I stood my ground. No work, no Play.
Thank goodness the house is so big that I can hide out and not see his pouting face or hear his stomping around. I am going to print out the list of missing assignments, so he sees my issue with his use of time. Tom supported me. T already owed him chores from a previous loan from a month ago. Tom's response to T was to ignore his rant that his mom was so mean that she wouldn't front him the money. He didn't even argue or fight about it. He just blew right by T as he complained, a stone wall. Loved the response, no fight, no argument, just total ignoring the child's whining.
Hopefully, T will motivate. He can always arrange for another play day, if he either earns some money for the necessary mike or gets his grades up. Right now he is in his room pouting due to the lack of support.
This morning he awoke an hour before noon, when the games were supposed to begin. He wanted to rush to the store to buy the mike. He had $7 in his wallet. He owes work to his Dad for previous funds. I had told him no honor role no money. His grades are not satisfactory, nor does he bother to study at home. He just plays x box or watches U tube clips on his computer. His PSATs were not good either. He needs to read some books. I was not loaning him any money.
He asked if we could, really fast, run to the store so he could buy the mike. I needed some poster boards for a project for Riley. I wasn't rushing but he could hitch a ride. The store is also walking distance in a pinch, less than a mile away. I took my time.
When we got to the store he found that the mikes cost a lot more than the money he had on hand. I was not accommodating. I told him again pay for performance and he hadn't performed. He wasn't making any effort. I had told him on the drive to the store I would not help pay for this toy.
Oh, was he pissed. I am the meanest mom. Now he had to contact everyone and tell them he couldn't play. Boo Hoo. When he shows me effort, I'll get him a mike myself. He has a list of missing homework I get e mailed every week. When that list is done and handed in, then I will consider helping him out. Right now I am as angry at T, as he is at me. I am the meanest Mom, my foot. I am being a parent of a lazy, spoiled, teenager. Today, I stood my ground. No work, no Play.
Thank goodness the house is so big that I can hide out and not see his pouting face or hear his stomping around. I am going to print out the list of missing assignments, so he sees my issue with his use of time. Tom supported me. T already owed him chores from a previous loan from a month ago. Tom's response to T was to ignore his rant that his mom was so mean that she wouldn't front him the money. He didn't even argue or fight about it. He just blew right by T as he complained, a stone wall. Loved the response, no fight, no argument, just total ignoring the child's whining.
Hopefully, T will motivate. He can always arrange for another play day, if he either earns some money for the necessary mike or gets his grades up. Right now he is in his room pouting due to the lack of support.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
New plateau
We have reached a new plateau. Trev arranged for me to drop him off at a girl's home. They were to play video games and the girl he likes would also be dropped off at this home. They are all mutual friends. Interestingly enough T says his friends say that he and the girl that lives at this home are more suited to each other than the girl that is visiting. Needless to say I am stressed over the whole event from the beginning. I will do this drop off but must come inside and meet the parents. Confirm that the parents are staying the whole time and that the play date is well supervised and that we are all on the same page with activities. I don't want the kids going off doing mischief or changing their plans to go to the mall without running everything by me.
The girl that T man wants to see, her mother is suspicious of her daughter dating. The mother wants to meet us before my boy can officially be going out with her daughter. So far we have missed each other in the drop off and pick ups of our respective children. If I were her, I would be avoiding the meeting as much as possible as a delaying tactic. In the lives of teens the interest might end before we ever have to meet the parent.
Meanwhile T had a great time playing video games at a home in a well supervised play date of teen age friends. The girl who hosted the play date had small siblings which I thought was wonderful. What small sibling would be able to keep herself away from her big sister's group party. She would be a built in monitor, not leaving them with any privacy. The mom hosting the teens was very nice and said she would be home the whole time. The TV was in the living room not in some one's bedroom, so that also passed as being in a public space.
It is not that I don't trust my boy, but that Tom and I try to prevent our children from making poor decisions or thinking with hormones rather than brains, before reacting. There are many stumbling blocks to avoid in life. My sister in New York gave the boys the talk last year when she was out visiting. Working in the big city has exposed her to seeing all the mistakes a teen can make.
She told my boys over dinner one night, that the only control they have when they start having sex is to put that condom on. If they have sex and a girl gets pregnant, it is her body, her choices, and her baby. They will be paying for the next 20 years for the mistake of not putting on a condom. They may not even be allowed to see the child they support, just hand over the money. She really laid it out there. My boys and myself were bug eyed.
Now Tman is constantly texting one girl or another. I love that he has to come to me for the ride to a friend's house. For at least another year I will be able to monitor his relationships while he doesn't have his own transportation, perhaps longer if he doesn't bring in satisfying grades. The paranoia of thinking about what my baby might be doing with a girl puts Tom and me on the bubble to be meeting and greeting all these new faces. Keeping the conversation links open and positive while we try to direct the boy down a safe path.
My big boy meanwhile, is bringing in the straight A's that make me so happy. He has no interest to escape the family, get his license and start getting out of the house. If we could just meet somewhere in the middle, I would have two perfect boys. Right now though I am just trying to navigate these new waters.
The girl that T man wants to see, her mother is suspicious of her daughter dating. The mother wants to meet us before my boy can officially be going out with her daughter. So far we have missed each other in the drop off and pick ups of our respective children. If I were her, I would be avoiding the meeting as much as possible as a delaying tactic. In the lives of teens the interest might end before we ever have to meet the parent.
Meanwhile T had a great time playing video games at a home in a well supervised play date of teen age friends. The girl who hosted the play date had small siblings which I thought was wonderful. What small sibling would be able to keep herself away from her big sister's group party. She would be a built in monitor, not leaving them with any privacy. The mom hosting the teens was very nice and said she would be home the whole time. The TV was in the living room not in some one's bedroom, so that also passed as being in a public space.
It is not that I don't trust my boy, but that Tom and I try to prevent our children from making poor decisions or thinking with hormones rather than brains, before reacting. There are many stumbling blocks to avoid in life. My sister in New York gave the boys the talk last year when she was out visiting. Working in the big city has exposed her to seeing all the mistakes a teen can make.
She told my boys over dinner one night, that the only control they have when they start having sex is to put that condom on. If they have sex and a girl gets pregnant, it is her body, her choices, and her baby. They will be paying for the next 20 years for the mistake of not putting on a condom. They may not even be allowed to see the child they support, just hand over the money. She really laid it out there. My boys and myself were bug eyed.
Now Tman is constantly texting one girl or another. I love that he has to come to me for the ride to a friend's house. For at least another year I will be able to monitor his relationships while he doesn't have his own transportation, perhaps longer if he doesn't bring in satisfying grades. The paranoia of thinking about what my baby might be doing with a girl puts Tom and me on the bubble to be meeting and greeting all these new faces. Keeping the conversation links open and positive while we try to direct the boy down a safe path.
My big boy meanwhile, is bringing in the straight A's that make me so happy. He has no interest to escape the family, get his license and start getting out of the house. If we could just meet somewhere in the middle, I would have two perfect boys. Right now though I am just trying to navigate these new waters.
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