it is the close of October and I thought I would provide a little update on the move.
All the repairs are done with the exception of the radon mitigation which will be completed Tuesday. The movers will also take all the household belongs away on that day. Most of the items we wanted to get rid of have either been sold or just given away and we have trimmed down our belongings considerably. The only area we did not reduce was the Christmas decor that filled a large portion of the basement. We remain with nine trees and hope to purchase one or two more after the holidays this year. Cannot help it - we love the Christmas commercialism and the decorations make us feel good.
The Pittsburgh home will be completely empty Tuesday evening. I fly back on Thursday morning to pick up the dogs and a few items we want to take with us. I have the car booked and will leave for Texas bright and early Friday morning in efforts to reach San Antonio sometime Saturday evening.
There are still some loose ends as to the sell of the home. The appraisal has not been corrected and this has gone on for two weeks now. Our realtor has not been the most honest with us and I really am unhappy with the job she has done. She really let us down.
However, I am focused on being positive! The many hurdles have been completed and now the home is ready to close. The buyers have indicated that they welcome an early closing so we will inform our realtor that after the 5th we can close when they are ready.
We can then close this chapter of our lives and look forward to all the unexpected adventures ahead.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
They Graze Here?
When I am off from work I run early in the mornings. I especially enjoy running early on the weekdays, because the trail I run has far fewer people cluttering up the path. The only down side is the road crew that I have to cross as the trail is interrupted by a road that is being widened.
I dislike the weekend runs on the trail. There are more people on the trail and 99% of them are fat walkers. I know, at least they are off the sofa and actually moving. However, when did the mere act of walking count as real exercise? This makes me think that if these land masses in sweatpants did not walk around the track once a week they would never have any use for their stubby legs. I mean I walk miles on my job and just walking on my day off is not gonna break a sweat.
I guess my real problem with the chubby waddlers is that they always seem to walk in pairs and side by side. This causes their wide bodies to obscure and passing lanes as I am running. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to leave the the trail and pass their wide bodies on the grass. It makes me furious! And I know as soon as these chubby waddlers get home they will dig into a can of frosting as a reward for their hard work.
Another thing that really bothers me on the trail is when dog owners walk their dogs and do not bother to scoop uo the shit. There are several areas on the trail where dogs have left piles and the fat lazy owners have failed to clean up after their pets. It is not the dogs fault. It is the lazy owners.
Hell, even here at this complex there are grassy areas littered with dog shit. Something about Mexicans incapable of cleaning up after animals. My feelings on that are if you cannot clean up after your pet then you do not deserve them.
I dislike the weekend runs on the trail. There are more people on the trail and 99% of them are fat walkers. I know, at least they are off the sofa and actually moving. However, when did the mere act of walking count as real exercise? This makes me think that if these land masses in sweatpants did not walk around the track once a week they would never have any use for their stubby legs. I mean I walk miles on my job and just walking on my day off is not gonna break a sweat.
I guess my real problem with the chubby waddlers is that they always seem to walk in pairs and side by side. This causes their wide bodies to obscure and passing lanes as I am running. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to leave the the trail and pass their wide bodies on the grass. It makes me furious! And I know as soon as these chubby waddlers get home they will dig into a can of frosting as a reward for their hard work.
Another thing that really bothers me on the trail is when dog owners walk their dogs and do not bother to scoop uo the shit. There are several areas on the trail where dogs have left piles and the fat lazy owners have failed to clean up after their pets. It is not the dogs fault. It is the lazy owners.
Hell, even here at this complex there are grassy areas littered with dog shit. Something about Mexicans incapable of cleaning up after animals. My feelings on that are if you cannot clean up after your pet then you do not deserve them.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Morning Coffee
I have an odd ritual for my mornings. I start with some delicious coffee with much foo foo creamer and turn on the television to Fox News & Friends. Yikes! I know, what semi-educated person in their right mind would subject themself to such garbage? Well, it wakes me up! I sit here watching their horribly slanted opinion and it causes me to yell back at the television and gets my blood a pumping.
Also, the other morning news programs are just as irritating. CNN is on some short story loop and the local news is really lame. Morning Joe on the other network has that smug asshole whose name I cannot remember. When did "news" become so Jerry Springer?
I do also watch some of the Fox programs just to see what sort of garbage those idiots are spewing into the atmosphere and I believe their programming is having a dangerous effect on the small minded people in America. It is stirring them up into action without solid reason and based on lies and fear.
Case in point. Rachel Maddow was in Alaska and briefly interviewed some Joe Miller supporters. One theme among these inbreds was that Obama was against guns! Rachel followed up by asking what policy has Obama supported to demonstrate his stance on guns. None of the teabagging trash knew anything but remained hard in their opinion. All the lies and bullshit fed to them by Beck they gobble up without question. All the conspiracy theories and whack-a-doodle fear tactics these simple take as gospel.
Scarry world we live in where people can be so easily swayed by hate and fear. News is no longer news but has been bought and paid for by the wealthy or corporate america.
Also, the other morning news programs are just as irritating. CNN is on some short story loop and the local news is really lame. Morning Joe on the other network has that smug asshole whose name I cannot remember. When did "news" become so Jerry Springer?
I do also watch some of the Fox programs just to see what sort of garbage those idiots are spewing into the atmosphere and I believe their programming is having a dangerous effect on the small minded people in America. It is stirring them up into action without solid reason and based on lies and fear.
Case in point. Rachel Maddow was in Alaska and briefly interviewed some Joe Miller supporters. One theme among these inbreds was that Obama was against guns! Rachel followed up by asking what policy has Obama supported to demonstrate his stance on guns. None of the teabagging trash knew anything but remained hard in their opinion. All the lies and bullshit fed to them by Beck they gobble up without question. All the conspiracy theories and whack-a-doodle fear tactics these simple take as gospel.
Scarry world we live in where people can be so easily swayed by hate and fear. News is no longer news but has been bought and paid for by the wealthy or corporate america.
Friday, October 22, 2010
No Sleep For the Wicked...
With all the events going on I am having a very hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep. Last night I woke up no less than 10 times. I finally crawled out of bed an hour early.
Now, I have the pleasure of going into work. I have floated two of the past three shifts and I am sure I will be floated today. I just hope it is not to a bad area..
On the positive note, I have seven weeks left for this assignment before I start a four week holiday break. I think I leave here December 13th and do not return to any kind of work until Jan something - party on Garth!
Now, I have the pleasure of going into work. I have floated two of the past three shifts and I am sure I will be floated today. I just hope it is not to a bad area..
On the positive note, I have seven weeks left for this assignment before I start a four week holiday break. I think I leave here December 13th and do not return to any kind of work until Jan something - party on Garth!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Seriously..
Selling a home can be a stressful process. Selling a 100 year old home can drive one to drink.
News of the day. The plumber came out to fix some sort of leak in the basement and cha-ching two grand down the drain. Okay, not a big deal, deep cleansing breaths and we will move on. Still a few big ticket repairs right around the corner and we can check off the box marked plumbing.
The electrician makes a cameo tomorrow and we are getting early mixed messages on what the costs will be. Again, deep cleansing breath and take it all one step at a time.
The phone rings and a little unexpected news is discovered. Apparantly the buyers appraiser did a shitty job and out home appraised well below expectations and far below recent sales. WTF!!
Per the realtor the appraiser dropped the ball and made several very obvious mistakes. He omitted a floor of the home and called it an attic? Huh? He counted the bathrooms incorrectly and used old outdated comparables. Just about everything he could do wrong, he did!
So, per the realtor this is not the end of the world. It just causes more work for everyone to have the appraisal reconsidered or redone. Hopefully tomorrow will shed some light on this issue.
I swear everything that could possibly go wrong has! I am just waiting for the next shoe to drop. The bottom line is that the appraisal was unacceptable and no way in hell would I allow the home to be sold for that low of an amount.
Oh well another day! Why do these things have to be so dramatic and stressful? I promise I am never buying a home this old or this big again. Give me a small home that is brand spanking new!
News of the day. The plumber came out to fix some sort of leak in the basement and cha-ching two grand down the drain. Okay, not a big deal, deep cleansing breaths and we will move on. Still a few big ticket repairs right around the corner and we can check off the box marked plumbing.
The electrician makes a cameo tomorrow and we are getting early mixed messages on what the costs will be. Again, deep cleansing breath and take it all one step at a time.
The phone rings and a little unexpected news is discovered. Apparantly the buyers appraiser did a shitty job and out home appraised well below expectations and far below recent sales. WTF!!
Per the realtor the appraiser dropped the ball and made several very obvious mistakes. He omitted a floor of the home and called it an attic? Huh? He counted the bathrooms incorrectly and used old outdated comparables. Just about everything he could do wrong, he did!
So, per the realtor this is not the end of the world. It just causes more work for everyone to have the appraisal reconsidered or redone. Hopefully tomorrow will shed some light on this issue.
I swear everything that could possibly go wrong has! I am just waiting for the next shoe to drop. The bottom line is that the appraisal was unacceptable and no way in hell would I allow the home to be sold for that low of an amount.
Oh well another day! Why do these things have to be so dramatic and stressful? I promise I am never buying a home this old or this big again. Give me a small home that is brand spanking new!
Blob
It is one of those days where energy has been zapped from my body. I woke up at 0500 with all the best of intentions. I was going to pull a 5 mile run, clean the apartment and take the garbage to the dumpster. I had even planned a trek to the mail box. However, somewhere after the first cup or two of coffee all my plans fizzled and the sofa seemed too comfortable to abandon.
The sad part is that I know deep down in my soul that is I just pried myself off of the sofa and went for a run it would actually jump start my day, but I lack desire. I work the next three days so I will not run again until Monday. In my mind I am telling myself it will be good to give my shin splints a break, but I also know the Monday run will be extra rough after not running for five days.
I did just enjoy some lovely soup. It was tasty. I am staring at the trash I placed at the front door as a reminder to take the stuff out. I guess it can wait until tomorrow.
I am in the throws of apathy. I do not want to do anything except relax and find a way to recharge my desire batteries to face then next three days. Also, I know this is the brief calm before the storm. The next two weeks will see loads of money being paid to contractors, movers, airlines and rental companies. There will be continues back and forth between realtors and insurance people also all the forwarding of mail and accounts - ugghh this is making me more tired to even think about it. To top it all off I get the thrill of driving that 1500 mile trex all over again with two dogs in tow...If I make it to November 10th I will have won.
So, for today I will grab my pillow from the bedroom, curl up on the sofa and pretend it is raining outside and enjoy one of the few remaining moments of quiet before all hell is put into motion.
The sad part is that I know deep down in my soul that is I just pried myself off of the sofa and went for a run it would actually jump start my day, but I lack desire. I work the next three days so I will not run again until Monday. In my mind I am telling myself it will be good to give my shin splints a break, but I also know the Monday run will be extra rough after not running for five days.
I did just enjoy some lovely soup. It was tasty. I am staring at the trash I placed at the front door as a reminder to take the stuff out. I guess it can wait until tomorrow.
I am in the throws of apathy. I do not want to do anything except relax and find a way to recharge my desire batteries to face then next three days. Also, I know this is the brief calm before the storm. The next two weeks will see loads of money being paid to contractors, movers, airlines and rental companies. There will be continues back and forth between realtors and insurance people also all the forwarding of mail and accounts - ugghh this is making me more tired to even think about it. To top it all off I get the thrill of driving that 1500 mile trex all over again with two dogs in tow...If I make it to November 10th I will have won.
So, for today I will grab my pillow from the bedroom, curl up on the sofa and pretend it is raining outside and enjoy one of the few remaining moments of quiet before all hell is put into motion.
One Step Closer...
The dreaded email arrived with the list of repairs that the buyers wanted. I laughed a bit becasue some of the items were a bit much. I took a moment and composed a reply with items I agreed to fix and that will be it.
Along the way a few emails were send between me the other realtor and I guess between her and the buyers. Bottom line is that they agreed to what I wrote.
A bug along the way was the condition of the roof. Funny that! The home is 100 years old and the timbers that support the roof are intact but where some meet the underlying beams there is a gap of 1 maybe 1.5 inches - like a give. So when the inspector walked on the roof and noticed a "give" he claimed the roof to be sagging. This has since become an issue. The roof is fine and the sag is a non-issue on my end.
I considered just walking away from the sale and keeping the house. I am always seconds away from telling them all to get lost! I try not to be so impulsive, but it is what it is. The roof could be corrected by placing a strip of wood on the cross beam and waalaa - but I am done with it.
Also, my realtor forwarded an email she received from the buyer's agent and I did not care much for the tone. Good thing I read it late because once again I would have immediately shot back a terse response.
I have someone who is handling 90% of the communication with the realtor. I need that much of a buffer, because I have a very short fuse when it comes to the selling side of the equasion.
So, we have some repairs to get started with and hopefull everything will be completed next week. We can arrange movers to pick up the stuff by the first and I fly down to pick up my dogs on the 4th. The next couple of weeks is going to be packed with activity and loads of stress!!! Should be interesting!!
Along the way a few emails were send between me the other realtor and I guess between her and the buyers. Bottom line is that they agreed to what I wrote.
A bug along the way was the condition of the roof. Funny that! The home is 100 years old and the timbers that support the roof are intact but where some meet the underlying beams there is a gap of 1 maybe 1.5 inches - like a give. So when the inspector walked on the roof and noticed a "give" he claimed the roof to be sagging. This has since become an issue. The roof is fine and the sag is a non-issue on my end.
I considered just walking away from the sale and keeping the house. I am always seconds away from telling them all to get lost! I try not to be so impulsive, but it is what it is. The roof could be corrected by placing a strip of wood on the cross beam and waalaa - but I am done with it.
Also, my realtor forwarded an email she received from the buyer's agent and I did not care much for the tone. Good thing I read it late because once again I would have immediately shot back a terse response.
I have someone who is handling 90% of the communication with the realtor. I need that much of a buffer, because I have a very short fuse when it comes to the selling side of the equasion.
So, we have some repairs to get started with and hopefull everything will be completed next week. We can arrange movers to pick up the stuff by the first and I fly down to pick up my dogs on the 4th. The next couple of weeks is going to be packed with activity and loads of stress!!! Should be interesting!!
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