Friday, September 30, 2016

Finally!

The buyer FINALLY got her closing disclosure yesterday afternoon!!!! She is supposed to close on Monday and they are trying for a morning time frame. THANK GOD. I think this nightmare is almost over for us.

We will leave here Monday and close on our new house on Tuesday.

Yesterday my boss said she even got another request from my lender to verify again that I still work there and what is my continued employment probability of employment and her choices on the form were "good" and "not sure".  She said she wrote in Very Good. LOL. I said to her did you also write in that I'm so good I'm working on my vacation?!  haha!

I found a nice home for our 2 (annoying) parakeets. I listed them on craigslist and a nice young couple that already has 4 birds came and got them. They were really sweet and even sent me some text updates and a photo of them with their new flock. They will be much happier there! as they get to fly around all day.

oh geez, now I just got a call from the seller - he went in this morning and did his signing, but the title co person told him that we have to sign by Monday, because our lender docs are time sensitive and can't go past Monday? So, now checking with lender again on that, as no one mentioned that to me earlier this morning when I said I wanted to sign Tuesday.Always something! But at least it all seems to be moving forward now.

Just a few more days.........I hope. I am so completely skeptical of everything at this point.





Thursday, September 29, 2016

another wasted day

Another day on it's way out the door in a few business hours and nothing resolved. If the buyer doesn't get her closing disclosure today then closing on Monday (as we've now been promised yesterday) is not going to happen either. Every day now we've been told they will get her the CD by 9pm that night.

My gut is telling me something is going on. According to the agent and the buyer, the buyer has already wired her closing funds to escrow (on Tuesday), she has resolved that. Why is it taking 4 days and more to re-do her loan/closing documents? and if it really is something to do with the appraiser needing to make a couple of changes/corrections, well then how long does he get to get this done? Is he given a new deadline then?

And yet we are supposed to keep giving and keep making sure this is all convenient for everyone else, but not us. I specifically called the agent on Friday afternoon and said I'm picking up and paying for a big u-haul tomorrow morning, IF you think at all this is going to get delayed due to this appraisal due date being so close to closing date (and not turned in yet at that time I called her), please let me know and we will hold off. Oh no, I'm not worried at all, keep packing.  So, now everything but our clothes are loaded and have been sitting in there since we finished Sunday afternoon. And at this point we don't even know when we can leave and unload it all! There was no way dh and I could load this by ourselves and we had the weekend muscle available. Our issue, not hers and we are dealing with it. We've now had to reschedule our closing on the house we are buying 3 times! at this point I just told them I'm sorry, all I can do now is wait until she gets her CD and we know a closing date. Everything else is just dates they keep extending it to over here.

But she wants to move in tomorrow! We already agreed last weekend she could move some things into the garage to store now. She has to be out of her apartment tomorrow and last Monday, when we were told closing would then happen Thursday (or maybe Friday) then she could have done that. But she was still expecting us to leave! No, we are not leaving now until this is a done deal. In fact, at this point, until we get notification she has received her closing disclosure and the closing date/time has been set, we do not even feel comfortable letting her move in even more stuff.  Today she called and wanted to know if Comcast could come in now and set up her internet/cable! We are still living here (she knows that) and aren't leaving until it's closed now (she knows that) so, no, we aren't canceling our cable/internet/phone, just so it is convenient for her schedule. I'm still trying to work from home and salvage a bit of my wasted vacation time taken this week.

The agent (who is also buyers agent) stood in our house that first visit with us and said she uses this lender all the time and they are really good. Yesterday she tells my dh on the phone that she doesn't use this lender very often........

We have been more than accommodating to this buyer. We've let her come several times to show her friends her new house. To show her how/where all the systems work/located. We even had her ex-in-laws pull up (dh happened to be outside) and even let them come in and look around to see it! We are more than conscientious about not asking our seller to accommodate our problems. It's not their problem! But no one ever seems to feel bad about asking us for favors, concessions, accomdations, etc.  Guess I just operate differently :/


Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Still here

So........we were supposed to close on our house yesterday. Are you surprised that hasn't happened?!! Well, of course it hasn't happened.  The appraisal was supposed to be turned in last Friday and closing yesterday. I specifically asked if that would be enough time with buyer also getting her 3 day closing disclosures. Oh yes, Saturday counts, blah blah. Our agent must have assured me at least 3 times she was not at all worried about the appraisal.

We asked/listed $300k for our house. Buyer offered $307k, because she wanted to use that extra $7k over asking to get back as an allowance and cover her closing costs. Appraiser came on the 15th and his report was due in by Friday 23rd. Well, apparently that due date actually means he has until midnight Friday. So stupid. Of course he turns it in after business hours, so nobody at lender can even look at it until Monday morning. We find out late Monday afternoon he only appraised it at $300k (he had mentioned when he was leaving here that he hates when agents up the offer to cover closing costs because it's hard for him to appraise more than asking price).

Buyer and agent then expected us to cover at least half of her $7k closing costs! We said No, not going to happen! We are already paying a large commission to sell our house, let alone we are paying OUR closing costs on the house we are buying. We are not paying hers too! By then it's Monday after 5pm. About 6pm we are told she will come up with the money and cover it, but with the appraisal not coming in where she needed it, her loan paperwork was going to have to be re-done and that would take an extra couple days. So then we're told closing Thursday, maybe Friday. No word yesterday, it's apparently not anyone's priority or even their responsibility! Buyer said she even wired the funds to title yesterday, but still hasn't gotten her closing disclosure.

This morning we flipped out on them after they start hinting it probably won't be until next Monday now. A whole week after we were supposed to sign and even as I'm typing this mid day Wednesday, next Monday isn't even a for sure deal and she still hasn't gotten her CD. Agent said it's in lender's hands, then it's blamed on underwriting....then the lender blamed it on the appraiser! What does that still have to wait on with that? supposedly he needed to correct a few items and turn it back in....well, gee - how much more time does he get? it's been 3 days now. Someone start screaming at him to get it in NOW.

We are NOT happy campers to say the least. Late Friday afternoon I specifically called agent and said if you even think this is going to get delayed let me know, because Saturday morning I'm going over and paying $1300 to rent a u-haul and loading it this weekend (when we had people to help us). "oh no, it's all a go. I'm not worried about any of it. At the worst we'll have to close on Wed.  Oh, and can I send you an addendum so the buyer can start moving her stuff into your empty garage?"  oh sure, let's just accommodate everyone but us.

I took off this week, starting yesterday, so that is a complete waste. I am now trying to work from home the rest of this week. sitting at a counter on a bar stool. everything else is packed up.

Apparently we just have signs on our foreheads that say go ahead and do whatever you want to us, we are doormats, yes we are.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

A not-planned afternoon of visiting

I had a really nice lunch visit with my old friend and so good to get a chance to see her again before I move. We got to spend about an hour and a half together, but I needed to get back home to work and also, the buyer of our house was coming by, to go over how some of the things work, etc.

Right after I got home (buyer was already here) a Harley motorcycle comes down our road and into our driveway. It was some very old friends! This guy used to work for DH, but it's been at least 10 years now (dh went out of business like 8 years ago). He had worked for DH for 8 years, so quite a long time. We knew his wife really well too. DH was off in the back yard with the buyer and her friend and I went to greet them in the driveway and gave them both big hugs :)  He had just reconnected with DH on Facebook and realized we are moving so wanted to see us before we leave. They were here almost 3 hours.

So, by the time they left and I actually got to sit back down at my desk (which is now at the dining table) it was 4pm! Yikes. I didn't get any work done this afternoon, so I made up what I could in missed time, while I wait for DD to get here. She's on track for a 3 hour trip here, LOL.

It ended up being 3 hours and 20 minutes to go 70 miles. Yup.



Tuesday

Today will be a fairly busy day. I am working from home because my old friend from jr. high and high school and I are going to meet for lunch at a Panera near me.  Then at 1pm the buyer of our house is coming by to go over all the "systems" of the house and shop. She was going to come last week, but had to reschedule.

DD is coming here straight after she gets off work at 3pm.....though it will most likely take her 3 hours to drive the 70 miles to get here. She gets to work from home one Friday a month, so she will just work from home here tomorrow. Her last weekend at the house she grew up in! We will both work from home tomorrow and then take dog to vet in the afternoon.

We are picking up the big u-haul truck Saturday morning, so we have the weekend to load, with help of DD and her BF. He might bring a friend over to help too, which would be nice. Sunday we will load our big bed, as it's so heavy (a big king sized cherry wood sleigh bed) it will take all of us to do it. The only thing we are leaving till just before we move is a twin bed. DH (and dogs) will stay here Sun - Tues nights and I will just go over to my mom's and sleep at her house those last 3 nights. Will be good to spend with her a few days before we leave.

Look at me - making plans before this is all finalized. I'm sure I just jinxed myself.  We are still waiting on the appraisal to be turned in our our house! This ain't over yet!

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Budget and expense items

I canceled my Netflix account last June. The price went up $2 and we also have Amazon Prime video, so figured I didn't need it..........but one of my favorite shows is about to have a new season to watch. I love the Longmire show and it starts on Friday.  I'm so close to signing up again. I checked out their pricing plans and I could do the Basic plan for $8 a month, which was what I was paying for the mid-level plan before price went up. I had the mid level plan because 2 could watch at same time and wanted it available for DD when she was at college, but her BF has Netflix and she doesn't need access to mine anymore.  I can get by with one user at a time and no HD.  Shoot - my internet connection in small town will probably barely support HD anyway LOL.

It's not like I can't afford $8 a month. It's not like I HAVE to watch that show.  And then I'll end up binge watching it all in one weekend and still be paying $8 a month. I guess I could cancel again.  We'll see. I think I'll wait to decide until we move. I won't have time to watch it until we get settled anyway.

Apparently we need to get the dogs licenses to live in town. A whopping $5 for a permanent dog tag for a neutered dog. LOL. and they need proof of rabies. My vet records are packed. Their rabies tags say 2013, so due again sometime this year. I called vet and older dog is past due a couple months I must have missed that in all this stress, though why they didn't mention it the last 2 times I've had him into the vet this past month, I have no idea. So, I am getting him in Friday afternoon. The other dog isn't due until December, so I'll find a new vet when we move and get him in when due. Apparently the nearest vet will be like 50 miles away!

I am getting a very good interest rate on my new mortgage. 3.125%.  A few of my expenses I am estimating, but our overall total monthly expenses, including mortgage will be about $3200. My take home (including bonus paid twice a year) is $6727 a month.  That leaves about $3500 a month, which will be going to savings or paying for some of the site work on the land. We'll get the septic and well put in next spring/summer. We are estimating about $5,000 more to put into the new house. Some landscaping, finish the chain link fence (it needs a top rail and we think we will just also go ahead and have backyard fenced too, so dogs have bigger area to be in), insulate and run some power out to the shop. The only thing we need to do inside is add some cabinets above the washer and dryer, put some shelves in the garage and add a doggy door. I also will be buying a queen sized bed for guest bedroom, but not planning on buying anything too expensive. It won't be used that often.

This is something like what I would like to get
it's $260 on Amazon....and I'll save $25 in sales tax living in new state :)

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

All Clear

Got a phone call from my broker this morning on my way to work.....ALL CLEAR TO CLOSE!!!!

THANK GOD! Closing is scheduled for next Thursday the 29th. Closing on our house is supposed to be Tuesday the 27th.

I think we might finally get there!

Monday, September 19, 2016

When will the "conditions" end?

OMG. This underwriting process is getting completely ridiculous. We were supposedly all set to go a couple of weeks go with the conditions met.  When our sale fell through August 25th, we had to rescind our offers on house and land and we were sent back our earnest monies deposited from both. We were also reimbursed $350 for the foundation inspection we paid out of pocket on our house, that buyer should have paid. Then 2 days later we got the current offer on our house, so we put our offers right back in, and I resent two new earnest monies checks.

First the underwriter wanted to see that I sent new checks that cleared. So, I sent copies of the checks front and back.  That wasn't good enough, so then they wanted to see my bank statement where it cleared. Well, it's only been about a week (now 2 weeks) so I don't have a bank statement yet. So, I printed a transaction of my checking ledger showing them.  Then I had to show where I got refunded and deposited them. . Then that wasn't good enough. They wanted "statements" from the escrow company(s). I'm like all I have is the part of the check stub where they put a little one or two line detail on what the check was for. Then they wanted to see same thing for the first earnest money checks! (that I had already sent the first time, mind you)
 
Well, that has just led to more and more "conditions". It's getting ridiculous. In beginning of August, when I had exhausted my attempts to obtain a loan for the land we want to buy, and would need about an additional $10k in cash (on top of our house proceeds) to close that deal (and have enough for down on house and moving expenses), we had decided to sell our race car engine. Obviously DS isn't racing anymore and we surely don't need to keep assets worth that much sitting in the garage. We thought that was a MUCH better plan than taking out a 401k loan, don't you think?! We got $15k for it and deposited the money. It's been sitting there ever since. We haven't touched it, other than I already paid the $1500 out of it to have a truck driver move the loaded 53ft trailer over there (storing at friends place).

So, then they need an explanation and all the documents for that! ok. it's just a motor, not like there is a bunch of paperwork or a title for it.  Then wanted proof that we owned it in the first place. Oh good grief. DH found the box he put his desk paperwork in and found the receipt/bill of sale from when we purchased the engine back in 2008.

So, this morning I email her all the remittance stubs (because she emailed me and asked for them) I got with the earnest money refunds and that I deposited all 3 checks on same day. Then she calls me and wants actual copies of the checks. oh good grief. I didn't make copies of the checks before I deposited them. After we talked a bit it became apparent that she didn't open the attachment I sent this morning with what she was asking for in the first place and that is supposedly all she really needs. I had 3 stubs, each saying refund of earnest money and they total what my deposit was - what more do you need?!

Then they wanted another bank transaction statement, going back from 7/27 to today. So, then I had to add explanation of what the $3000 back into my account last week from the fraud debit card charges. Then the next "condition" is what is the $1500 deposit on 7/29? I don't remember. Let me see. oh ya, it was the $1500 earnest money we got to keep from the FIRST sale that failed!

What's the $1000 deposit on 8/31? Umm...that's my monthly deposit of $1000 from my side job. You know, the one you already have all the info on?

By then I said "there's a $108 deposit last week too......my daughter reimburses me for her phone and car insurance...figured they were probably going to ask, so might as well give it to them now.

Then she calls me and tells me that at first the underwriter wanted all this other proof that our current loans on our current house will have been paid to zero AND a new credit report showing such before we can close! That could take a month before our credit report updates! If that was a condition, why in the world wouldn't that have been one from the very beginning of this process, when they had all my info and financial state. She apparently talked the underwriter out of that nonsense. She is having the title company over here send a copy of the wires the day we close on this house and the wires get sent to the banks. She is also having them wire the money to the title company for house we are buying, so the funds are there and ready to go when we can close.

I'm getting nervous again- it's like they are just looking for anything to find to back out now. What the heck?! I'm buying a house half the price of our current house. The total amount owed will be less than the current mortgage total I have been paying on. The monthly payment will be almost half what I've been paying and covered by the income from my SIDE job, for goodness sake. I have good credit, my job of 11 years, my side job of 7 years, letters from both saying I'm invaluable and will continue to be employed. We don't have other debt (no car payments) other than a bit of credit card debt (under $2000) I charged in all our house selling expenses and that will get paid off. I make $98k a year. This nitpicking is getting beyond annoying and after tomorrow, if it continues, will delay our closing.  Ya, we really want to sit there with a u-haul we can't unload, paying extra daily fees while you figure out if you are going to finally approve this or not!

GRRRRRR! 

One more week (I hope)

We finally had the appraisal done last Thursday. Got about an hours notice that he was coming to do it. Apparently had an opening so we said, of course come and do it. As far as we know today, closing is still scheduled for next Tuesday, the 27th. The days seem to be dragging....I think mostly because I just keep waiting for some kind of bad news about it all!

The weekend was nice. DD and her BF came down for the weekend on Saturday morning. We really don't have much left to do, so we just spent most of the time visiting. It's starting to hit us that we will be 500 miles away soon. Saturday afternoon we all went to a birthday/campaign fundraiser party. Our good councilman (who is running to be re-elected) had a birthday and Saturday was also the birthday of the signing of our Constitution and he's very strong on the Constitution.

The get-together was held at a couple's very nice lakefront home with a small gathering of some of his supporters. Beautiful home (even though the weather wasn't too good) and very good food (salmon, halibut, etc). Seeing their home made us want to get our new house built! Their entryway/great room was very similar to what we have for our house plan. DH got roped into getting up and speaking again, but he liked it.  We also got to meet some very nice new people. Both DD and her BF said they really enjoyed it too.

I got a phone call a few days ago from one of my old high school friends (one of the ladies from our get together girls night last April) and we are going to meet up for lunch later this week, before our move.  That was so nice of her to call and plan this lunch with me.

The lender for the house we are buying is getting annoying, LOL. "last of the conditions" of course keeps turning into more and more.  Last week I had to send an updated checking transaction statement, which now included a $2350 deposit they want explained. Ok....it's the $1000 earnest money we got back from our offer on the land, when our sale fell through and we had to rescind. It's the $1000 earnest money we got back on the house, when our sale fell through and we had to rescind. It's the $350 we got back when we paid for a foundation inspection that the buyer was supposed to pay.

With that explanation they wanted yet another updated bank statement....which now includes my debit card being hacked with (6) $500 transactions to some super market in Haiti from last week, so I just went ahead and included that explanation, too, because I'm sure then they were going to ask about that now.  And while I was at it I included an explanation for the $108 deposit from my daughter, where she reimbursed me her monthly cell phone an car insurance.






Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Logistics

My to do list seems to keep growing.  And some of it is kind of dumb, but I'm having trouble figuring out the logistics of some of it. LOL.

For example, I do not have a new address, per se, yet.  There is no mail delivery to houses in the town, so will be getting a PO Box. I see that I can order/prepay for a PO Box online, but I will not, apparently, actually get assigned a PO Box # until I show up there with 2 forms of ID....so obviously I want to try to start re-routing my mail from my current address at least a day before we are moving, so that mail doesn't get delivered to new resident.  But, I have no address to forward it to.  I guess I could have my post office hold the mail for several days, until I actually get the PO Box # it can get forwarded too. Or forward temporarily to my mom and then forward permanently once I have PO Box. See? silly things I'm trying to figure out.

Finally got the last of the $500 debit card fraud charges credited to my account.  The new debit card has not arrived yet.

I did get some good news today. My broker/lender had said we can't really close on our new house until like a week after our house closes! I'm like really? even though I currently have the closing funds needed to close it in my bank account? I'm not waiting to receive funds for that part. But, of course, the condition of purchasing new house is that old house is sold. And then another 3 days is needed to give us our disclosures. But, today she said the lender will accept a copy of the estimated sale disclosure from the title company on the sale of our house and then we don't have to wait the extra 3 days, or something like that.  That helps.









A little panic

We had a bit of a panic attack yesterday afternoon. An inspector showed up here to do an "FHA foundation inspection". HUH??? Our buyer is not financing FHA, so huh??  He had no idea. "Just doing what they told me to do".  All kind of thoughts were running through our minds for a couple of hours until I was finally able to get a hold of our agent to find out what is going on. FHA is now a 4 letter word to us after what we went through with last sale! I was imagining the agent telling me "oh, buyer had to change to FHA financing" or something like that.

She had no idea either, didn't order a foundation inspection, let alone, buyer is financing conventional. Turns out her lender wanted one done, even for conventional, since it's a manuf. home. Whatever. Stupid waste of her money since a certified foundation inspection was already done and they were supplied a copy of it.

I still have not been credited 1 of the 6 $500 fraudulent charges on our debit card. I don't know why 5 got done at same time and 1 wasn't. I called Monday to check on it and was told it was still in process and would be credited in 24-48 hours. Well, it's now been another 48 hours and still not credited and I'm still out the $500 from my bank account! I'm tired of calling about this.

Two more weeks and we will supposedly be moving. I am so ready to be done with this and start our new life. Mostly I'm just ready to get rid of all this stress we've been going through. Hard to remember anymore what life was like when it was calm and quiet. I am looking forward to not having to deal with all these people - agents, lenders, insurance agent, etc. Ready for no emails (other than my mom, half sister and daughter) and no phone calls.

It would be interesting to see what this place looks like in a year or two. It's a big yard to take care of and apparently this lady isn't exactly much on yard work. LOL. Sure, we have quite a bit of low maintenance landscaping, but there is still a lot that needs to be done on a regular basis. And it sounds like this lady is a busy gal - not at home much.

We are already making plans on what we will be doing to spruce up the landscaping at the new house, which it definitely needs. It's not a very big lot, so won't really cost us that much to fix up. The grass needs some fertilizing and re-seeding. The chain link fence needs a top rail to finish it off. The back yard has a rock garden type of area, but we think it would look better if it had a few plants/shrubs planted in it. Looks like some general weeding needs to be done all around.  The front area between street and front fence needs fixing up too.  It's just kind of gravel and weeds. I think we will try to plant a large tree or two to eventually help out with some shade. Hopefully we'll have a little time, weather wise, to get some of it done soon and not wait until Spring.


Monday, September 12, 2016

This and that news

The appraisal came in on the house we are buying, at $10K over what we are purchasing it for, so all good.  No word still on when the appraisal will be on our house. We are supposed to close 2 weeks from tomorrow. The u-haul is reserved. The new homeowner's insurance is getting set up on the house being purchased. Wonder if I need to notify my old policy to cancel when this house sale is complete, or if they get notified by the title company when the sale is processed?

I checked with my employer health insurance plan to see if I can see doctors in network, while living in a different state. I figured it was going to be ok, since United Healthcare is a national company and it is. I didn't know about dental though, but that is in network too. Whew. I also see that UHC has virtual visits for minor illnesses. I might have to try that out, if/when I have a need......either that or I can walk out our new back door, down the alley and around the corner to the next block and see real doctors in our new little town. LOL. If worse comes to worse the ambulance is kitty corner behind us (next to the dr's offices) and the small county hospital is across the street. HAHA.

I got credited this morning for 5 of the 6 $500 fraudulent charges from last week, but was still missing one of the $500 charges. I called PayPal and she said it is still being processed and will show within next 24 hours. Not sure why one is lagging behind, but what a total pain. The $3000 already came out of my checking account, which ticks me off. Thankfully I had enough funds to cover, but I called PayPal when the charges were still "pending". You'd think they could put a hold on them before they actually went through. I transferred the $2500 PayPal has credited me so far back to my checking, but of course now that takes another 2 days.  Sigh........

That's about all I know today. 














Sunday, September 11, 2016

Sunday morning

Several weeks ago DD was commenting that she got a doctor bill for like $85, from an old visit, and it came at the same time as a big vet bill she just paid for her cat. I told her that I would of course pay her doctor bill, because I was still covering/paying for her medical until her work insurance started Sept 1st. I told her just to keep what she pays me in September for auto insurance and her share of the cell phone bill, rather than me sending her money and then her turning around and sending me money back for her bills.

The other night she texts me all happy that she got a reimbursement check back in the mail from the doctor office because apparently they made an error and she didn't owe. She said the visit was from last May, so I thought she was talking about a different bill than the one I said I'd cover.  Back and forth we went until we both got on the same page that this was the same bill. I WAS paying it (by letting her not pay me in Sept for her bills), so she will now still owe me her Sept bills, since the doctor office reimbursed her.  It was quite comical. Her final text to me "Buzz killer".  LOL

Got up this morning to start my cup of coffee and the "Not Ready" light just stayed on. Eek! Tried unplugging it, etc. Nothing. Tried googling the problem and finally came across a little you tube video. The handle wasn't seating down all the way properly. I gave it a good jiggle and it came on and thankfully I now have my cup of coffee (or my creamer with a bit of coffee, as I like to call it) and can start my day on the right foot.

I didn't get a whole lot more done yesterday. I went out and watered the flowers (which carrying the filled big watering can is heavy and always pulls my back a bit), made my bed back up. Took a short nap. Started watching where I had left off a couple of years ago with Vikings, made myself a spaghetti dinner (because DH hates spaghetti) and DD and her BF came by around 6:30 for about an hour.

DH will be texting sometime around noon to come meet/pick him up. His friend isn't bringing his huge race hauler all the way to our house (that would be out of his way and a total pain), so I am just meeting them at some point along a freeway off ramp, somewhere, I haven't heard exactly where yet, and picking him up. I'm sure DH will be very tired. He left at 4am yesterday. Drove 7 hours. Spent the afternoon/evening at friends and basically stayed over night there until early this morning when he met up with his ride back here.

So far I have several friends/people I know who are moving out of state. One of DH's oldest friends moved to Texas. Another just sold/early retired and are moving to Hawaii. My step sister early retired and just moved to Idaho. Our IT guy at work is leaving - to travel around the US with his wife and dog for a year or so and live in a camper. Not sure where he's going to land afterwards, but probably in a less populated area, it sounds. Another good friend is seriously considering moving to Montana, like we are. He's already found some acreage he's interested in and called up DH the other day, while stuck in traffic again (story of our life around here) and said he is so ready to get out of here, now he's thinking about next spring. If he does, we'll practically be neighbors, which would be nice.
 
Ok, off to the shower and then get at least the vacuuming done. Our black dog is shedding like crazy the past week or so.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Still going

Maybe I'll get more done today if I blog along the way and try to stay on track and accountable! HA!

So far I have packed up another bin of more stuff from our master bath and a few items from my bedroom. Figured we could get by for 2 1/2 weeks without the standing hand towel holders and tissue box holder, as well as a small box off stuff from the other bathroom. I wrapped my 3 small hummingbird pictures up, as well as a few knicknacks still on my dresser. Amazing how much stuff we accumulate. I am on my 3rd load of laundry. I have dusted, stripped my bed (one of the laundry loads), emptied more old food from cupboards and fridge. I think I am done with that now. The cupboards are pretty bare now and so is the fridge. Took the very heavy and full bag of garbage outside to the can, along with a bunch of smashed down cereal boxes and misc. recyclables.  Emptied the dishwasher and washed a few things in the sink.

Still left to do: vacuum, mop, clean bird cage, water outside plants, feed outdoor/barn cats. I know after I vacuum I'll be pretty much done for, as it always makes my back hurt for a little while, so I'm trying to save that for last. I'll probably split up the mopping and vaccuming and do mopping tomorrow morning.

My energy is waning......but at least I can't go take a nap on my bed yet....there's no bedding on it :)


Saturday morning

I was up at 3:30 this morning - to make DH a breakfast egg sandwich and a lunch for the road (better than him having to spend $20 to eat breakfast and lunch and take time to stop). He also packed a small cooler with some water and soda and also took 3 salmon on ice. He's having dinner at our good friends house and figured it was time we treated them. He took some dog treats too :)  They have a dog that looks just like our younger dog and just got another puppy that looks the same. Total cuteness. As puppies they look like little black bears.

I, of course, went right back to bed. Both dogs were happy to join me. I'm pretty sure I would have slept past 7:30 but DH texted me that he was at a rest stop and truck and trailer were running along fine together. He's almost halfway. He took one of the car heating pads with him. Said that thing is a blessing for his back. Was sure worth the $20 for that. At least when he catches his ride home late late tonight, he won't have to be driving. I'm sure he'll have a good time catching up and remembering old stories of the kids racing days with the guy and his dad.

I have lots of plans to clean the house today - and really I just kinda feel like getting back in bed! I guess I'll stay up and get busy and I can always take a nap later. I'm sure I won't get done near what I think I will. I never do. My cup of coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

The vet had recommended I start giving our older dog some glucosamine. She had checked out his joint movement and he felt a little creaky in one front leg. He is 8 years old now, so I picked some up last weekend. Big old chewable pill type thing that I was sure he wasn't going to want to take. Nope, he chewed it right up. Waits for it every morning like it's some treat. LOL. Hopefully it will help him. Young pup likes to try to catch bees with his mouth.....enough said there.  Had to give him some benadryl yesterday....

Had to place an Amazon order this morning, as I am getting low on vacuum cleaner bags (stupid things aren't available at stores anymore) and they were an "add on" item, very cheap at $3.62 for a 3-pack but had to place $25 order. So, I added a big box of milk bones, some more flea treatment. Was still a few dollars short of $25. I looked up the price of the glucosamine and it was only like $10 for the 30 day supply (I paid like $14 at Walmart, I think), so I ordered all that too. It's all stuff I'd have to order soon anyway. I don't want to run out of vacuum bags before I move and not have time to get some delivered here. Gotta make sure I can vacuum one last time as we move out.

Ok, I'm getting up from my desk and heading in to take a shower. unless I decide to crawl back in bed as I pass by it!

Friday, September 9, 2016

and another thing that is ridiculous

This is the court schedule for our slumlandlord neighbor's son since he got arrested...LAST FEBRUARY!  Is this not just totally ridiculous? Delay, delay, delay, FTA, bench warrant, re-arrrest, let him out, delay, delay, FTA, bench warrant.  At what point in all this doesn't the judge get that he has no intention of going to trial and going to jail? (prosecutor assures us he is going away for like 5 years). A felon with a gun, that they just keep letting out and letting out, while they keep delaying his trial. Just freaking stupid. It's now been almost 7 months since his arrest (he's already been arrested many times before and has spent time in prison before).  So, now the deputies have to waste their time, yet again, finding and arresting him, only to be let out again while he awaits trial, I'm sure.

Can we ever stop debit/credit cards being hacked?

After a 2 hour drive home from work yesterday (I did stop at fast food, so that added about 15 minutes) I finally arrived home. Isn't it totally ridiculous that a 36 mile drive takes almost 2 hours?!! I will be SO glad to get away from this. I sit down at my computer to check my emails and get just the most wonderful surprise.......DH's debit card was hacked - Six $500 charges to Giant Super Market, in Haiti, apparently.  $3000. Good grief.  He hardly even uses this card.  He used it this week to pay at the Ford dealer to flush his transmission and he got gas. I think he used it a few weeks ago to pay for something online. We both usually use our cards as "credit" transactions, to get the 1% rewards back. There really should be a way these types of transactions are stopped. You'd think having to use a pin# for a credit transaction, like with a debit card, would work?

DH is heading over the mountains again this weekend to take his pickup, car trailer, and our old car he has kept all these years and leave at good friends house (along with the 53ft trailer loaded with all his shop stuff that is already over there). That way it will all be over there and when we do our final move he can drive the u-haul with our house goods. He's also got the bed of his pickup loaded with stuff too.  Thankfully, since he needs a ride back here, I do not have to follow him over there! He found a ride back with someone who is coming back this way. This guy is going over to do some racing this weekend and DH will catch a ride back with him. Win win.  I get most of a weekend to myself :)  Mostly all packed now.  Will just do a bunch of cleaning.  DD will be here for a little of the weekend. They have to come down for a wedding to attend on Saturday afternoon.

Now DH will have to take my debit card with him to get gas on the trip. He does have some cash to take, too, but likes to have both. If it had to happen, I'm very relieved it wasn't my debit card, at least.  I have most of my bills set to auto pay from it, it's a pain to have to change it all.

I thought I was catching a cold. I woke up in the middle of the night with a couple of sneezes and all stuffed up, a headache, and kept having to blow my nose. Finally I fell back asleep and woke up fine. Weird. I can't even remember when I last had a cold. Several years, at least.  I just assumed with how run down I have been I was probably due for a cold.

Ok, so how long does it take to get an appraisal scheduled? It's been almost 2 weeks now and we still don't have an appraisal scheduled on our house yet. And supposed to close in 2 1/2 weeks? I'm starting to get nervous again. I just got text from my agent on house we are buying and the appraisal went fine. Whew. One more thing out of the way. I'm working with an insurance agent to get insurance on new house and he's also giving me auto insurance quote, as if I bundle I can save $100-$200 a year.

The other frustration this week was with my side job.  I couldn't access my email on Tuesday, after the long weekend. That happens occasionally, but usually fixed in hour or so. By Wed I still couldn't, so I called up to ask what's up. Oh, they changed to a different email system/server or something and totally forgot that I have a company email too. They always forget about me. LOL.  I got the link to new email, but all my old emails are gone. Yikes! I need all those! Since I work 100% remotely those emails are how I get all my info to do my job. I have much saved and much still to get to.  Supposedly I am supposed to have access back to those today.  I feel totally lost without all that info to do my job.