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Tuesday, May 31, 2005
adslkfjo
We are now officially homeowners!
My synapses (anyone else hear the interview this morning on NPR?) are fried, so I cannot think up a title for this post. But it won't stop me from blogging oh no. Well the move was arguably the worst I've ever had. Now I am not a moving amateur... in the past 5 years I've moved an average of 1.4 times a year. And this one wasn't supposed to be that difficult because 90% of our stuff was already professionally packed and stacked in an extra large storage unit with great access. And I used the same company I've used for like 3 other moves, including the interstate one. But for some reason the estimator up here was convinced I could do the job with 3 guys. I haven't had less than 4 guys since I moved into a 550 square foot condo. When Jon and I moved to Walnut Creek, we had a crew of 6. But this guy was convinced (and I made sure to feature the amount of book cartons and copious stairways involved) we could do it with 3 guys in 10 hours. By the time hour 13 rolled around, I had a crew of 7 and we still didn't finish until after 10 pm and things didn't actually get put in the rooms they needed to go in and dismantled furniture didn't get ever get reassembled. And they broke things through sheer carelessness and exhaustion. But on the plus side, they never complained. This is the first time I didn't hear "lady you really have too many books" or the like. So yeah, that was a tough 15 hours on a day with temps just over 90 degrees. Oh but today it is all nice at 70-ish with intermittent drizzle (which I am really happy about because watering my lawn was going to cost a fortune).
So most of what we own is physically in our house somewhere and we have each unpacked the things most important to us. Jon unpacked his computer and got the internet up and running. I unpacked my teapots and espresso machine and already have my plates stacked in neat, color coordinated towers. On Saturday I made just-add-water muffins and drank an Illy latte out of my green "friends" mug that Laura gave me. Lazy to the core (uh, I mean "efficient") I put the muffin tin with all the baked on muffin gunk right into the dishwasher without even a rinse. I should say our stainless front, hidden button Bosch DLX series dishwasher. Everything, even the muffin tin that had burnt dough anodized into the impossible-to-reach crevices, came out spotless and the machine is quiet as a mouse. Even though I've only used the damn thing once, I highly recommend the brand. We also tried out our new Jenn-Air gas range and oven, even though I have not 100% figured out how the oven part works (I'll have to read up on convection). But we did find the grill atachments still in their original packaging hidden on top of the cupboards, so I grilled up the only thing we had available: quesadillas. Every drink we have (that isn't hot tea or espresso) has ice in it. Ice ice ice: because we have an ice maker! And lots of water from the door of the freezer, which is so (pardon the pun) cool, and is run through a built in filter.
We still cannot get over the fact that the house is ours. Even with our crap everywhere, it doesn't feel real. It is somehow too big, too nice. But at least we are very comfortable- I am sleeping better than I did before the sale. In addition to the mortgage, the additional bills facing us for health care and moving will hit soon enough, but by then I'll have a master plan in place for getting a new job, and hopefully my bureaucracy-laden client will actually get me my damn check for work completed before I even moved. Yikes, the money for the work I am doing now (my old company has hired me for a contact lasting through June 15th), won't be here until at least the end of July. Sounds like I'll be making a lot of beans and rice over the next couple of months. I guess Jon can always sneak a Dick's burger in on his lunch hour.
The modem we got from Quest has built in wireless, so I finally can surf the internet from anywhere in the house. J-dog is opposed to wireless from a security standpoint, but since we only had one port for internet access, he had to allow the wireless so we could play WoW at the same time (one of us on the laptop). Being the ultimate chivalrous gentleman, he let me play on his new computer while he hunched over the lappy. I had never used his computer before and OH MY LORD. That thing is SO fast and the graphics card is sick sick sick. It was like a totally different game. I felt like I could see every hair on the evil yeti things we had to kill and every leaf on the trees. Actually we had to kill a lot of the abominable creatures for a series of quests called "Are We There Yeti?" where you have to first kill a bunch of yeti, then kill a bunch more. THEN you get a mechanical yeti that you can use to scare people with. The mechanical yeti is tiny but it emits a loud RAAAAAHRRRR which sends the victim of your prank running around like a total freak, being chased by the yeti on his itty bitty, yet lightning fast legs. I laughed so so hard- it was seriously funnier than even that time Jon was turned into a sheep then ended up in the fireplace. God bless World of Warcraft.
.: posted by Zemlet 10:37 AM
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
update on your favorite homeless people
I talk to everyone involved with the sale almost every day. Things are going much better with our mortgage lender now that the boss is back from vacation. Plus, I have discovered (no surprise here) there is actually a woman behind the scenes doing all of the actual work, so I now talk exclusively to her to get the real scoop on what is going on. We added my engagement ring and extra computer coverage to our insurance and that binder has been delivered, so that is taken care of. I don't know what exactly "the binder has been delivered" means, but it is uttered with a reverence usually reserved for the Shroud of Turin, so I am assuming that is some kind of milestone. I've chatted with the escrow people, who will learn to spell my name right one of these fine days, and kept in contant contact with our realtor, Mary Ann. Our new completely superfluous DSL modem gets here Friday, so that is set up and with a nice surprise- we don't actually need a phone! That is right folks, our dreams of not owning a phone have come true after many years of praying. Oh ok a few minutes of praying, but praying nonetheless! So we have cell phones and DSL and that is it. If a problem arises, we can add a land line for $14/month, but why should we? We currently have our old cell numbers (mine is in the 805 area code hahaha) so you can continue to call us on those. The moving estimator shows up today to look at my messy bedroom and frighten me with more costs we need to incur within "the most expensive month ever". But some good news: we take possession of the house at closing. The current owners are moving out today, as a matter of fact (I guess they are not in line to see Star Wars), so we can go visit our empty house on Thursday and we get the keys at 9PM on the 24th! I had originally thought to set the move date for the 25th, but Britta helpfully pointed out that I could wait a few extra days and take the time to paint and really plan where things go before the furniture arrives. Wolfe also cautioned that the place could be trashed and need some cleaning (apparently that was the case when he bought his place) but I seriously doubt people as anal as the folks who owned this house could let that happen. So I'm going to try to set up our move-in date as next Friday the 27th. While Britta has offered to show me where the high end paint stores and things are, I think her suggestion that I stick around a few extra days has more to do with her Boggle score. We've been double teaming online Boggle every day and have moved from being "green" to being "blue" go us. The fact that I compulsively whip up snacks might also factor in. Yesterday I went to the store for fresh baguette and made salad caprese and coffee for brunch, then later tossed together my special creamy guacamole to go with afternoon Halo playing. People wonder what my secret is and those of you who think it is sour cream are wrong. In addition to fresh, ripe avocados, white onion, cilantro, garlic powder and other spices/odds and ends depending on what is around and if folks like tomatoes, I add a couple big scoops of plain yogurt, lots of lime juice and salt. This adds less calories than sour cream while putting in a little extra protein and extending the avocado, yeilding a larger serving. Yogurt, citrus juice and salt mixed together is what I call "mock sour cream" and it is a good, healthy substitute in any situation- try it. For the guac, I put in tons of lime juice to mock the cream and also keep the avocados good and green. Oooh good and green- time to think some more about wall paint colors.
So I am going to miss living here, but I am already having dreams about my new, 3670-square-foot, vaulted ceilings, craftsman style, hardwood floors, granite slab, travertine marble, stainless appliances, light filled, open layout dream house.
.: posted by Zemlet 10:51 AM
Thursday, May 12, 2005
but
OK I just thought of another the universal to all blogs (besides narcricism and embarassment) and that is complaining. This is my personal pulpit where I can warn the world against bad restaurants, unfair business practices, etc. So that is what I'll do. While I have devoted many a post to how great our realtor has been, let me take some time to talk about how un-great our mortgage company is. When we decided to go with Pacific Crest Savings Bank, (formerly Phoenix Savings Bank) it was after meeting with Rob Sullivan, the Branch Manager in Bellevue. Rob was great- he answered all our questions, didn't make me feel stupid, communicated well and came out to Jon's office to meet with us. He came recommended to us and we felt like things were set and we'd made a smart decision. Well, unfortunately Rob is on vacation in Hawaii this week, which represents half of our escrow time. So Steve is handling things while he is away. To get our loan paperwork rolling, Steve asked for a littany of things we had to personally drive over to Bellevue to give him. Which we did. He calls back the next day. He forgot another long list of needed items we need to bring in, including copies of every rent check for the past year. So we work on gethering all these things up (no small task when everything you own is in storage) and I call to make an appointment to drop things off and get some questions answered. He doesn't want to make an appointment. He assures me everything will be fine if I just "stop on by" his office (which is all the way out in Bellevue for crying out loud- a total pain in the ass). "OK," says I, "you'll be in all day then?" "Oh no," he replies, "I'll be in and out, but Shari will be able to take care of everything if I have to leave the office." I believe "in and out" is code for "playing golf" but I give him the benefit of the doubt. So surpirse, surprise, when I get there toting over a year's worth of statements from three different accounts and armed with serious questions about exactly where and when we part with every dime we have, Steve is "out". After letting out a dramatic sigh, I ask for Shari. She is on vacation. Yes the whole day off, lucky her. So there isn't anyone there who can answer any of my questions at all after I drove all the way over the stupid bridge and wasted half my day. So I have to wait to meet with someone who doesn't know me or my file and cannot explain the difference between final and pre approval or tell me what else I need to do to get the house insured. So I hand over my large stack of highly personal information to her. Hell, I could have done that with the receptionist and not had to wait.
I just have a bad feeling about all of this. I mean why do they suddenly need all this extra stuff they "forgot" to ask for before? Did they find something irregular and need more ammo to make the deal work? Is there a chance we won't actually be approved even though we were pre-approved for a larger amount almost two months ago? And who exactly can explain what we are supposed to be doing during escrow anyway? Am I supposed to be arranging for inspections? How can we transfer our money to the title company? They've been telling us all along there is no problem with wiring the money to Ticor Title and it will all be taken care of as soon as the loan paperwork is final (who knows when THAT will be). Well today I got an important looking letter from Lake Union Mortgage or somplace like that with a form to sign, etc. It looks like an addendum to our deal, which doesn't seem right. Plus, my name is spelled wrong on it, so I wonder if it is legit. I call the realtor who says it is very standard and we should definitely sign it, since those are the people who are handling the escrow. But, I counter, I thought Ticor was handling the escrow (or title or whatever- I AM SO CLUELESS ABOUT THIS STUFF AND WISH ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE MAKING MONEY OFF THIS DEAL WOULD EXPLAIN IT TO ME) because we wrote the biggest check ever to them. So who is Lake Union, again? The realtor is going to get back to me on that one.
So the moral of this story is that perhaps you shouldn't use a mortgage broker when you thought you were being so clever about doing that since they would help you get a good loan and guide you through the process. Since you have to do all the bloody work yourself anyway and will be totally in the dark about the process, feel free to just go to a bank- at least you are not used to getting customer service from them, so it won't be such a surprise when they screw you. The other moral of the story is not to choose a small, regional bank, unless you can deal with the top people, such as the Branch Manager. Anybody less than that cannot get anything done and doesn't even know when their own assistant has the day off (and this was halfway into said day). Moral #3: Do not bank with Pacific Crest Savings Bank (formerly Phoenix Savings Bank). If you want a homey, small town feel to your financial institution, find a credit union, or just wear your overalls when you visit your usual bank.
.: posted by Zemlet 4:54 PM
it was a dark and stormy night...
Yes. You were all right: it rains quite often in Seattle. Not enough to make you actually find your umbrella or anything, but enough to make everything slippery. The damp also causes ubiquitous moss, which noramlly I quite enjoy- I love the moss as many of you know, but that also makes things incredibly slippery. (You can see where this is going.) As a result, I am exceedingly careful on the hundreds of stairs leading from the main house down to the boat house where my office is. Last week was no execption. I gingerly picked my way down the damp wooden and cement stairways, keeping a hand near the railing, just in case. I arrive inside, safe at last and proceed doen the interior wood-covered tread staircase. A hard wood, mind you, designed not to mar after years of use. My shoes were still wet... Kevin claims the noise I made only curdled a pint or two of blood, not his entire supply.
I'll spare you a description of the fear and pain... I've tried to write it in a way that is funny but can't think of any witty metaphors for some reason. I can however tell you about the resulting bruise, which I am so proud of, you'd think I'd given birth. I'd be posting photos of the thing right now, if it wasn't smack (hah, pun intended) in the middle of my butt. It is a glorious thing. Just looking at it makes viewers cringe and wince. I wish I'd obtained it through more sporting means, such as... well, such as sport, but it is still a badge... a mis-shapen, swelling, off-colored badge of honor. And the color! This bruise has more color than my entire new house. It has more than 6 distinct hues- to be honest I gave up counting after that. Hoping I could fob it off as something obtained in a more manly pursuit, I asked Jon if it looked like I got it on a bunch of stairs (I hit more than one, since I am such the overachiever) and all he could say was that it looked "like Tibet". Like Tibet? OK who knows what Tibet is actually shaped like? Why couldn't it have been shaped like Texas or Lincoln- you know, something that would win me a prize? OH! What if it had been shaped like the Virgin Mary? Can you imagine the story on the local news? "A Laurelhurst woman today discovered that for her, religious meaning comes from deeper down (pause) than the heart..." (That is how they talk on the news, I am in PR, I know these things.) But no, mine looks like Tibet. (No wonder the Dali Lama doesn't mind being in exile? Should I drop trou' when I see the "Free Tibet" sign near the record store?)
This happened last week, so I can sit down now to actually write about it. ('ve been laying on my side surrounded by pillows until now.) It has also taken this long for it to get funny. And I've decided I should really stick to writing about the lighter side of my life, since I am sure that is more amusing for you, the reader. Who really wants to read about worry and stress and crying, when they can read about drinking games, eavesdropping and prat falls? Either way it is embarassing and narcicistic- and isn't that was blogs are all about? Isn't that what brings humanity together? I think so, and I have the spiritual seat (hah) of Buddhism backing (hah, again) me up.
.: posted by Zemlet 11:50 AM
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Gil Knows All
I'm watching CSI right now- there are a ton of them on the Tivo here and they are nice and distracting. I used to watch it every week, but have not done so for over 2 years, so it is interesting to see how the show has changed. Apparently now it is all about Marg's hair (she plays Catherine). I think I'll need a new curling iron just to qualify for watching this show. I didn't think it was possible for these actresses to look better or for that Gil guy to look worse, but apparently they can. Oh and WHO promoted the geeky lab guy? He used to show up irregularly as a brief, but effective, comic foil, but now he's in every episode and it looks like he's been made a full investigator. To replace him as quirky drama relief, they've hired like 5 random character actors that appear from time to time. Each has some mildly annoying habit that makes zero sense and has nothing to do with any of the plot lines. You know what this means, of course: time to append the rules of Zemlet's CSI Drinking Game!
Let's review, shall we?
- Who really knows all those arcane details about rocks, bugs, metal, etc? Nobody. If one of the cast members magically knows way too much about something they shouldn't, take a drink.
- Don't you love those extreme closeups where they re-enact the mode of death or other crime element on a near-microscopic level? Then drink again, buster.
- Are they building some kind of kooky apparatus to test a theory about how the victim died? Take a drink. Then drink again if someone disapproves of said apparati.
- What about the sultry lighting and slow music that accompanies an autopsy? The loving touches from the technician, the risque closeups? Only CSI makes the morge shots look like a love scene. Are you feeling the romance? You know Gil and the Gimp both are- take a drink.
- Oho, are they bringing up Catherine's past? She probably drank a lot back then, so should you.
- If "resin" is used or mentioned or if, at any time, they ask, "what's that smell?" then drain your glass.
- And finally, we come to "slam the lab guy". This used to only pertain to the one purposefully quirky lab guy, but it now applies to all daft character actor types that act strange for no reason other than pure entertainment value. Get your sip on for each infraction.
I have not tested this on any of the spinoff versions of CSI, you know like CSI: Bakersfield and Crime Scene Indianapolis or whatever they're called, but it still works on the latest shows of regular CSI. Enjoy responsibly and feel free to tell a friend. Someday, if you're good, I'll divulge the drinking game rules for x-files that Brandon and I came up with when we all lived together after college. I CAN tell you about Zemlet's Little House on the Prarie Drinking Game right now, because there is only one rule:
if someone cries, you drink the ryes
.: posted by Zemlet 7:33 PM
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
grand slam
That is what they say in bridge when you really score big. And... we really scored big! We got that fabulous house and for less than the asking price, even- can you believe it? Who gets a house under asking when the owners just dropped the price twenty grand? Us apparently.
So we've gone from being veddy veddy rich to being so poor, we're almost po'. But... you know... in a good way. Heh.
But YE GODS the stress! Man I thought my education was expensive... this is over five times that- so scary! Oh, but speaking of my education, we got a 10% discount on our homeowner's insurance because of my alumni association. See, because that is why you go to college, doncha know. So to combat the stress, I got out all my favorite snacks and watched "Sex in the City". So here I am with peanuts, cheerios, cheese quesedillas (on hand made tortillas no less), and a big glass of milk thinking about how I'll have a closet just for my shoes (yes, only shoes- nothing else- why not? I've got plenty of closets to spare) in TWO WEEKS. That is right, we close in two weeks. (insert voiceless scream of panic here)
Looks like they pulled the pics of the house off the windermere site, so I'll be sure to take plenty when we go see it to measure and everything (you know, so I can plan- because I love to plan)... or you can all just come to the housewarming party (I'll be terribly hurt if you don't!)
love me
.: posted by Zemlet 6:14 PM
Friday, May 06, 2005
offers
Mary Ann Fordyce, our wonderful broker, will be presenting our offer tomorrow morning at 8AM. Anyone who can get up that early on a Saturday deserves a big fat commission. She feels confident that we will get this house at under the asking price, so I reminded her that all the money we save will only go towards having better food at our wedding and so she will benefit since she'll be invited. Now let's just talk about how great Mary Ann is for a few paragraphs here. In addition to having an awesome collection (and I am being serious here even though this sounds like a joke) of brush dolls she is a straight talker with good advice and great taste. (What are brush dolls you ask? They are vintage practical art where the handle of a brush- imagine an old fashioned shaving cream brush as an example- is turned into a doll by painting the handle and letting the brush part be the skirt.) And that is only ONE of her uber cool collections. (I would pay to have my mother admitted to Mary Ann's house becuse she would just die at all the rad stuff in her curios.) Anyhow (more props here) if you are looking for the opposite of pushy, someone who will work WITH you and make house shopping fun and easy, who knows all the ins and outs of real estate, and will be on your side above all else, she is your gal.
I am calling her a real estate "broker" because, well that sounds more impressive and important than "agent," don't you think? Now I can understand if you think you can sell your house on your own or want to save a little cash by putting ye olde abode on the market DIY style... BUT... if you are BUYING a house, you are an idiot to not have a seasoned real estate pro on your side. They handle the market, search for you, set you up with exclusive views of only things you will like and point out things you might not think about that will affect the resale value later on. Then they help with all the legal crap and contracts, etc and negotiate on your behalf. (Meaning beat out all the other offers like sharks at an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet.) In fact most brokers have two sides: the cuddly, helpful home finder with your best interests at heart and the hard-nosed, vicious negotiator that also has your best interest at heart, plus wants to get you low prices and ensure all the appliances stay.
I don't actually want to be a real estate agent, but I want to write the descriptions of the houses. I want to use words like "charming", and the tried and true "gleaming hardwood floors" and mean it. And unlike some of the houses/descriptions I've seen, I won't LIE. Here is what I read about a recent place "updated kitchen" and here is what I saw:
- appliances that were VERY scratched, multiple times over the years and were as old as I am
- bright, primary YELLOW formica countertops and tile that was also installed the year I was born
- yellowed, hand built, plywood cabinets with black iron handles (not in a good way) with stickers on the inside that were as old and brittle as the wood itself
Did the person who wrote the description even GO to the house? Were they describing a house on another planet? And they failed to point out the "decorator paint colors" of the "versatile rooms" or the "copious, built-in storage" or the "convenient, circular layout" and how about the "charming vintage details" which are all things I would have mentioned. Plus the sauna was the best part of the whole house, that should have gone into the 2nd or 3rd sentence, not the second-to-last. Jusdt my not so humble opinion.
.: posted by Zemlet 9:53 PM
Hotel d'Travertine
Oh look at this house! Can you believe how many enormous rooms this place has? Yes, our intrepid real estate broker Mary Ann has found us another bid-worthy house! And with 9-piece craftsman-style windows no less. It was on the market earlier this year for $590,000 so we are certainly happy to see it reoffered with price adjusted appropriately. It is like we're getting in "on sale".
Mary Ann: How do you feel about Maple Leaf?
Me: The hockey team?
Apparently Maple Leaf is a neighborhood sort of between/just North of Greenlake and Ravenna. There are tons of awesome restaurants and very nearby is the best takeout place in all of Seattle (there is nobody who argues with this) Snappy Dragon from Judy Fu.
This house, to me, looks bored... it looks like it wants like, I don't know... some neon... or doll heads? Dare I say, some COLOR? This house is like an old silent film and you can see it really wants to be in Technicolor. It desperately needs to be messy too, don't you think? It needs a lot of CRAP to be added so it actually feels like a real house, not a hotel. Oh! Oh! It needs an art piece from Michael de Meng! (And I just happen to have just purchased one.) But you gotta admit, a bathtub with that much Italian Travertine Marble (which totally deserves caps) needs to be mine. And with my closet and laundry facilities so close I actually don't need to leave that bathtub, like, ever. Well, I might pause to have a totally fabulous party in my gigantic kitchen that accidentally-on-purpose spills out into the covered deck and backyard area.
I have so many ideas (ok AND Melissa has some too) for that backyard. Oh man there is a LOT of wishful thinking going on here... I better go buy some candles and build an altar, so i can pray to the real estate gods to give us this house. I will even say extra prayers and burn offerings of miniature Japanese maple leaves to get it below asking price. Ok, back to the fantasy- here is the new backyard:
- water feature created using ceremonial urns created for the water ritual used in our wedding
- tall bamboo in mosaic covered, elevated planters edging the entire yard to create more privacy
- flagstone patio extending from the deck
- seating area with outdoor fireplace and removable shade canopy
- lighting and black river rocks
- no grass
Oh and to top the dream off, I'll do it all myself! Now even if I don't actually do it- how much fun will it be talking about how I'm going do it and then not um... well ok... you know... um... not getting around to it.
Color! That place needs COLOR!
Oh and if some unseen force in the universe feels there is a different house for us instead of this one, I reserve the right to put my dream yard into that one instead.
.: posted by Zemlet 7:45 PM
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Yoga
Oh I forgot to talk about yoga! Jonathan and I had a private session here at the house, which was very cool. Jon is being very open minded about this, which is wonderful. I am reminded again why I love him so much. He could easily have refused to take part, but he embraced it and tried out all the poses. He is so great... all he needs is a haircut, and he'll be perfect.
So toward the end of our session, while our private teacher, Megan, was working with Jon, I was fiddling around with some of what I'd learned in Ravi's class. Megan says, "that is so funny that you are doing that pose, I just learned it from this guy I am filling in for next week" and I was like, you mean Ravi?! She totally knows him and agrees that he talks way too much and actually seems more interested in talking than actually monitoring the class. She says he'll regularly switch sides without mentioning that to the people laying down and unable to look at him. She is a stickler for symmetry and doesn't like that he spends more time on one leg or the other just because he is still talking. But we both thought he put together really good routines (or whatever you call them), so I will continue to see him for a challenging yoga experience (he like, makes us do back bends and handstands and other crazy shit that my first yoga teacher forbade) and try to have Megan visit at least monthly to work with Jonathan. Hopefully Jon will stick to this because I think it will be great for him. Yoga is so mental, I feel like he'll really enjoy it once he gets into it. Plus it is like we are celebs doing yoga with our private teacher in the house overlooking the lake.
I need to get into a cardio class too I think. Britta has a full schedule right now and her knee is kind of bugging her, so we don't go to the gym as much. But her townail grew back in, so I don't see what her damn problem is.
Uh oh. I just learned that it was JON not Kevin who Tivo'd "The Hot Chick" starring Rob Schnieder. Perhaps I need to back off that perfect comment a bit. He stayed up until 4am today watching Nova reruns, though, so do those cancel each other out?
.: posted by Zemlet 3:04 PM
good grief more sugar
I am being good. I am eating vegetables.
So to pick up where I left off, I am now relegated to new listings only. I thought this was sad, but two new ones came out today, both of which interest me, so go figure. I am not sure the urgency behind wanting to find a house. Let's face it, the more months we do not find a place, the more savings we rack up. This is the second month we've stayed with our ever generous family in the house I like to call "Fun Central" rent free. One more month and we'll have enough saved up for our wedding. Every month after that is new furniture. They have expressed again and again how far from a bother it is to have us here, so there is no pressure there either.
I think perhaps it is because I feel like I am not doing well enough somehow. It is as if not finding a house yet somehow makes me bad at home buying, like I have invested all this effort without anything to show for it. Normally that is a bad thing, but here it is a good thing. I mean, who wants to settle for less than great with over a half million on the line? I guess it just goes against my nature to hold out for the best. For example, I am the type of person who accepts the first job offer that comes along rather than holding out for the dream job. (Might explain a lot of well-paying but unsatifying career choices.) See, I have always been very good at "making do". I don't tend to buy new shoes until my old ones are totally falling apart. (I literally had holes in my regular work shoes before going out to get a new pair and still cannot get rid of the old ones until they are completely worthless.) My nature is to fix things instead of replacing them or figure out a way to make things work instead of making changes. I stuck with bad relationships long after I should have left. I scrape off the black and eat toast that is burned.
So home buying goes against my very nature. I need to hold out for something I am really excited about and not compromise by getting "good enough, I guess, but by the freeway" or "nice deck, but too close to the neighbors" or "great view, but no parking, and do we really care about having a view anyway". The list goes on. "Great house, but in the middle of nowhere" haunts my dreams- should we have gone for it anyway? Only time will tell if we made the right decisions. In addition to the ones we didn't choose to bid on, then there are the ones that got away- three of those now. We came closest on the Bryant house, which many of you saw photos of. It was down to us and one other offer that was like $10,000 more than ours. Those people had pre-inspected, so the gloves were off, but we wrote thhis letter telling about ourselves and why we wanted the house and how much we truly loved it. Even though our offer was far less, the family deliberated for almost an hour on which to take. Ten grand and they want to give it to us based on a sappy letter. Yes, it was some letter and the thing is, it was totally heartfelt. But in the end, they had to go with the higher offer we were not willing to match. Agonizing. But who knows what life has in store for us next?
Colleen- thanks for the card- I laughed so hard that people came into the room to see what was up. Nobody else in the house really understood what was so funny. Too bad for them.
.: posted by Zemlet 2:47 PM
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
more sugar
I still cannot stop thinking about sugar and baking. I came across this recipe for gingersnaps which sound so freakin good.
Well today my real estate broker announced I had seen all the houses within my parameters currently on the market. So I am now limited to new listings only.
Ack someone upstairs needs my help... more later.
.: posted by Zemlet 6:07 PM
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