UN- Real Estate?!

We’ve been house shopping, no, not shopping, more like browsing. I like to do my homework before we make any kind of big change. I have been checking papers, gathering flyers, doing drive bys, using online sites, investigating repos and fore closures, etc. I started the process about six weeks ago when I noticed that area real estate prices were dropping.
I have spent less than 20 hours comparing properties. This has been sufficient to get a good idea of the market. What keeps stunning me is that many sellers we’ve come across aren’t doing their homework before marketing their properties. They seem to pull a “wish” price out of thin air and expect someone will come their way and pay it.
We just returned from viewing a 3br,2 bath home on 1/3 acre with a large garage/shop in the city limits of our small town. This property is right next door to a low income housing project. It is owned by a small investment group. They have rented it out for a few years. Neither tenants or owners thought it important to keep the grounds watered. The once beautiful lawn and flower beds are dead. The asking price $160,000. They have not received any bites.
Outside of our city limits is a beautifully landscaped 3br, 3 bath home on 4.85 acres of trees, corrals and pastures. This property has a shop, a barn, a garage and a lawn. It’s price is $170,000.When I mentioned to the investment rep that there were better places available in that price range, he sadly shook his head and replied that the local realtor had told them the same thing but $160,000 was what they had paid for the property. I realize that where they come from $160,000 was a good deal but this isn’t the same market. Wouldn’t you have thought they’d done some checking?
There have been a number of similar situations in my hunt but I have to share this next one. It’s a doozy! We are looking at homes in the nearby small town. Many homes in that town are manufactured houses. We have seen 4 or 5 nice homes in the $70,000- $110,000 price range. The amount of land included was the biggest factor in pricing. We found one 4br,2 bath on a large fenced in lot on a private road for $69,000! It was a repo.
As we are driving out of town a little bit, we come across a dilapidated old manufactured home on 1.3 strangely formed acres. This place has been TRASHED!! The house and yard are full of junk, the roof needs replacement, several windows are broken, every interior door needs replacement, all the flooring must be replaced, there are holes in most of the walls and in some of the floors. The smell alone was unbelievable. However, with our apartment manager eyes, we can see past all that to possibilities. Wow, we think, this is doable. This might be the good deal we are looking for. We call the number, leave a message and await the return call.
It comes that evening. We chat, I ask for the price- $139,000!! WHAT?! I ask. He repeats. I blurt out- “Have you seen it recently?” Yes, he has. He then adds that price is if he does the needed work. I breathe again and ask” what if we do the work?” The reply- “I’ll take ten thousand off.” ????? Are you insane? I wanted to say! I think I muttered thanks and hung up. And we wonder why our economic system is a mess. Nobody seems to know basic math!
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?

The ants go marching......

You know the song- “The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah”? Well, in my house during the past week, they have been marching 100 by 100 and hurrah is not exactly the word I use when I see them. We have been hit by a Moses type plague. It’s making me crazy (maybe the correct word here is crazier).
Our best guess is that when the water pipe broke last week it flooded under the house. Since we are built on an anthill they had no where to go but up! They are crawling up behind the paneling to find tiny gaps near the woodwork. They are crawling across ceilings. They are getting into my high cupboards as well as my low.
As soon as we see them we swoop down with the vacuum, ant traps and cinnamon. Cinnamon will not kill them but they won’t cross it. I’ve sprinkled it everywhere. We have spent several hours just tracking them to their entry point. I then fill the crack with caulking. Battle won!! But not the war- the next day we wake up to find a new invasion area and the next battle ensues.
I even took the war outside and sprinkled poison around the base of the house. This is not my usual MO. I have a kind of treaty with the natural world especially insects- I won’t bother them in their habitat if they won’t bother me in mine. These ants have broken the pact and all is fair in love and war!
So, Wednesday, we decided to drop the bomb and put an end to this for good! We prepared the house, set up foggers in the house, set up foggers under the house, locked the cats in the garage and the dogs in their kennel and BAM, we set them off. We left the property for 8 hours. It was late when we returned home. Opened all the windows, turned on all the fans to air out the overpowering insecticide stench and began detox procedures. There were dead insects everywhere but we saw something moving…. we crept over…..moved the things on the counters……….it was the stinking ants!!! They were trying to get into my sugar canister!!!! DAMN!
However, today, I get up and check the kitchen.. no ants….garbage..no ants..outside patio..no ants…it’s too good to be true…..maybe the $80.00 of poison that lays all over the place is working!!! But I won’t get my hopes up. I think I’ll just enjoy the reprieve today and finally get something else done. My happy thoughts about the situation- my girls finally realized why their rooms need to be clean and all my cupboards are clean and organized. Now, I hope we don’t all die from insecticide overdose!
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?

Advice on Life (from a 10 yr. old)

My guest blogger today is Sarah Martin, my ten year old daughter. She wrote this last week and although the spelling and grammer leave a lot to be desired, the ideas are original and fascinating. I hope that you will enjoy them as much as I did.
I’ve always wanted to know what it
would be like to write a book. So that’s
what this week is all about. Want to know
what, I’m a ten year old girl who’s parent’s
got divorced when I was three, two of my
five brothers got arrested, and my family
just went through bankruptcy. I have to
admit that I’ve had my ups and downs
so far; But haven’t we all. It’s not like we
all don’t have are moments, it’s just the
fact that non of us are perfect to every
one at the same time; It’s just part of life.
See and that’s the point, you can’t just live
your hole life thinking that your better
than every one and that’s why I’m writing
this book; for people who know someone
who thinks or acts that there better than
everyone. In my years I’ve always had
atleast one or two people who think there
better than every one, usually one boy
and one girl at the same time. But
sometimes more, like in fourth grade.
Even though I’ve had some bad times, that
Does not mean I did not live right. Life is
a work of art. You could write a song, a
little poetry, take a photograph or make a
memory it’s your choice it’s who you are
and it’s what you’ll be. I guess what I’m
saying is that it’s your choice how you live,
it’s not your grandma it’s not you aunts it’s
not your cousins and it’s not your uncles
it’s yours and yours alone. Life is not all
about people being better than eachother,
it’s actually about every one around you,
and what they feel like, It’s also called
caring, loving, and charity.
And that's the view from my side of the street, what's yours?

Overwhelm Land

I found myself in “overwhelm land” a few weekends ago. Actually, it was the Saturday evening before the 4th. I don’t think men visit “overwhelm land” often but we women usually know it well. I hate being there so I work hard to maintain balance. But even in the most balanced of lives a trip to “overwhelm land” once in awhile is inevitable.
“Overwhelm land” is that place in our minds when suddenly the responsibilities we have all come crashing down at once and seem completely undoable! It doesn’t matter that we’ve been doing them right along. Something, usually something small, gets added and like the proverbial straw our camel’s back gets broken. Once that happens, there is nothing to be done but let overwhelm and its accompanying feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and then anger wash over you. To maintain some kind of damage control, I try to be by myself during this time.
Logical thinking does not work your way out of it. Even when it’s me doing the thinking! I can’t talk myself out of it. My husband can’t talk me out of it. I’ve learned that I just have to feel that way until I don’t feel that way anymore. Since it most often occurs when I am tired, I put myself to bed. I cry and mutter and mentally yell. If I’m lucky, I’ll go to sleep and it with be all over when I wake up.
Now, if you are a man reading this, let me tell you a secret that I shared with my husband when we first were married. If your woman is in that highly illogical, highly emotional place called “overwhelm land” DON”T try to talk her through it- that doesn’t work. She is not really thinking at the moment. She is feeling! The best thing you can do is hold her and tell her everything will be alright as if she were a small child with a boo boo. Do this lovingly, not condescendingly! Let her words just spill out if she wants to talk- don’t answer or fix or comment in any way other than to use soothing words or sounds. If you can not do this, than do NOTHING!! Leave her alone and she’ll get over it quicker!
For instance, my recent trip to “overwhelm land” was caused by marshmallows! What a stupid thing, right? Marshmallows! That week had seen me coping with 2 yappy dogs, Devil Cat, my almost 13 year old’s constant arguments, killing/ gutting chickens, a financial disaster and a funeral. I handled all that like a trooper. But finding out that the marshmallows I had put aside for 4th of July s’mores were missing had me ready to line up the whole household and shoot them! I was furious! Then the whole week came crashing down.
I told everyone to pretend I was dead and put myself to bed at 6pm. In my room, I ranted and raved. I even complained to God- BIG mistake! When I woke up the next morning, I opened my door and stepped on to a sopping wet carpet! Our cold water pipe had broken during the night, we were flooded. We went without running water for two days while we fixed that pipe and several others.
Who says God doesn’t have a sense of humor? I sure got the message and snapped out of it real quick! That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?

Harry Truman- a man of the people

I have always thought that Harry Truman was one of our best Presidents. I did a report on him in high school and basically fell in love with his down to earth, practical sensibility. His love of family, God and his country were his guidelines for choices in life. His love for his longtime sweetheart, Bess, was deep and enduring. And you just have to respect someone who has “The buck stops here” on his desk!
So when I came upon the following information today, I knew I had to share it. Apparently it was an e-mail that has been forwarded around. I saw the print out at a doctor’s office. Here are some facts about this man of the people.
“Harry Truman was a different kind of president. He probably made as many, or more, important decisions regarding our nation’s history as any of the other 42 presidents preceding him. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.
The only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in. His wife had inherited the house from her mother and father and other than the years spent at the White House, they lived their entire lives there.
When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year. After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. No Secret Service or other fanfare accompanied them.
When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, “You don’t want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn’t belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it’s not for sale.”
When Congress was preparing to award him the Congressional Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, feeling that he had not done anything to earn it.
As president, he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food.” Don’t you think the budget would be rapidly balanced if today’s politicians were using their own funds? Harry Truman remembered that he was a servant to the people of the United States. He remembered his own accountability. I can only dream of the America we would have if this attitude still prevailed!
He once observed , “My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference!” My own reaction to that? I think a lot more prostitution takes place in politics than in the whorehouse.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?

Star Trek Time Warp

O.K. so my ten year old daughter and I are having quality alone time this past weekend. We are eating junk food, watching old movies (some are black and white) and playing go-fish. It’s my turn to pick a show. As I’m scrolling through the Netflix listings, I become excited to see the original Star Trek series.
I’m a Trekkie from way back- I was only a few years older than her when I wrote several scripts. No, they were never used but I loved that show. I’m explaining about its awesomeness as I’m quickly adding it to my queue and choosing an episode.
I’m also remembering how I shared the reruns with her older brothers and sisters. Only one loved it as much as I did but the others would watch with us. So I’m really psyched about it now. The episode begins. I’m humming along with the well known theme song and we are off.
It’s like seeing old friends that you have not seen for a long time. The people, the ship, the gadgets are as familiar as old family photographs. I’m loving it!!! Then Sarah starts asking questions. Once again I am reminded of how different the world which she is growing up in is from my childhood world. It is even different from the world her siblings grew up in. It went something like this-
Captain Kirk pulls out his communicator, flips it open and says those wonderful words, “Beam me up, Scotty.” She giggles, “Mom, they have those old fashioned cell phones. You know, the kind that flip open.”
In a tense moment, the captain pulls his phaser out and fires. “Mom, why are they using stun guns?”
The computer systems left much to be desired in her mind, “why aren’t they using laptops or their phones?”
“What are those things in their ears?” Remember the coil things in Spock and Aurora’s ears? I explained they were listening devices- “those are funny looking blue tooths, Mom”.
We were only ten minutes into the show! She decided to go to bed! I finished the episode and thought about how new and different Star Trek was when I was a child. In fact, it was considered too “edgy” by the networks. The impossible has not only become possible but almost obsolete in today’s world.
Remember talking computers, recreation computers that simulated real life, medical scanners that could diagnose and incredible data bases at the tip of Spock’s fingers? We live with those things daily now.
There are some things that haven’t changed- people and relationships. I still enjoy watching Bones and his cynicism, Spock trying to be human, Scotty’s salt of the earth bluster, and Captain Kirk’s sense of humor. I loved that such a diverse group of people could work together, disagree often and yet we always knew that they would lay down their life for one another.
The show is full of characters who truly have character. I enjoyed watching it today as much as ever for those very reasons. And that’s what makes it timeless to me. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?

Devil Cat

We have a new family member, a large black male cat named Ani (it’s short for Anikan, the sweet boy who turns into Darth Vader in the Stars Wars movies). It is appropriately named. I just call it Devil Cat.
One of my daughters traded a kitten for this cat. She was pleased that she had found a home for one of the kittens. Me? Not so much! She says I gave her permission but I thought she was joking at the time. So now we have Devil Cat.
Devil Cat allows you to pet him, no, wait, he demands that you pet him. Just when you think you are getting into the cat/owner groove thing, he attacks you. Teeth, claws, the whole bit flash out at you. If you’re quick enough there is no injury. If not, ouch!!!
He prowls the house looking for victims. He’ll hide so you don’t notice that you are in his space until with a growl and a swipe he’s got you again. A few minutes later, he’ll jump on your lap and purr!
Watching him with the dogs is really interesting. Actually, watching the dogs reaction to him is what is so captivating. Our older, bigger dog, Meesha, completely ignores him. He’ll do his prowling, hunting thing and she just lays there seemingly not noticing. We can tell she’s on high alert but to most she looks like she hasn’t a care in the world. It’s driving the cat crazy!
Our medium more insecure dog, Tressa, has let the cat know he can bring it on anytime. He starts his intimidating thing and she watches for a few minutes before being the first one to pounce on him. This sends him snarling to another room. But a few minutes later, he is back to try again.
He has the most fun (and drives me crazy) with the two new, small dogs, Mo and Stu. Mo will not pass by him. Dog stands there barking like crazy at cat. Cat just sits refusing to take notice. Dog gives up. Stu, however, is even more intimidated. All Devil Cat has to do is look casually at him and he runs yelping the other way. The cat is in his element and loving it!
So I got to thinking about the bullies in the human world. And the different ways we react to them. Some of us ignore them, some fight back, some of us just cower and give in. There is a higher way, though. We can “love our enemies” and “do good to them that despitefully use us”. This is not a new concept and yet, we still hesitate to believe it will work. How can loving someone who is hurting us help?
I don’t know but it does. I know that it does. So maybe if we all start trying it, we can change the world one bully at a time. Maybe even Devil Cat. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?

We the people

We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
My country! ’tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims pride, From every mountain side, Let freedom ring!My native country, thee, Land of the noble, free, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills. My heart with rapture thrills Like that above.Let music swell the breeze And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom’s song; Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe partake; Let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.Our fathers’ God to thee, Author of liberty, to thee we sing. Long may our land be bright With freedom’s holy light. Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King!
Oh, beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountains majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea. Oh, beautiful for pilgrim feet, Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare of freedom beat Across the wilderness! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self control, Thy liberty in law. Oh, beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved, And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness, And every grain divine. Oh beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years. Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears. America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands under God indivisible with justice and freedom for all.
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours? Have a happy and safe 4th!

What kind of leader are you?

What kind of leader are you? Now, you are about to tell me that you are not a leader, aren’t you? That is simply not true. Are you someone’s boss or supervisor? Are you a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle? Are you a brother or sister? Actually, unless you are reading this blog from your bomb shelter deep in the mountains, you are a leader to someone. Even then, the local tribe of Sasquatches is probably learning from your example so even you are not off the hook!
What kind of leader are you? Do you know the difference between a shepard and a sheepherder? Picture them both in your head- a shepard leads his flock of sheep. He walks in front of them to show the way. He sleeps with them at night to comfort and protect them. He knows and loves each of his flock intimately. He is gentle, kind and firm. He is loved.
A sheepherder drives his sheep in front of him. He rides a horse so that he is above the flock. He uses his dogs to keep the sheep in line. He does not really know one sheep from another nor does he care to. He is harsh, demanding and punitive. He is feared.
I was reminded of this comparison last week at our class. The presenter put the words teacher and enforcer on the board as she discussed children and discipline. A teacher uses discipline to teach correct behaviors- a shepard! An enforcer uses punishment to stop bad behaviors- a sheepherder!
What kind of leader are you? The shepards of the world inspire. The sheepherder intimidates. Do you want to be feared or loved? Do you want to inspire or intimidate? Do you want to teach or enforce?
Spend some time this 4th of July to think of the leaders that first established this country. Think of the type of leaders they were trying to break away from. And ask yourself again and again- what kind of leader am I?
That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?