Done Deal and Still Waiting...

Well, we've officially sold our house as of August 31, 2006, and have made an offer on a home in Oklahoma that was accepted. All we are waiting for now is the closing. Hope to be doing some moving in the next week. The good side of it all is that we have no mortgage payments...well, not until we make the next deal.
I do hate the waiting though; much like I overheard Pam saying today, "every day seems like a year..."

The deal on our house happened quite fast. The appraisal & termite policy came through very quick. The water test didn't though; the tester forgot to pay the full amount for the test and it was rejected without even being looked at. We did a quick run through again and before it had a chance to get there, the buyer called on Wednesday and said that they wanted to close on the house on Thursday. Something about his lender being based in Florida and they wanted to rush it from fear that the threatening hurricane would cause all the money to be diverted. Funny how policy can change so quickly when the money talks...

Selling Out and Moving On...

After much debate, fear, anxiety, anticipation, and hope, we are finally being proactive in our efforts to move to a bigger house, and in this the work has become quite an undertaking!  

Here’s the evolution that took us to where we are.

Deciding to sell:

When Samuel was born some 14 years ago, we entertained the thought of having more children and the need to add on to the house.

When Josephine was born, we had definitely decided that it was time to add on.  As it worked out, we secured a second mortgage and promptly spent it on bill’s that popped up and that was that…no addition

When Aubrey Grace was born, it became imperative that we add on.  Pam was trying to talk me into moving, but no!  There was no way that I was going to leave here.  Our first starter home… in fact, or only home.  While everyone else we knew was moving about and doing bigger and better things, we were solid and set.  This home and ten acres would someday become our family compound.  Things would change and turn for the better.  We actively talked about and planned on adding on.

When Katrina was born, I had already started gathering materials for an addition and the plan was in place.  Pam was still dropping hints all over the place that it would be much simpler to just move, but I was like concrete and that was that!

I had finally gathered enough materials to add the 400 sq ft addition on.  Actually I had enough material to put the floor and walls up and things were looking much better!

In the meantime, my place of employment had issues with management & a dysfunctional board of director’s and ended up shutting down.  During the previous years, my body had also followed suit and was trying to do the same.

In the middle of all this one of our neighbor’s (druggie) had purchased and split some land adjoining ours and had it up for sale.  With this came boundary disputes and the ensuing battle.  

During this time I was in desperate shape mentally, and Pam was pushing for anything to happen.  She decided that we had to do something so the addition was started even though we couldn’t finish it.  We were doing something though.

In realizing that we were sinking both physically and financially, not to mention mentally, I finally decided that moving would be a good solution.  I am the smart one you know!

After trying to survive for a couple of years with moving in the back of our minds, we finally hit bottom and ended up having to file bankruptcy.  So much for moving…we would just have to try to save our money and add on as we could afford it.  No credit means no moving, so… this was to be our home, like it or not!

Some six months later, Pam starts to look on the Internet for places to move and I knew that she was just being desperate and I would have to comfort her through it all.  Moving!  Not a chance in the world.  I humored her and hoped she would get better…

A couple of weeks later, I hear her discussing our finances on the phone with someone and when the call is over, she announces that we are eligible for a home loan at sup-prime.  Talk about shocking me!

Now she is looking at houses on the Internet and finds some she likes (normal looking houses without character), we go look and for some reason or the other, they we are not in a position to buy any them.  

Finally she finds this place that seems different.  It is two-story, which is totally not what one would think would work for me, considering that I have difficulty walking.  We go look it over and everyone falls in love with it.  It is quickly named the “tree house” and everyone plots and dreams how it will soon be ours.

We now start talking about selling our house and spring moves into summer.  We talk, but pretty much rule the house out.  It has three cash offers that were all accepted (heart sinks) and all for bizarre reasons do not go through.  

During this time, Pam mentioned to one neighbor that we wanted to sell and move, knowing that her daughter was looking to find a place to buy, but nothing came of that.

We also have become proactive on getting our house ready to sell.  Sam and me manicure the yard, cut down an offensive tree, and burn brush.  We burn trash and just get things started in a good way.  

We were getting ready to start on the house, which needed a lot of work.  There was painting, siding and trim issues, and lots of work that to be done inside.  The road would be tough, but we were determined!  

This was towards the end of June.  Summer was till young and we could get much done.  Along about this time a man knocks on the door and asks if we would sell our house.  I said yes, gave him a price and he said he wanted it.  

A month later he’s been to the bank and I get a call from them asking for verification on me selling the house.  Not much else has been done to the house due to a lack of money.  Another few weeks and now we are all but ready to sell and move.

The details:

Termite Policy/inspection-I became quite anxious about this aspect of selling our house.  When Sam was a baby we bought a clothes dryer and due to a lack of a good route to vent the dryer on the outside wall (the normal and accepted way) I decide to route the vent under the house.  Everyone starts telling me about how wrong that is and that it would cause mold and rot.  I ignore everyone and decide that because I am keeping the crawl-space vents open, that it will work fine.  To top this, when the new heat pump was installed, they sealed the opening so I couldn’t even get under the house and check.

Part of financing for the buyer required a termite inspection and I became very concerned with the nagging feeling that everyone had warned me about.  I didn’t want to look and see the city of termites living in a world of mold, but I had no choice!  

I reluctantly get my hammers and cut a hole in the cement block and peek inside.  Sam is working with me and asks if he can go under first.  I said yes and under he goes!  I asked how it looked and he said fine.  I am surprised and relieved, but would he actually know what he’s looking at?  I go underneath and it looks like new!  

I call and schedule an appointment for an actual inspection and the man shows up and comes out with a look of concern on his face.  Man!  What had I missed?  I asked how it looked and he said that he had never seen cobwebs so thick?  I suddenly realized it was the lint from the dryer exhaust.  He was happy for the explanation and to my relief, declares it to be as good as new!  One down, two to go…

Appraisal- The loan is a rural development loan and is related to FHA, which is notoriously tough to pass.  Now I am doing some praying…. lot’s of stuff to be done, not to mention stashing all the stuff that a family of six has acquired over the years.  I did manage to get some stuff stored at Denise & Kent’s, but still so much more.  

Sam and me fixed the bad spot in the siding, put up some new trim, fixed the stairs and added a rail.  That was it!  More to do, but no time or money… the hole/storm cellar/pond in the back yard was a big hazard and I fully anticipated having to fill it in.  The roof is old, looks bad, but doesn’t leak and would probably cause problems.  The shower needs work, the lower cabinets in the kitchen has some water damage, and many other that I would have liked to have time to fix.

The appraiser shows up and I go outside to assist her in measuring and inspecting the house.  The cicadas are singing and she is more concerned with them biting her than the house.  Measuring and a photo of the crawl space is all that we tend to.  We go inside and she has me take a picture of the attic because she can’t reach it, she takes a picture of the shower curtain, and the TV.  She does engage Pam in some conversation and that is about all there was to it.  She didn’t see or mention anything I was concerned with. I did ask if there was anything I needed to do and she said to not worry about it, we were fine, and all was well!  I gave her three packets of “Butterfinger” flavored hot chocolate, one potato, and one ripe tomato, smiled and she was on her way.  

Water Test-In the past, we have used Reba Bailey with much success. This time she couldn’t be found so we ended up going with someone else.  I dumped a gallon of bleach in the well and the next day they took the sample.  It should be in Little Rock by now, and should show plenty of chlorine.  

On the side, the bleach did do a number on the laundry, not to mention giving the house a very distinct smell.

We are now just waiting on the appraisal & water test to move forward.  Hopefully everything will come out fine and when it does, things should proceed fairly quickly.

On buying the other house, it was listed at $74k and I offered $68.5k and it was accepted.  We have the financing approved and are just working out the details…interest rates & such.  

The plan is to close on this house and turn around and close on the other house within 48 hrs.  

Do be, and we are, praying that all works out well.

Pretty Sky!

Here's a couple of pic's I took about 8:30 p.m. on 7/13/2006 from the back porch. It is looking off to the southeast as a storm passed to the south (Ft. Smith area)

Legal Illegal's?

You know what? I am getting tired of all this illegal alien stuff and have come to some conclusions.

Defending the Illegal-Alien (Hispanics):
· They have very little opportunity to afford their families such luxuries as housing, clothing and food.
· They are coming to the U.S. in hopes of realizing a better future.
· They come here for better health care
· They come here for better jobs
· They come here for better education
· They come here to birth their children so “they” will be American citizens.

Charging the Illegal-Alien:
· The lack of opportunity for the Mexican National is due solely to a corrupt government.
· They are trying to realize a better future by breaking the law and strong-arming their host.
· They are taking advantage of a health care system that is being paid for by taxing legal citizens against their will.
· They are not taking jobs that American’s do not want; they are taking new positions as they are created.
· They are being educated on the tax burden of legitimate citizens
· Does the U.S. Constitution really support this?

Many would claim that this issue is one of a lack of charity on the part of those who want the immigration issue defined and enforced. This is not the case. Charity has nothing to do with taking from the funds of one in order to give to the lack of another. Charity is about giving from the heart, and not having something unwillingly taken.

Another big part of immigration, at least historically is the whole melting-pot idea. Foreign agents would migrate to this country in hopes of being a part of a bigger and better idea. A nation without color or prejudice that consisted of the many parts being melted into one entity, a nation of one, which is what the United States is. It is this mixing of cultures that has seasoned this nation to such a fashion that it’s savor is unique unto all the world.

In this concoction, one common ingredient is found in every success story. It is one of pride, hope, and connection. These people were moving to America to become American’s! To achieve this, they did all they could to become what they desired. They assimilated themselves into the land of opportunity. They did not expect this new world that change for them, but rather, they changed in order to be a part of it. They “wanted” to be American’s, not foreigners living in a land that catered to them, but part of the land. They asked little more than the legal opportunity to contribute and simply to be a part.

This new wave of “illegal” immigration has a whole different tone about it. The rights of legal citizens are being demanded without the “lawful right” to them. There is very little assimilation taking place among this group as they have managed to have “their” national language supported and encouraged by big business and marketing. It would seem that we are trading our nationality for a buck.

We are being criticized internationally and by the liberal thinkers for our isolationist attitude about our sovereignty, yet those casting stones are not willing to give what they themselves ask. What other nation is known as the melting pot? What other nation is willing to give the social support the U.S. is now giving to illegal aliens?

We have all seen our Nation’s Capitol and hundreds of municipalities marched on by a nation of illegal alien’s while carrying the flag of a foreign nation; A foreign nation who is encouraging the breech of our borders. A nation who’s military and police forces, which are present, that encourage this illegal activity against the United States, and is demanding this allowance diplomatically. Would this not be considered an attack in any other part of the world? Where are the diplomatic sanctions?

Why are they coming here? Work! I have to ask, as I watch another local manufacturer relocate to Mexico, what happened to NAFTA? Was it not supposed to fix this problem? It would seem that it has failed. We were told that enhanced trade would benefit all the participants. It would seem that the only beneficiaries have been big business. We hear nothing of major wage increases in Mexico, but we still are seeing industry run for the border! If NAFTA worked, the excuse of work would be no issue.

As I’ve watched our appointed representatives battle this issue amongst themselves, I have become disgusted. I must beg of them, whom are you representing? Is it the illegal alien? Did they elect you to office? Maybe it is big business that wants the dollar of the illegal alien. Have you sold your representation of me for a buck? It would certainly seem that it is not I nor my fellow citizens. If it were, there would be no debate. Read the law. Enforce the law. And lastly, hear my voice! Believe me, if you don’t, I will get someone else to listen.

Spaghetti & More...

This last weekend we (the family) went over to Denise & Kent's. When we arrived, Mama was there and the house smelled good enough to eat!

As it turned out, they had a surprise birthday party for me. Kent had made Spaghetti (really good) and I stuffed myself! Mama had also made a cake (also really good) and once again, I re-stuffed myself. Talk about good eat's!

Mama also gave me a very nice halogen light that can almost outshine the sun. Love it!

We went on to have good talk, and also watched the PBR while there. Was just a very nice surprise and visit!

Thanks everyone! Love ya!

A Blessing Indeed!

A couple of weeks ago, Pam received a call from Sue Dykes, a very close friend. She informed Pam that she and her husband BW, wanted to give us a small vacation, and asked if it would be ok. Of course, Pam said YES!

Last Thursday (my birthday-June 1) they told us to pack and head to their house, which we did. When we got there we were invited to come in. Sue then sit all the kid's down and told them that her and BW were sending them to Branson Missouri to go to Silver Dollar City. Talk about excited! The kid's were beside themselves.

They had rented us a condo for two day's (very nice condo with a great view), had purchased the ticket's to Silver Dollar City, and gave me a birthday card with enough money to cover the gas & food, which was almost exactly the amount we needed.

We were so blessed. Just out of the blue they decided to give us this gift, and we in turn, are so grateful for it and God's blessing's.

I've posted some of the pic's from the trip below.

The Condo!

Can you tell I've lost some weight?

Silver Dollar City Pics!

Who's that fat guy sitting next to the beauty queen, and what's up with his nose?

I'm not going to tell who took this photo? (it wasn't the fat guy!)

And Finally...a pic that couldn't be more appropriate!

Coming Home!

Visitor From Texas

Marty Jones Popped in this last Tuesday and stuck around until Wednesday morning. This was the first time we have seen each other in almost fifteen years...so lot's of catch-up went on.
He's living in Amarillo and share's an apartment with his mother, which works out good for him since he's out of town most of the time working.

Me and Sam worked most of the day yesterday doing yardwork, and Josie worked on the living room. Lot's of stuff to get done as the deadline is soon approaching. We are making progress though.

We have been looking for a house in Oklahome and think we have found the one we want (if it's still there when we get our place ready to go), we call it the "tree-house". Is kind of hard to describe, but we like it none-the-less. It needs some work, but what house in our market wouldn't?

Anyway, will cut off here.

Have a good one!