Lots of stuff has been going on; I just haven't managed to post about it.
My new tenants moved in just over a week ago. They were very excited about the house, and I think they will take care of it well.
We went on a Western Caribbean cruise for Dan's 40th birthday. I liked Key West a lot and would like to go back sometime and see more of it. The Mayan ruins in Mexico were also amazing. My photos are still on my camera -- I'll get them up on Flickr sometime soon. We had an entire free day in Miami before our flight home, and we got to see Heather and Sara and the twins. It was so nice to spend time with them again -- I had only seen Heather and Sara once since they moved to Miami five years ago, and it was so much fun to meet the boys! They are five months old and very cute. Booboo is doing well at 15, and she seemed to remember me. Heather and Sara visited Indianapolis last weekend, and we got to see them then, too. The babies traveled very well.
Steph and I are having a garage sale on Sept. 22. Please come buy our excess stuff!
Showing posts with label house. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house. Show all posts
Monday, September 10, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Long time no update.
We've been busy getting the rental house in shape, trying to find new tenants, and getting ready for the cruise we're going on for Dan's 40th birthday next week.
Last week I started playing at a new games-for-cash site called Moola. Basically they give you one cent and you use it to play one of three games. If you win, you get two cents, and if you lose, you start over with one cent. You can risk more as you win more or you can continue to play for low amounts. It doesn't cost anything, and the games are pretty fun -- my favorite is very much like the old game show Card Sharks. If you sign up under me, I get a bonus equal to 4 percent of your total winnings.
Last week I started playing at a new games-for-cash site called Moola. Basically they give you one cent and you use it to play one of three games. If you win, you get two cents, and if you lose, you start over with one cent. You can risk more as you win more or you can continue to play for low amounts. It doesn't cost anything, and the games are pretty fun -- my favorite is very much like the old game show Card Sharks. If you sign up under me, I get a bonus equal to 4 percent of your total winnings.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Long week. Already.
Recent happenings:
Kicked my tenants out. (Going to court next week.) Am having to do a lot of cleaning and stuff at house, plus taking many calls from prospective renters. Also letting in gas company and various other services.
Got in accident. Was turning in to McDonald's parking lot and a guy driving out of the parking lot didn't look and ran into me. Then he left. Driver's side rear door of Honda is bashed in pretty good. Fortunately, it looks like there's no structural damage, and I'm hoping to maybe find a door at a junkyard and have it painted and such.
Went to friend's wedding in Kentucky. Very nice!
Am watching a lot of cats this week -- four cats in two separate houses. One cat in each pair is shy.
Am tired. Have lesson in morning.
Kicked my tenants out. (Going to court next week.) Am having to do a lot of cleaning and stuff at house, plus taking many calls from prospective renters. Also letting in gas company and various other services.
Got in accident. Was turning in to McDonald's parking lot and a guy driving out of the parking lot didn't look and ran into me. Then he left. Driver's side rear door of Honda is bashed in pretty good. Fortunately, it looks like there's no structural damage, and I'm hoping to maybe find a door at a junkyard and have it painted and such.
Went to friend's wedding in Kentucky. Very nice!
Am watching a lot of cats this week -- four cats in two separate houses. One cat in each pair is shy.
Am tired. Have lesson in morning.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Weekend update
On Friday night, we grilled out for the first time this year. Yummy!
Saturday morning we took a load of cardboard boxes to the recycling center. We purchased 800 lbs. of top soil (in 40-lb. bags) at Indiana Mulch on the way back. After all that work, we had lunch at BW3s and played trivia. Later, Steph learned that things like playing trivia keep your brain active and help prevent senility and Alzheimer's later in life. When we got home, we painted the rest of the balcony railings and post. One more coat on the floor and we're done! The rest of the afternoon and evening we spent organizing my music in preparation for moving it onto the server. We also started watching The Muppet Show, which I've never seen before, on DVD.
On Sunday, we got the wheelbarrow out and unloaded the 800 lbs. of top soil into it and moved them all to the deck in the back. Steph planted some flowers we'd started indoors, and we sat on the porch and read for a while before taking the dog for a w-a-l-k. After several false starts, I managed to move my music over to the server, and then we went over to Elizabeth's for dinner because Joe was in town.
Saturday morning we took a load of cardboard boxes to the recycling center. We purchased 800 lbs. of top soil (in 40-lb. bags) at Indiana Mulch on the way back. After all that work, we had lunch at BW3s and played trivia. Later, Steph learned that things like playing trivia keep your brain active and help prevent senility and Alzheimer's later in life. When we got home, we painted the rest of the balcony railings and post. One more coat on the floor and we're done! The rest of the afternoon and evening we spent organizing my music in preparation for moving it onto the server. We also started watching The Muppet Show, which I've never seen before, on DVD.
On Sunday, we got the wheelbarrow out and unloaded the 800 lbs. of top soil into it and moved them all to the deck in the back. Steph planted some flowers we'd started indoors, and we sat on the porch and read for a while before taking the dog for a w-a-l-k. After several false starts, I managed to move my music over to the server, and then we went over to Elizabeth's for dinner because Joe was in town.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Sold!
Steph just called to tell me that she left the closing a few minutes ago and she no longer owns her old house. Yay! We have one fewer mortgage!
Seriously, the sale of Steph's house will free up many hundreds of dollars per month, money that we will use to replenish the emergency fund, work on our new house, and save for the future. Oh, and we might go out for a celebratory dinner at some point as well.
Seriously, the sale of Steph's house will free up many hundreds of dollars per month, money that we will use to replenish the emergency fund, work on our new house, and save for the future. Oh, and we might go out for a celebratory dinner at some point as well.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
On various topics
For some reason, it's hot in our house tonight. There is no reason that it should be hot. It's not that warm outside. Our radiators are fixed, but the heat is not turned up that high. At this rate, I'm going to have to break out the summer pajamas.
Last night we had a holiday party. Unfortunately, we failed to take any pictures.
We took Spike for a walk this afternoon because it was about 45 degrees out. He got cold halfway through and I carried him most of the rest of the way home inside my coat. This amused the other walkers in the neighborhood.
Tonight we watched the finale of the Amazing Race. I didn't really have a favorite team this season, but I didn't dislike any of the teams either.
Last week I was elected treasurer of the Old Northside neighborhood association.
Last night we had a holiday party. Unfortunately, we failed to take any pictures.
We took Spike for a walk this afternoon because it was about 45 degrees out. He got cold halfway through and I carried him most of the rest of the way home inside my coat. This amused the other walkers in the neighborhood.
Tonight we watched the finale of the Amazing Race. I didn't really have a favorite team this season, but I didn't dislike any of the teams either.
Last week I was elected treasurer of the Old Northside neighborhood association.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Finally back online at home
The router at home had trouble just before we left for Thanksgiving, so we weren't able to get online until yesterday. Recent highlights:
1. We went to Steph's grandparents' house in Brighton, Iowa, for Thanksgiving. Steph has a very large family, and I've always wanted a large family, so it's especially fun for me.
2. When we got home, I took Steph on a carriage ride around downtown (neither of us had ever done that before and we both wanted to), and I asked her to marry me. She said yes!
3. I rented my house! The tenants take possession Friday.
1. We went to Steph's grandparents' house in Brighton, Iowa, for Thanksgiving. Steph has a very large family, and I've always wanted a large family, so it's especially fun for me.
2. When we got home, I took Steph on a carriage ride around downtown (neither of us had ever done that before and we both wanted to), and I asked her to marry me. She said yes!
3. I rented my house! The tenants take possession Friday.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Blogging at the Abbey
We decided to come down to the Abbey to have some tea and some dinner (Chef's Signature Portabella wrap! Yum!) and use their wireless. (Steph is participating in NaNoWriMo, so she needs to get some writing done.) The Abbey moved to Pennsylvania St. in the last year or so; I'd been going to the old location since 1995 or so. The new one is nice, but I liked the charm of the old one, with its funny triangular shape and the tables against the wall with wingback chairs that you could pull close enough together that the wings prevented you from being seen.
Earlier today we took the recycling, and then I skated. I came home and Steph had raked several large piles of leaves, so we bagged some of them and then it started to rain.
Yesterday I showed my house four times, and all four took an application. We'll see how that turns out.
Earlier today we took the recycling, and then I skated. I came home and Steph had raked several large piles of leaves, so we bagged some of them and then it started to rain.
Yesterday I showed my house four times, and all four took an application. We'll see how that turns out.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
50 Things...
Today I found the list I made of 50 things I could do when my roommates moved out. I made this list in early August of 2002.
1. I can park in the garage.
2. I can reach my coffeemaker (without having to move all the crap in front of it).
3. No more cat pee in inappropriate places!
4. [Roommate #2]'s brothers won't be around (really, I do like them, just in small doses, and they have hardly been here at all this summer)
5. No more playing musical cars to rearrange the driveway order so everyone can leave in the morning.
6. Guest room!
7. I can have people over for dinner and have parties.
8. I can always replace the bags in the trash cans so that no one else throws the trash directly in the trash can (and then if it's something messy it gets all over the trash can and is yucky to clean up). Besides, I spill it more often than not when pouring it from the trash can into a bag.
9. I don't have to buy expensive toilet paper because [Roommate #2] has a sensitive butt!
10. I can leave fun and cool soap and stuff in the shower and no one else will use it up. Corollary: I won't run out of shaving cream because [Roommate #1] forgets to buy herself some and uses mine... for six months at a time.
11. I can shower whenever I want.
12. I can talk on the phone whenever I want.
13. I can use the Internet whenever I want.
14. I can cook whenever I want.
15. Fridge space.
16. Freezer space.
17. I can put my fish teapot (really, it's quite cute) on the shelf in the kitchen and no one will decide that it should go in the basement because they don't like looking at it or something.
18. I can use my grandmother's dishes without worrying that someone else will break them.
19. I can have clean counters -- no clutter! Corollary: No sticky spills on the counters from other people not cleaning up stuff that spills.
20. Kitchen cabinet space.
21. I can eat at my kitchen table again without having to move piles of stuff that isn't mine. (I may have my own pile of stuff on the table, but it will be my stuff and I can put it away when it annoys me.)
22. I will always be able to find a pencil or pen when I want one. I can put one on a table or in a drawer and it will still be there when I look for it the next time. Same for a pad of paper.
23. I can do laundry whenever I want.
24. I don't have to fold other people's laundry in order to use the dryer.
25. I can do dishes as often as I want! No more stacks of dirty dishes in the sink!
26. No more icky sponges that smell like mildew because they weren't squeezed out when other people were done using them.
27. No dirty dish towels and laundry at the bottom (or worse, only halfway to the bottom) of the basement steps.
28. I can watch whatever I want on TV.
29. No wet dish towels in the sink. I really don't understand why that happens. They get all gross and yucky. What is so hard about hanging them up?
30. I can talk on the phone anywhere in the house without disturbing anyone or being disturbed.
31. I can watch skating videos in the living room.
32. No one else will reorganize my mail. I *still* haven't found last year's November property tax form.
33. I can buy soap and/or candles without having to hear about it when I get home. (I admit that I have too much soap and too many candles, but I am not five years old and I don't need a lecture on how much soap I have!)
34. No old Band-Aids in the shower. Yuck.
35. I can turn the A/C up so it's not as cold.
36. I will always be able to find a blanket. I leave blankets in the living room when it's cold and they disappear. There are a couple that I haven't seen for
*years.*
37. The futon will be folded up into a couch most of the time. I hate having it folded down for days at a time, but I do like being able to fold it down so that guests can sleep on it.
38. I will be able to see the top of the coffee table because there won't be a lot of clutter on it. I can put a candle there, and books I'm reading, and I will still be able to find them the next day.
39. I can use my new glass coasters without someone else dropping or otherwise breaking them.
40. I can hang stuff I like on the walls.
41. I can put plants in places other than my room. (Olivia [one of the roommates' cats] eats plants.)
42. I can bake stuff whenever I want.
43. My food won't disappear.
44. I can put up my own Christmas tree.
45. (When I find one) I can have my girlfriend over whenever I want.
46. I don't have to be quiet when I get up in the morning.
47. My scrunchies won't disappear (when I want a certain one because it matches the skating dress I'm testing or competing in).
48. I won't forget to shut the downstairs windows when I leave nearly as often as they do.
49. I can park next to the porch when I want to. (If I do that now, I'm in Roommate #2's way somehow.)
50. I can leave the outside lights on when I want to without being griped at.
1. I can park in the garage.
2. I can reach my coffeemaker (without having to move all the crap in front of it).
3. No more cat pee in inappropriate places!
4. [Roommate #2]'s brothers won't be around (really, I do like them, just in small doses, and they have hardly been here at all this summer)
5. No more playing musical cars to rearrange the driveway order so everyone can leave in the morning.
6. Guest room!
7. I can have people over for dinner and have parties.
8. I can always replace the bags in the trash cans so that no one else throws the trash directly in the trash can (and then if it's something messy it gets all over the trash can and is yucky to clean up). Besides, I spill it more often than not when pouring it from the trash can into a bag.
9. I don't have to buy expensive toilet paper because [Roommate #2] has a sensitive butt!
10. I can leave fun and cool soap and stuff in the shower and no one else will use it up. Corollary: I won't run out of shaving cream because [Roommate #1] forgets to buy herself some and uses mine... for six months at a time.
11. I can shower whenever I want.
12. I can talk on the phone whenever I want.
13. I can use the Internet whenever I want.
14. I can cook whenever I want.
15. Fridge space.
16. Freezer space.
17. I can put my fish teapot (really, it's quite cute) on the shelf in the kitchen and no one will decide that it should go in the basement because they don't like looking at it or something.
18. I can use my grandmother's dishes without worrying that someone else will break them.
19. I can have clean counters -- no clutter! Corollary: No sticky spills on the counters from other people not cleaning up stuff that spills.
20. Kitchen cabinet space.
21. I can eat at my kitchen table again without having to move piles of stuff that isn't mine. (I may have my own pile of stuff on the table, but it will be my stuff and I can put it away when it annoys me.)
22. I will always be able to find a pencil or pen when I want one. I can put one on a table or in a drawer and it will still be there when I look for it the next time. Same for a pad of paper.
23. I can do laundry whenever I want.
24. I don't have to fold other people's laundry in order to use the dryer.
25. I can do dishes as often as I want! No more stacks of dirty dishes in the sink!
26. No more icky sponges that smell like mildew because they weren't squeezed out when other people were done using them.
27. No dirty dish towels and laundry at the bottom (or worse, only halfway to the bottom) of the basement steps.
28. I can watch whatever I want on TV.
29. No wet dish towels in the sink. I really don't understand why that happens. They get all gross and yucky. What is so hard about hanging them up?
30. I can talk on the phone anywhere in the house without disturbing anyone or being disturbed.
31. I can watch skating videos in the living room.
32. No one else will reorganize my mail. I *still* haven't found last year's November property tax form.
33. I can buy soap and/or candles without having to hear about it when I get home. (I admit that I have too much soap and too many candles, but I am not five years old and I don't need a lecture on how much soap I have!)
34. No old Band-Aids in the shower. Yuck.
35. I can turn the A/C up so it's not as cold.
36. I will always be able to find a blanket. I leave blankets in the living room when it's cold and they disappear. There are a couple that I haven't seen for
*years.*
37. The futon will be folded up into a couch most of the time. I hate having it folded down for days at a time, but I do like being able to fold it down so that guests can sleep on it.
38. I will be able to see the top of the coffee table because there won't be a lot of clutter on it. I can put a candle there, and books I'm reading, and I will still be able to find them the next day.
39. I can use my new glass coasters without someone else dropping or otherwise breaking them.
40. I can hang stuff I like on the walls.
41. I can put plants in places other than my room. (Olivia [one of the roommates' cats] eats plants.)
42. I can bake stuff whenever I want.
43. My food won't disappear.
44. I can put up my own Christmas tree.
45. (When I find one) I can have my girlfriend over whenever I want.
46. I don't have to be quiet when I get up in the morning.
47. My scrunchies won't disappear (when I want a certain one because it matches the skating dress I'm testing or competing in).
48. I won't forget to shut the downstairs windows when I leave nearly as often as they do.
49. I can park next to the porch when I want to. (If I do that now, I'm in Roommate #2's way somehow.)
50. I can leave the outside lights on when I want to without being griped at.
Friday, October 20, 2006
And now for the furnace...
The furnace isn't working. The igniter seems to be the problem, and I'm currently waiting on a repair person. It's only 62 in the house, but when I got home, the dog was shivering, so I wrapped him up in a down domforter and held him on my lap until he stopped shaking. Poor little guy.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
No renter after all
My renter backed out, so I'm back to square one. (However, I'd rather she do it now than three months from now.) This evening I had three appointments to show the house and only one of them showed up.
Overall, I have had an unbelievable number of no-shows during this process. It's more than a little inconvenient to drive over there, make arrangements for someone else to be there with me (my realtor doesn't want me to show the house alone because I might get hacked up and buried in the basement or something), and wait in a nearly empty house. If I were waiting at home, I'd have stuff to do, but my old house is pretty darn boring these days. I don't mind when someone has to call to reschedule, but it's really inconsiderate to just not show up. I never would have done that when looking for a place to rent.
Overall, I have had an unbelievable number of no-shows during this process. It's more than a little inconvenient to drive over there, make arrangements for someone else to be there with me (my realtor doesn't want me to show the house alone because I might get hacked up and buried in the basement or something), and wait in a nearly empty house. If I were waiting at home, I'd have stuff to do, but my old house is pretty darn boring these days. I don't mind when someone has to call to reschedule, but it's really inconsiderate to just not show up. I never would have done that when looking for a place to rent.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
A possible renter!
It looks like I might have a renter. She's coming by Monday to sign the lease, and I hope it all goes well. I'm quite relieved and very tired. Today I caulked several windows and doors and also the boards at the bottom of the posts on the porch.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Weekend update
We had a busy but productive weekend. On Saturday, Steph worked on installing edgers around the flowerbeds while I puttered around inside, and we went to my house to show it. On the way, we discovered that the Steak & Shake near my old house was being torn down. (Lisa, it's okay -- the last time I was in there, I overheard some of the employees talking about plans to knock it down and rebuild it. Besides, there's one downtown not too far from our new house.) The prospective tenant didn't show up, so we packed some garage stuff into the Honda and went back home, stopping to take pictures of the destruction of the Steak & Shake. It was supposed to rain, but the weather seemed to be holding, so we decided to go to the Fishers Renaissance Faire, which was great fun. Among other things, we watched a performer juggle knives and then sticks on fire, and we shopped a little and had a good time people-watching. (We also found my wedding dress, which I wrote about earlier.)
Then on Sunday, we showed my house in the afternoon and planted some bulbs in the front flowerbeds. The Steak & Shake was just a pile of rubble when we drove by. It was kind of sad.
Then on Sunday, we showed my house in the afternoon and planted some bulbs in the front flowerbeds. The Steak & Shake was just a pile of rubble when we drove by. It was kind of sad.
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