Serious pain in the ass?

Am I being a serious pain in the ass?  Or just plain serious about my schooling?

I’ve never been this serious about school before, so this is a new side of me that has emerged.  Today, I believe, was the first day to register for spring semester.  I thought for some reason it was this past Saturday, but when I tried to online it didn’t work.  But, it was also the launch of the school’s new website so I chalked it up to bugs and glitches.  No worries.  Since I had to request permission to be allowed into one of my classes, I’d wait until today to officially register.

I went online and signed up for the two classes.  Of course it took the one, but not the other class.  The one I needed departmental approval for.  This happened to me last semester as well and since it went so smoothly, I assumed it would be that way again. 

Wrong. 

I called the person I was supposed to, just like last time and said I was given permission to be enrolled in this class by the department head.  This woman went into slightly snippy mode right out the gate.  At least it seemed that way to me.  Explaining “how it works, just so I know” kinda deal.  Umm, ok, we had this same discussion last semester and there wasn’t an issue.  So, whatever.  I told her I’ll call the department head again to remind her to let this office/person know to let me in. 

The department head called me back and things should be ok.  But, I couldn’t help but feel stupid when she asked me if today was the first day to register.  I felt like she must think I’m neurotic.  I must get into my classes TODAY!  Right NOW!  Ugh.  It’s mainly because I’m just anxious and serious about my studies.  I’m limited to what I can take, and when I can take them.  If I miss out on a class, it will really set me back.  I did tell her that I am actually going out of town at the end of the week and was anxious to make sure I didn’t get closed out of anything.  Hopefully that tamed some of the neurosis I was exhibiting.

Pain in the ass again?  I don’t know.  I don’t want to be like those kind of people.  You know the ones.  Back in the day, they’d be like the most studious students.  The ones that would remind the teacher about the quiz we were supposed to take, or an assignment that was supposed to be due but the teacher almost forgot to ask us for.  Yeah, those students.  The ones that would make the rest of the class moan and groan.  Not only for their uncanny ability to keep us all on track, but their athletic ability to raise their hand for every stinkin’ question without breaking a sweat!

I don’t necessarily want to be that kind of student, but am I?  When I look back over the past semester and the time leading up to it, I took several measures to make sure I was doing the right thing.  Not in a kiss-up way, but more like a covering-my-ass sorta way.  I made a couple appointments with counselors, and also the department head.  I emailed my one instructor before the class even started when I found out I’d have a conflict and have to miss one class.  I was so worried about attendance being a factor, especially since this particular class only met 8 times.

Well, we all know how that turned out.  I aced the class, with extra points to spare.  Yeah, I’m now feeling like one of those students . . .

In my other class, I’m clinging to a ‘B’ and will be missing class this week for a much needed getaway for me and my husband.  Again, I’m all concerned about missing a class and this is only one class out of 16 classes!  What is my problem?  Am I being one of those annoying students?  Or am I just being serious? 

As I think about it some more, most of the successful people I’ve known in life, HAD to be this way to get where they are today.  You can’t just sit back, you need to be proactive.  I think the very reason I’ve never really excelled in my career, or much else, is because I’ve always sort of sat back and waited for things to happen.  It just d0esn’t work that way.   It’s only taken me 35 years to figure it out! 

So whether I’m viewed as one of those students, or even a serious pain in the ass, I don’t care.  I’m doing this for me, and so far it’s proven to be the KICK in the ass I’ve needed all my life.

Class act

When my husband and I were finally parting with our old house, he decided to do something nice for the new owner.  Something above and beyond what many people would do for others.  

I’ll admit, in one of my more frustrated moments, I asked him why all the effort?  I mean, we really bent over backwards for this guy.   To meet the demands of his loan, left him furniture and the lawnmower, paid some of his closing costs.  Not to mention the huge hit we took on the sale.  With today’s market the way it is, most people are just so darn frustrated with their sale, that they are ready to say good riddance to the house and good luck to the buyer.

He explained that when he moved in, the previous owners handed him a wad of keys (I’ve seen them.  Larger collection than most janitors!), and said “we don’t know where most of these go to.”  Gee thanks.  Not to mention they left a lot of junk that they didn’t want, and frankly, neither did my husband.   Also, nowhere to be found, helpful phone numbers, or even a phone book.  So he said until his internet was hooked up, he had no easy way of researching his new neighborhood. 

So my husband labeled all the keys to the best of his ability and left a nice letter to the buyer explaining where the post office is.  And the grocery store, two of them.  When the trash pickup is.  When the leaf pickup is.  Where a metal spike (that can’t be removed) that sticks out of the ground just enough to destroy the lawnmower, is located.  Something that he learned the hard way with his brand new mower the first time he cut the lawn!   Explained how long it takes to mow the lawn, and how much gas it takes.  Even left him a full tank to start with. 

So, after my initial reaction, I have to say, I was impressed! 

And so was our buyer. 

He called us over the weekend and told my husband he was a Class Act for doing all that for him.  Thanked him up and down. 

Then he went on to tell us we left some clothing in the dryer . . .

WHAT??!!! 

OMG?! 

From 10 months ago?

Luckily, they were just towels and a pair of my husband’s scrub pants for work and nothing embarrasing! 

Told him to toss them out, but we also want to thank him, too.  Because if it weren’t for him, despite the difficulties with the offer and sale, who knows where we’d be?

SOLD!

That’s all I have to say . . .

Due dates

My husband and I have been waiting for this day for so long.  14 months long.  So now you know we aren’t talking about pregnancy here!  Although, today on our closing day, would it be funny to add that our realtor is in the hospital with his wife who is about to have their baby?  Seriously.  I didn’t want to bug him too much today.  He’s done an amazing job to get us to this point.  I wish them the best with their delivery. 

When people would ask me today if we were done with this house thing and I told them about our realtor, and that I didn’t want to bug him today, they just smiled.  After all we’ve been through to get to this day, it was amusing.  Whenever something would pop up and I would ask, “what next?”, I wasn’t necessarily expecting an answer to my question.  Yet, every other day there would be something.  But, it’s all good now.  LOL.

What’s that?  Let me do it again.  LOL!  Laughter. . . finally. 

We signed our closing papers this evening.  We are done!  We can finally begin to breathe again.  We can live our lives again.  We can look ahead to the future. 

Hubby and I went out to dinner to celebrate.  We couldn’t be happier.

Shortly after I posted this last evening, our realtor announced he and his wife now have a beautiful baby boy! 

Boy oh boy is right.  We’re done and we are free. 

Ruling trumps ants

Every time the phone rings, I’m afraid to answer it.  I’m afraid it’s going to be more bad news about our home.   Something else needs fixing.  Something else is required of us.  More documentation needed.  A follow-up inspection. 

Five days left before closing = pest control for ants

Ok, not terrible.  Tired and annoyed with jumping through hoops for this buyer’s loan, but doable. 

Today’s yesterday’s bad news didn’t come via the phone.  It was plastered all over the front page of our newspaper.  The city where we are selling our home in had a residency requirement for its city workers for 27 years. 

Until today yesterday.  The ruling had been overturned.  And, I cried when I read it.  I burst into tears.  I’m so lame. 

It’s not that I agree with any city official telling you where you have to live, but the timing was not good.  Our buyer is a fireman, that needs, err, needed to live in the city. 

This sure beats yesterday’s Wednesday’s ant issue. 

I think we are safe and he shouldn’t walk.  If he did, it would certainly be met with heavy consequences.  It was just the idea of this all falling apart on us with four days to go that I just couldn’t bear. 

So to recap:

Five days left = pest control needed

Four days left = ruling overturned

Three days left =

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a stinkin’ minute! . . .

Above was the post I was going to publish yesterday, but didn’t.  I’m so tired of the stress and feeling like our lives are just waiting to start. 

So last evening I decided it was not four more days til we start living life again.  We were going to relax and enjoy life NOW.

Four. Days. Early.

My husband and I turned off our computers from separate (yet adjoining) rooms. 

We sat in the same zip code, no, the same couch cushion!  We watched a movie.  We popped popcorn.  We cracked open a bottle of wine. 

Early celebration?  Maybe.  But it was so nice. 

So nice not having to wait four more days . . .

Then three. . . then two . . . one.

Monday will get here soon enough but we’ve already moved past it.

R[ants]

I can’t believe I still have stuff to complain about with this darn house sale.

We have five days left, people.  Five days til closing.  FIVE!  And this would be our latest obstacle . . .

Can you see it?  Look closely.  Click on the pic if you have to. 

Yep, it’s an ant.  Apparently, we have ants in the garage. 

Normally, not a big deal.  Except that we close in five days and I don’t want a thing to change that. 

Not even one little ant. 

We’ve been rolling with the punches with this pending sale for about six weeks now.  Every step of the way we’ve had to deal with something.  Something to fix, something to adjust, something to compromise on.  Most of which have cost us money.  I really thought we’d coast into our closing on Monday.

Nope.  These ants have got high hopes, moving rubber tree plants or however the song goes. 

Keep singing, ants.  You will meet your demise tomorrow when the pest inspector comes over.  A miracle in itself that I was able to get an appointment within a day in an effort to keep things on track. 

It’s been 14 long months.  We are done.  We are so done. 

Goodbye, ants.  Goodbye, house.

One last time

It became the mantra for me and my husband over this past weekend.  We stopped by the old house because, well, until the ink dries on all the paperwork and until those keys are handed over, it’s still ours.  And it was a mess.  Grass to be cut, weeds to be pulled, items to be removed and returned to our new house.  We could be like a lot of people and just not care, but that’s not our style.  So during one of my husband’s many passes with the lawnmower where he had to stop and bag the clippings he says to me, “one last time.  I keep telling myself, one last time.”

It got me thinking it really was one last time.  We started our morning off with stopping by the old greasy spoon diner where we’d often have a late breakfast when we lived over there.  One last time I’d have my spinach and feta omlette.  One last time he’d have the 2 eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 sausage and 2 bacon plate.  Old time’s sake. 

At the house the grass was ridiculously high.  So hubby had his work cut out for him, one last time.  I dealt with pulling the dreaded weeds, one last time.  One last time to make sure the house is clean.  One last time I would bump my shin and curse at a piece of furniture as we moved it.  I never want to move again.  One last time we had to make sure everything was perfect and left in good shape.  Slowly packing away the last few items we used to stage the place.   One last time. 

As with every move, even some of my shabbiest apartments, it’s always a little bittersweet.  Lots of great memories to pack up and take with you, handled with care like one of your prized possessions.  But you do move on and start new memories.  And we’ve started to already.

Being brave and venturing out to meet neighbors, even inviting some over to dinner.  Being invited over in return and on a whim we’d accept.  We’ve had some family gatherings, more than we’d ever had before.  Carefully planned gatherings, along with the impromtu ones.  We have also been enjoying the blank canvas provided by a new home and a yard that started with nothing but dirt.  We’ve gotten to know our way around a new city (and county), finding new shortcuts to the grocery store.  Trying out new restaurants, driving down new roads, just to see where they go. 

It’s on to the next chapter in our lives.  No more one last times.  It’s now the beginning for us, filled with many firsts, and we look forward to many, many more.

10K

As in the marathon?!  Nope.  I absolutely loathe running. 

It’s our savings account.  Nice cushion, huh?  Well, in about 11 days it will be wiped out in a flash.  Must faster than any runner could clock in at.  We are counting down the days to close on our house and it will be a financial doozy. 

But . . . it. will. be. over.

Our journey has been met with a few snags along the way and with 11 days to go, we find ourselves with yet another.   For some reason I thought the pest inspection (which is sometimes optional) was rolled into the general inspection we already had on the house.   Nope.  It’s today and let me tell you they had better not find even the leg of one spider.  LOL!  The house has always been clean, we’ve never had an issue before.  But, it is an old house, so I can understand.  What I don’t understand is why it’s so late in the game.   I thought we were over all the humps and hurdles and we could just coast into our closing date.   Oh well, such is life. 

On a side note, I’ve picked up on an interersting observation.  You know how when a woman gets pregnant (No not me!  Perhaps a much later post!) and every other woman in the world shares their horror stories about labor, etc.?  This seems to be happening with home sellers.  I’ve known and met quite a few others in the same boat as us with selling a home.  Everyone has a different type of home, in all different locations, different price points.  But, everyone has a story to tell.  And it ain’t good!  I just thought this was a funny similarity to pregnancy stories.  In this lousy housing market, I guess misery loves company! 

Good luck to everyone selling a home.  It will happen!!  Just don’t ask about my story, because I won’t be sugar-coating it for ya.  Ha!

Through the roof

We’ve been through hell and back trying to sell our house. 

We started with a deadbeat realtor who, at times - – sent us through the roof. 

We’ve had people show up at our open houses pretending to be interested, but turned out to be nosey neighbors that – - sent us through the roof.

There were the people who would sign in, even leaving a real phone number, but would never answer the phone when we’d call them back – - sending us through the roof.

Then there were realtors who wouldn’t give us the time of day when we were trying the for sale by owner thing, treating us so rudely, which – - sent us through the roof.

When we had legitimate buyers, they ended up wanting the world and made offers that – - sent us through the roof.

So after almost 14 months, with the end FINALLY in sight, wouldn’t it figure that the way to finalize the sale of our home was – - through the roof?

Literally.

We made it through the negotiations.

We made it through the inspection.

We made it through the appraisal . . . well, almost.

The house did appraise which is a miracle with the horrid market and dropping home values, but the type of loan the buyer is using requires the appraisal to be a little pickier than most. 

Which brings us back to the roof.  Luckily, only the one over the garage.

We had a leak that we disclosed, but it needed to be fixed and the only way to do this was to have the rubber layer resealed and recoated, and it had to be by a professional.  Even if the buyer didn’t care to have us fix it, it was dictated by the loan.  That was the deal and we had no choice. 

So today things turned around for us.  We got a quote from a licensed roofer for $250.  What a relief!  We can handle this.  Even better, he did it TODAY.  Said he’d go get our supplies and would come right back.  Whole thing probably took an hour.  Now there’s no worry of this minor setback pushing our close date back any further.  We should close on time and let me tell you we are counting down the days!

As we wait for all the paperwork to get processed and the final numbers to be crunched, my husband and I can finally think ahead to the most important thing of all, to us.  To be able to start a family.  To raise and provide for children in a loving environment, putting food on their plates, and

. . . a roof over their heads.

When it rains, it pours

It’s a phrase I use quite often because honestly, I think I never have less than two major things going on in my life simultaneously.  Today would be no exception.  It started off with . . . rain, literally. 

Today was the appraisal and last installment of stress overload in the ongoing saga that is our house sale.   I was supposed to meet the appraiser to let them in at 9am, but missed a phone call letting me know it would be more like 8:20-8:30 am.  Normally that wouldn’t be a big deal, except one thing.  We don’t live at that house anymore.  Yeah, we live almost 40 minutes from it.  And, did I already mention it was raining?  This meant that traffic would most certainly not cooperate with me.  I jumped into my clothes and left with whatever style the bed styled my hair and hit the road.  The last thing I wanted to do was tick off our appraiser.  I’m sure she was already thrilled it was a rainy day to begin with. 

The meeting didn’t last too long but she was a little nosey for some reason.  Asking about why we went from realtor, to for sale by owner, back to realtor again.  Asked if we had a lot of traffic.  All I could think was she must think something is wrong with this house because it took so long to sell.  She’s going to ruin this for us thinking like that.  I thought it was strange that I had to explain to a professional in the field about the way the current market is.  The fact that there are a lot of homes for sale, resulting in more options for buyers.  The fact that many buyers didn’t even know what they wanted.  They’d come see our house and then see homes in 2 or 3 other cities, 30 minutes away.  The fact that it’s been more difficult to get financed, resulting in low-ball offers.  Why am I explaining all this to her?  She must already know this?  So weird.

So the last thing she says to me is “well, you’ll be glad when this is all over won’t you?” 

Lady, you have no idea and our fate is in your hands . . .

Today also marks the day that I got to discuss my second round of ultrasound results with my doctor that I wrote about a few days ago. 

Waiting . . . waiting . . . waiting.

This time, there were no pregnant women or hyper children to observe.  Just me and the same lack of good reading material.  The last time I waited for results, wondering if I’d be able to have children, I was convinced I’d get a boat instead, since there was nothing to read besides Boater’s World and today I was contemplating a log cabin while reading Log Cabin Living. 

I get called in and here we go, I’m going to get bad news this time, I just know it. 

Well, turns out it wasn’t so bad. While I do need surgery, I don’t need it right this second.  The cysts are still there, but the one has only grown slightly.  We discussed my options and I decided to wait for now.  He said if symptoms get worse or I start having issues, we schedule it.  He suggested we schedule follow up ultrasounds from time to time to keep an eye on things.  He assured me that everything I have going on will not interfere with my fertility.  Which I must have asked him, like 3 times. 

As I left the doctor’s office to head back to work I noticed it was no longer raining.  In fact, it ended up being a beautiful day.