Long Time, No Nothing

What's a month between friends. Hey, it's not my fault. Really. I don't have internet at home. Long story. Ok, not really long, but I don't what to bore you with technical details. When I only blog every 36 days, I don't want to waste it on how my dial-up modem doesn't work. Yes, that's correct, dial-up.

Let's see what's been going on. Oh, yeah. House. Or as I like to call it, fun little project that never ends. A few landscaping things have happened. I have mowed the grass all of 3 times. I have been carpooling the last few weeks, so that makes me feel all grown-up and environmental. In fact, carpool is the reason I get to write this post. I am ready to go, but my ride is not, so I'm doing this while she needs an few extra minutes.

My electric bills have been reasonable, almost the same as my apartment, so I'm excited about that. My water bill...not so much. Hopefully, it is so high because of my need to water the lawn every day for a while to get it going. Hopefully it is not because I have a leak in my sprinkler system. I have purchased some accessories, which is fun, but I'm not very decorative, so not sure about placement. I have met a few more neighbors, but have not become instant best buds with any of them.

I'm having a house-warming party this weekend for work people. Feeling the stress of the house needing to be perfect for that. Not only is my boss invited, but my boss's boss's boss is coming. He was the first to RSVP. Hopefully that goes smoothly. I'm thinking about refinancing to pay for all the liquor and wine and beer I need to buy.

House survived weekend with kids. It comfortably (at least comfortably for me) slept 5 adults, 1 teenager, 2 kids, and a baby. It was fun to have a backyard to sit in. Weather has been great. They started building a new house 2 down from me that has already been sold. 2 unsold houses still sit on their little lots. Hopefully they won't be vacant for long.

Any other rambling thoughts? Hmm...still haven't locked myself out of my house, but am waiting for the day. Oh, I thought I short-circuited my whole house this weekend. While trying to edge my lawn, my 50 ft extention cord was just too short. So I bought another 50 foot cord, thinking that makes 100 feet of cord (yes I was a mathalete). Only after connecting the two cords and trying to start my edger, and then trying to start my mower, and not having any electric power, did I read the extension cord label, and see that it says do not connect 2 extension cords together. Ooops. I'm sure everyone else in the world knows not to do that, but I didn't. Anway, after trying to find the circuit breaker that covers the outside of the house unsuccessfly, I found a reset button for the outlets. With electric power restored, and a trip to Lowe's to buy the proper 100 feet of extension cord, 100 feet connected in one bundle, I was able to start on the lawn. Edging is an art, my friend. And I don't like that art. Stay tuned for more life lessons, and kids remember...never fly a kite around a power line. But I don't have lines, they are all buried underground.

Long overdue pictures.

No house payment this month!

I was hoping I wouldn't fall into not blogging after moving into my house. Certain people, ok 1 person, stopped blogging about their house as soon as they moved it. I promised myself I would keep it up. At least for a while.

Just a quick recap until I can really post a thoughtful post. Yeah, right. Ok, the move and closing went incredibly well. Nothing major to report, except I think there is something wrong with my sprinkler system. At first it wouldn't go off at all. So we set it to bypass the weather sensor. Came on immediately. But now it goes off at 1pm, even though I have checked the programs and there is no 1pm setting. It does go off at 5am like I had programmed it. So now everyday I have to remember to turn it off before I leave for work, and turn it back on before I go to bed. Hopefully I won't have to water the grass everyday for very much longer. Oh, and the extended fence that I asked for messed up the sprinkler arrangement. Now one patch of grass gets no water, so I have to water that by hand for awhile. My dad can move that around though. He will be a busy man :)

The house looks great! All boxes inside have been unpacked. The garage needs to be tackled, but I'm the only one who sees it. I have an edger, but no mower yet. A big project that my dad will do in the future is to add a covered patio to the back. It is way too westward facing to enjoy the patio in the evenings without shade. My parents are probably coming up this weekend to plant some more shrubs and crepe myrtles. I have not had the house to myself for a weekend yet. I'm having some friends over for dinner Saturday night, and I have a party scheduled for work friends on Oct. 6th (I have to not only invite my boss, and his boss, but my boss's boss's boss (the owner of the company...that is another story).

The phone company is coming on Saturday, so I will finally have a landline. And can finally get internet access (dial-up in all its glory). I don't get great cell reception in the house. I will have to get satellite because I can't get cable :( So I am missing all my favorite summer shows on FX and TBS and etc.

So far, all is right with the world, although the grass really is greener in my neighbor's yard. Well, one neighbor, not the other side. Ask me again after my first payment is due Oct. 1st.

A House Closing and a Funeral

It has been an emotionally draining day. I closed at 9:30, was done by a little after ten, then drove straight to a funeral. You take the good, you take the bad, and then you have the facts of life, the facts of life. I almost refused to sign my credit card slip at lunch because my hand was already tired from all the signage from the morning.

I've had a happy hour(s), therefore it is official. No turning back now. I am a home-owner. I am a home-owner. Let me say it one more time and maybe I will believe it. I am a home-owner. Nope, didn't work. Still don't believe it.

I can't run around my house neck'd like I planned because the mini-blinds are not in yet...but otherwise I can do as I please on my "homestead." As if I am pioneer or something.

I feel like a new parent must feel when they leave the hospital. Someone else has been taking care of my newborn, but lets me look and hold and touch, but when I am tired, I have been able to send the baby back the nursery. Now, I have to figure out how to take care of the house myself. You get so much information in such a short time. I have to figure out the water sprinkler system. Something about an air conditioner in my attic, and changing the filter every 9 months. Something about applying for a homestead exemption. Something about a security system. Something about new grass and trees have to be watered. And you have to water your foundation? What the crap? All I really heard was, here's the keys to your house and you don't owe a cent until October 1st. Well, aside from the really big check that you just wrote. I ran out of room writing out one-million, eight-hundred thirty-seven dollars and 92 cents. Couldn't they have rounded up or down? Ok, it wasn't that much. But it might as well be. I won't have that much money saved up again for a long, long, long time.

It really has been a cool experience. But I'm sure it would be awesome to share it with someone. Sure, I have talked with lots of people and shared my joy, but I don't it's the same thing as actually "sharing" the experience with someone. Being able to look at someone and say, this is ours! For better or worse. I have a sneaking suspision that it won't quite be as cool when I walk in the house tomorrow for the first time with my parents. But maybe it will feel even better, because I know that I have done this all by myself. No one else helped me save the down payment. No one else could make the decisions for me. It's all me, baby. For better or worse.

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go.

Ok, I'm not leaving on a jet plane. But I am almost all boxed up...to the point I don't like coming home to my apartment anymore. I can barely walk around. I took all the pictures and curtains down last night, and it looks so bare:( I'm a little sad, because I loved my apartment. It was definitely my favorite one. But onward and upward!

I can breathe a little easier now. My agent sent a note saying that everything looks good to close on Friday, so I can hopefully start moving in Saturday! I just have to put faith that everyone involved has done their part and will be ready.

The fridge is supposed to be delivered Saturday, my parents are coming up Saturday afternoon, and the movers are coming Sunday morning. So I can be BBQing on Labor Day. Ok, maybe not quite.

Prayer for my piece of mind and my carpal tunnel as I sign all the paperwork.

(insert interesting text here)

7 Days=1 Week = Eternity

In 168 hours, I will have a house. Hopefully.

I went during my lunch break to look today. The builder happened to be there. We were talking about the progress, etc. but I finally had to pin him down. So I said, so will it be ready on the 30th? And he said, sure if you want it to be. Like I would choose not to have it ready as soon as possible. Then he said, what day is the 30th? And I was like Thursday, duh. So he said sure.

I don't know the details yet, but I guess I will schedule a walk through around Thursday, and assuming no problems, sign paperwork and close on Friday? And move all weekend? ??? That is my life these days, big question marks.

The carpet guy was there today. Then they have to finish up some of the trimming. Put in the closet hanging rods, put in the blinds, finish staining the edge of the cabinets, and then any paint touch-ups and door bangs. And I think that is it for the inside!

The driveway was poured. He said they should be digging the posts for the fence today, do the fencing tomorrow. The sprinklers Monday, and I guess it only takes a day for the lawn? Remember the tree in the backyard? The fence will probably run through the middle. I think it will look kinda stupid to have a fence, tree, and then more fence. So much for privacy. And also, it might be too late for the fence request I had. I wanted my backyard fence to come closer to the front of the house so my dining window would be in my backyard. But he said they had already ordered the fence, and that would require 3 more panels. So not sure about that :(

So we will see!