February 27, 2008
A Pile of Dirt to Call My Own
Last night Mr. BBM and I placed a deposit on our chosen lot. Mr. BBM is excited/nervous and I am just plain ECSTATIC! The lot is nice and flat, backs up to common area with a walking trail that goes down to a park. It is exactly the kind of location I wanted for the girls. Our Realtor lives about two blocks away and told me that the neighborhood is crawling with little girls and families.
We just sent our list of chosen options to our Realtor. We’ll get price quotes this week and then we’ll write up our agreement. From the time we get a contract on our house, our new home will be ready in about 3.5 months. The timing is just about perfect, so that we can move in the summer and Big I can meet some kids in the neighborhood before starting at her new school.
We had a showing last night while we were at our meeting and our Realtor let us listen to the voice mail that the showing agent left for him. He wanted to know when we want settlement and also if there is any other interest in the house "in case we decide to write it up." Our Realtor raised his eyebrow and gave a little smile. This happened exactly 30 minutes after he told the builders representative that our house is going to go fast.
Last night, Mr. BBM and I put together a spread sheet of options. We know we’re going to probably have to make some cuts. He was trying to cut out my additional peak on the roof and I was trying to cut out his extra cable outlet. We almost took it to the basement to settle things the old fashioned way, but I don’t yet have my ACL brace so I figured we better not. Something tells me he’s probably right about it costing less for an extra outlet than for an extra peak on the roof.
It’s going to be so exciting, but I’m sure it will be stressful as well. Choosing carpet, cabinets, flooring colors (not pink), lighting fixtures. . .
I don’t think my feet have touched the ground all day though. I have the Pointer Sisters song "I’m so excited" just playing on repeat in my head. I am just so thrilled that we’re actually going to do this. Just think how much fun it will be to watch a pile of dirt turn into a new house. I’m planning on taking all of you along for the ride with us in the coming months. . .
I know you’re not supposed to use blow dryers in the bathtub, but I can totally blog from my new jacuzzi tub right? Don’t worry, I don’t plan on taking you along there.
February 26, 2008
Wishing on a House
Initial feedback from our one showing on Sunday is very good (we’re still waiting to hear the other feedback). So good in fact that they wanted to know how flexible we can be with a settlement date. My Realtor warned me to avoid getting on the roller coaster that is real estate until we have something in ink. No ink yet, but I’m at least glad that the initial feedback is good.
Apparently, the wife "loves it-can’t live without it" (I’ve SO been there myself) and the husband can be "brought on board" which basically boils down to: there are pink counter-tops in my kitchen and pink carpet in our bedrooms.
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: we didn’t do it; we inherited it. If the wife loves this place as much as I did, I’m sure she’s telling her husband that "real men wouldn’t be bothered by pink" and that it "takes a manly man to be able to move in a house with so much pink." You know, build up his ego and get what you want. Here’s hoping she’s a smart cookie. Plus, there’s always the teal family room to equal things out.
We have yet another showing tonight and tonight is also our meeting with the builder people. Yesterday, I emailed our "wish list" to our Realtor. I divided it up into three categories "Must have," Would REALLY like," and "Would like." Included in the list of "must have’s" is the super bath package (I have lived with only a shower stall for the very last time), a gas fireplace, 9 ft. basement ceilings (How will I work with my bo if I don’t have this option?), some extended counter-top on the kitchen island, and some preferences regarding having stucco instead of siding.
It would be so incredible to go into tonight’s meeting with an offer on our house, but I realize this is probably wishful thinking. It is looking more and more likely though, that we will build our dream house instead of finding and potentially losing it. There is absolutely nothing on the market in our price range and desired location that isn’t full of nasty carpet, icky wallpaper, or strange smells, or a combination of all three and worse. Plus, all those houses who put jacuzzi tubs in the basement, because that totally makes sense (not). Mr. BBM and I are determined to purchase a home without wallpaper. We’ve already wasted too much of our life removing wallpaper from this house and Mr. BBM’s recent infusion of humor is probably directly related to how much wallpaper remover soaked into his skin recently. Here’s hoping that humor is the only side effect.
February 24, 2008
Weekend in Review
After driving around with only a printed out temporary drivers license, I finally forced myself to go to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) on Saturday to get my new license. Going to the DMV is a special kind of torture for me. I don’t know why, but it seems like only the dregs of society ever need to get their licenses renewed when I’m there. I stood in a line a good 30 people long to be given a number and told to go get my picture taken. Thank God for the internet, in that I could renew online and skip the first very long step involved with getting a renewed license.
My number came up and I trudged on in to the cubicle. An unsmiling young man greeted me and made me answer all the questions about voting registration and organ donation. He told me to sit down and look at the camera. He spoke in complete monotone. He took the first picture and wouldn’t even let me see it. He started shaking his head "no" and then asked me to remove my purse strap from my shoulder. Apparently, my shoulder strap was preventing him from getting a good shot of my face.
Whatever.
I removed my purse and he took the picture again. It wasn’t my best, but it wasn’t my worst either and I told him to just print it. Standing at the counter was awkward and my license was taking forever to print. I noticed that the young man was missing part of his name tag. To make small talk I said, "What happened? Did your dog chew up your name tag?"
He didn’t crack even a hint of a smile before responding in a monotone, "It just broke. I told them I need a new one, but they didn’t get me one yet. So I just wear this one."
"Oh," I said.
Then, I had to bite back laughter and tears as I read the leftover bit of his name tag. "Ken Pew." That is one man who seriously needs a new name tag.
After surviving the DMV, we decided to treat the girls to lunch at Friendly’s before hitting the museum. The other night our Realtor asked what we do with the girls for fun and Mr. BBM and I just sort of stared awkwardly at each other. We haven’t done anything in a really long time. With a Mommy who can’t walk for long periods of time, "fun" just doesn’t happen.
We had an enjoyable lunch and then it was time for dessert. Mr. BBM had ordered a meal that comes with a sundae as did the girls. They ordered their ice cream and Mr. BBM asked the waiter what type of sundae he was allowed to get with his meal. Before the server could answer, I figured I’d save the waiter the trouble since I had read the menu and said, "You get a ‘Happy Ending’."
He got fire engine red and started cracking up laughing. I blinked back at him and asked him what was so funny, but he was laughing so hard he couldn’t even speak. Meanwhile, the girls are staring at him, as is the waiter.
"What is your problem?" I asked.
"A happy ending" he blurts out, still hysterical.
The waiter started laughing as I told him to get his mind out of the gutter already. "We’re in a Friendly’s for God’s sake." Mr. BBM finally recovered enough to tell our waiter the flavor of ice cream he wanted and I was ready to smack him.
The museum went much better than the first two locales of the day, right up until Lil C threw herself on the gift shop floor and told us "going home is dupid (stupid)."
Fabulous.
She thrashed like a bucking bronco as Mr. BBM strapped her into her seat and them promptly fell asleep while we perused piles of dirt for our potential new home. Yes, we definitely needed to go have some fun.
That was Saturday.
Today we had two showings of our house. They were at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. We cruised the neighborhood for the first one, and brought back fast food for lunch as yet another treat for the girls. Mr. BBM and I both drank super-sized diet cokes and then we headed back out to an open house to make sure our house didn’t get messed up before the 5 p.m. showing. These girls are little destructors.
We made the mistake of not using the bathroom before leaving and by the time we were finished walking through the open house, Mr. BBM and I were both in agony. We were in the middle of nowhere and thought we were going to die.
Big I started bugging us to change the DVD in the player and I was afraid that if I bent down to get another movie, my bladder would burst. So Mr. BBM told Big I that "Mommy and Daddy can’t concentrate because our teeth are floating." It was the worst possible thing he could have said.
We spent the next 20 minutes trying to explain what that saying meant as we maneuvered a ton of crazy back roads. On the home stretch for a brief bathroom stop at the house, Mr. BBM burped, sighed, and said, "I think I just burped up a little pee."
Usually Mr. BBM’s humor is completely lost on me. I just give him a look and we all move on. This, however, struck me so funny that I could hardly contain myself. Tears streamed down my face and I doubled over in pain as I tried to keep from peeing in my pants.
Needless to say, I insisted on getting in the house first.
We quickly exited in advance of our second showing and drove around the neighborhood again. Because Big I and I can get car sick by driving only one block, and because the liquids had been flowing freely all afternoon, we decided to stay sort of put for this showing. The apartments across the street from our house have parking spaces that face our house, obscured by some shrubbery. We spent 25 minutes remarking to each other, "They’re in the kitchen now. They just left the bedroom. They’re outside now," but truly it wasn’t good enough.
I think I’m using my Best Buy gift card to wire our house Jack Bauer style and we’re totally bringing our binoculars next time. Who says we don’t have any fun with the girls?
February 23, 2008
Dirt and Pen Pals
My plans for the weekend are to do something fun with the girls, and go pick a pile of dirt to call our own in the development where we might build in advance of our meeting on Tuesday. Exciting stuff, but since I’m betting you’d rather hear another silly BBM flashback story, check out my guest post at Adam’s Cerebral Spillage today. I know how much you all love my ridiculous junior high stories so don’t miss this one!
Also, it seems I’ve jumped the gun a bit with the Carnival of Martial Arts books post that was actually supposed to go live on Monday. So, if you still want to submit something, go right ahead. I’ll add it.
February 22, 2008
Carnival of Great Martial Arts Books
Scroll down for new entries.
When you are unable to train for months at a time, you need as much good reading material as you can get! It is with great pleasure that I bring you the Carnival of Great Martial Arts Books.
Amanda from Amanda Takes Off presents Martial Arts Book Review posted at Amanda Takes Off….
John Vesia presents Martial Arts Madness posted at Martial Views.
Patrick Parker presents Richard Strozzi-Heckler’s Warrior Spirit posted at Mokuren Dojo.
Marks presents Great Karate Biography posted at Marks Chat.
Black Belt Mama presents My Journey with the Grandmaster posted at The BBM Review.
Dave Shevitz presents Stepping Off the Mat in Angry White Pyjamas, all In Search of the Warrior Spirit posted at AikiThoughts, No Blog of Significance: Book Review: Ultimate Jujutsu: Principles & Practice posted at No Blog of Significance, No Blog of Significance: Book Review: Okinawan Karate: the Secret Art of Tuite posted at No Blog of Significance, No Blog of Significance: Book Review: The Secrets of Okinawan Karate: Essence and Techniques posted at No Blog of Significance, No Blog of Significance: Book Review: The Way of Sanchin Kata: The Application of Power posted at No Blog of Significance, and No Blog of Significance: Book Review: Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword posted at No Blog of Significance.
Jason Couch presents The Cane as a Weapon posted at Martial History Magazine.
Other off-topic posts of interest:
Marks presents Vital Point Striking for all Martial Artists posted at Marks Chat.
Frederic Patenaude presents Staying a Step Ahead of Aging posted at Frederic Patenaude Talks.
Rob Moshe presents Live Your Best Life By Serving Others. posted at Rob Moshe.
Anmol Mehta presents Free Online Hatha Yoga Poses Galleries posted at Mastery of Meditation, Enlightenment & Kundalini Yoga.
Enjoy! Hope to see you all back for the Admired Martial Artists Month!
To submit a post to next months Carnival, go here. Next month’s theme is "Spread the Love." Tell your readers about a few martial arts blogs that you read yourself and why you read them.
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