TTFN

Well people, tonight is my last night in my home. I am a little sad, this was my first grown up place of my own. As the stuff clears out and the rooms become emptier. It seems to get a little easier. I saw the pretty painted walls of my soon to be bedroom, moonlight blue, by Glidden. The wood floors are all sanded and shiny. I can't believe the time is here, I am moving to the 'country'.

My friends, I will be offline for a week!!! Yes, a week. We have the phone company scheduled to come out next Tues to "hook" us up. I am sad, and I can't believe I will be without my computer!! ARGH!!! But that will give me more time to unpack and get organized.

Until then...........I will post pics when I come back. Will you miss me??

Oh and I will keep you updated by Twitter. I need to have some outlet to vent!!!!!

Realxing......

Our day at the beach was WONDERFUL!! Emily had a blast. I enjoyed myself too (never opened the book). Here are a few pics, but I am off to finish packing....we are doing our big move on Tuesday. Holy crap!!!!!

Day off!!

Tomorrow I am taking a break. I am going to the beach with Chele & Emily. This will be Emily's first trip to the Ocean beach. My Mom never took us as kids, I think because she was over weight. I don't want to do that to Emily, I want her to do things and have fun. Considering I live in CT, where you can get just about anywhere in the state in under an hour, LOL. I haven't been to the ocean beach in 10+ yrs. Jim and I just never did that. So tomorrow I am hoping for a fun day at the beach, some chatting and relaxing. I will bring a book, but I doubt Chele and I will stop talking LOL. (we can never watch a movie together either).......

I wanna cry....

I've mentioned before that I have PCOS. I have my period again-which is good news for me. I know for those who get it every month are like -whatever- but to me this is big. But to have it now is such bad timing. I am crampy today and when you don't get it all the time, cramps are usually pretty bad. I am emotional and wanna sit in bed and watch TV. But I am moving along and packing the house up.

Jim just called me and told me that the buyer wants to come here tomorrow with a carpet guy. I wanna punch her out. I have my first board meeting tonight and won't be here to straighten up. I am packing for goodness sake-the house is a mess. Two O'clock tomorrow-whatever!! I am so irritated.

Well, I have to go pack some more. And now I have to make it look like an organized mess. UGH!!

I'm in there somewhere!!!

I feel like I am making more of a mess than getting organized. UGH!!

We had to replace the baking element in our stove, it decided to die 3 days before the inspection. I ordered in online from a discount appliance part store, very reasonable prices. I had used them before to replace the handle on our stove. Anyway, I ordered it Friday and it was scheduled to be delivered on Monday. Monday morning I checked the email with the UPS tracking info, it said it was delivered?? I scratched my head because it wasn't here. I double checked and looked to my neighbors on both sides and saw nothing. I called the place and they said they could send me another and get UPS to reimburse us but they would need to charge us in the mean time. I wasn't happy. I went back outside and talked to a neighbor, we looked together and found nothing. I called my hubby in tears, because I was so darned mad (see Bekah, it doesn't take much for me to cry), he decided to call UPS for me. We ended up ordering another and it was actually delivered today. The box had a huge red sticker on it that read "FRAGILE, handle with care". Well the bonehead threw it up onto my deck....no wonder I never got the one from yesterday, the poor UPS guy couldn't read. I decided to replace it myself, Jim is working and extra shift tonight. I did it, it was a little bit of a pain but I did it. I love doing stuff like that. We have to install a new exhaust fan with light and all repairs will be done!! We also heard the buyers are expecting their mortgage letter tomorrow. Things are looking good. If I could just get this place packed. Don't get me wrong I have done a lot, it just seems never ending. I swear 90% of this is Emily's. I have my first board meeting tomorrow night for Emily's school, such bad timing. I'm just so tired. I don't look forward to unpacking all this crap.

Whooooa Nelly......

I just realized. I have to pack up my computer. This makes me sad. Obviously I can wait for a few more days. But then when we move, I don't know if we have the right hook ups where we want to put the computer. I hope I am not offline for too long .

Call me Mrs. Fix it!!

One of the things we had to do before we leave is install an new garbage disposal. Ours broke awhile back, we bought a new one, but never installed it. Don't ask, I have no idea. I guess we thought it would be hard. Well Jim is home early today and we decided to get it done. It is coming along nicely. It really isn't so hard. If you ever have to do it....Don't remove the sink flange unless YOU HAVE TO!! They give you the option. We decided to do it since we had a new one. WOW, what a pain. It was probably the hardest part. When we move to the 'country' we are soooooo getting one and installing it ourselves-we're pros now.

and believe it or not it works!!!!

I can't seem to focus on packing.
I have come to a stand still.
Will someone tell me to get off this computer and get to work!?!
I even popped in my IPOD and my music isn't getting me in the mood either....


listening to "too much time on my hands" by Styx, how appropriate........

???

I love the Olympics, I really do. Who doesn't? But I do not understand why the Women's Volleyball uniforms have to be sized to fit my 3yr old. Really, do I need to see the butt cheeks of every female Olympic Volleyball player? The Mens players aren't naked, so it can't be some reason that makes them play better. I think it is just inappropriate!

What do you smell like??

I love anything that smells pretty. My favorite fragrance right now is White Cherry Blossom from BBW. I just saw on their site...they don't make it anymore. I am sad. So tell me what do you smell like???

Good Morning Friend!!

Another fun filled day of packing. But for now I am going to spend time with my friend Joe and hug my favorite mug.

Out of the mouths of babes

So tonight we were flipping through the channels and I stopped briefly on ABC family. The new show "true life of an American teenager" was on. Emily says "oooh Mommy I want to watch the teenager movie." Jim and I laughed. I said "how do you know about the teenager movie?" She says " it's the American teenager movie, the one where the girl gets pregnant." OMG, I thought Jim and I were going to pee our pants. It was really cute coming out of her 3 1/2 yr old mouth. She's never watched it, but apparently has seen enough commercials to know what it is about. Crazy kids, they're getting too smart!!!

I didn't know I felt this way.....

Tabitha over at Twinkle Twinkle has inspired me to write. This is something I don't usually talk about and something most people don't know about me. Sometimes when I think about it and shed a tear I surprise myself. Just now while reading Tabitha's post, I found myself crying a bit while leaving her a comment.

It's my Dad, my parents were divorced when I was 2, my younger brother was an infant. I don't remember ever living with my dad, I don' t remember visits too much while I was very little. I do remember a Christmas when my Paternal Grandmother visited us, the only time I remember seeing her alone. I remember a woman my Father was dating giving me lady bug earrings.

Flash forward till I was about 6 or 7yrs old. I had a half Sister 'H'. I don't remember him getting married to my Step Mother 'A' or her being pregnant. I remember a few yrs later when 'A' and 'H' told me she was having another baby. When I was ten my half sister 'HM' was born.

My Brother and I loved this little Sister, we loved them both. But I think because we were older and knew what was going on, it was different. For the next 7-8 yrs we saw him 1-2x a yr and spent a week in the Summer with them in NH where they lived.

When I was 17 or 18, as all teen aged girls, I had some issues. My Father and my Step Mother were divorced and we started seeing less and less of my Father. Before, whenever my Father came to CT he stayed with his Sister. He started to come down for visits, but didn't call us. We found out from friends that he was here.

When I was 20 and in College, I called him for a favor. He started an argument, accusing me of only calling him when I wanted something. Let me just say I NEVER asked him for anything!!!!
I became very angry and told him to forget he had Children in CT and he could be happy with his new family in NH. He never even knew why I called, I couldn't return to College and needed a change. I wanted to come and live up there with him and maybe go to a Community College there. My Sisters thought I was rotten because as far as they knew I only wanted Money. We didn't speak for years, I did see him once at my Cousin's wedding. Everyone kept telling me my Father loved me. But like I said we didn't talk for years!!

When I was 29 I was engaged and my Father out of the blue called my Mother looking for my Brother and I. His Father had died. After a very awkward phone call I went to my Grandfather's funeral. I was very emotional and thank god I had Jim. It was kind of nice to see my Sisters and my Dad. I met his new wife. A few months later his Mother passed away, another awkward day.

I invited my Father and his family to my Wedding. A cousin from that side was also getting married on the same day. His whole family, my family, chose this cousin's wedding over mine. That is fine, they couldn't be at both, they did see him more often. But I still can't help but feel slighted. I only saw this family when I was with my Dad. My Aunts, Uncles, Grandmother & Grandfather never called me on their own. We all lived in the same town.

My Dad, his new Wife and one of my Sisters came to my wedding. My Maternal Grandfather walked me down the aisle. My Father missed out on that. He didn't get to dance with me. We were mending our relationship, but I wasn't ready for that.

My Sister 'H' was married in 2002 (I think) and we went to her wedding. When I saw her and my Father dance , the Father-Daughter dance. For the first time I missed not having a Father. For the first time I was jealous of my Sisters' relationship with my Dad. This reaction surprised me. Because I always felt that I couldn't miss what I didn't know. But I guess I was wrong.

Over the past few yrs we've exchanged a few emails, a few cards. But we really haven't seen each other and he has never seen my daughter. I want them to meet. I feel like its all or nothing. Like either we develop a relationship or we walk away. Emily will be 4 in November and she doesn't understand that she has another Grandfather. They did send us a Gingerbread kit for Christmas last yr, that was a nice surprise. Never a gift or a card for Emily. I know he loves me.

I don't understand these feelings. I am sitting here crying as I type. I never knew I had these feelings. I don't hate him. I just don't understand what our relationship is. How can he have a real relationship with my Sisters and their Children and not me or my Em. One thing that really gets to me is....he had another child with his current wife yrs ago before he married my Step-Mother 'A'. He met up with his current wife and she told him about this child, and obviously they got married. His current wife also has a son who I want to say is close to my age, I think he is also his?? But I don't know. He has relationships with all of them.

I exchange gifts with my Sister's ('H' & 'HM') children for Christmas. We email eachother throughout the year. OMG that's another relationship I envy. They are truly Sisters. I don't have that.

Sorry it must seem like I am feeling bad for myself. Just after reading Tabitha's post it just hit me. Emotions I didn't know I had.

Weekend update

This weekend was nice.

Saturday, I headed to the Ponte Fest in town with Chele. It wasn't too hot, we had some good food and did some 'people watching'. Emily went on a few rides. later that night Chele hung around and we watched the Olympic opening ceremonies and did some silly things-had some good ole fun.

Sunday, we had a pizza picnic birthday party for my Grandfather who turned 80 this year. Chele was also there. We're cousins, for those of you who don't know. It was a good time, Emily got to play with her cousin Grace who is 6mos older than her and they had fun 'scootering' as they call it. We had pizza from my Grandfather's favorite place and the one with hot peppers-Mmmm Mmmm Good!!

Overall we had a nice time together as a family, not too much arguing, LOL.

Emily, Barbara (a cousin) and my neice Grace.

Emily and Grace 'scootering'

My Grandfather blowing out his candles, notice the fancy macaroni necklace he's wearing, one of Emily's designs. LOL

Grace making sure her blueberry is blue enough to eat

Emily is eating them right off the bush, Mmmm Mmmm Good!!!!

What did you eat (do) this weekend???

P.S Hi Jen, My sister in law stops by once in awhile...She is Grace's Mommy!!

Notice the new count down over there -------------------------->
Notice something different?????
Yup, a new picture....But look closer----------------------------->
See something different????
Yup, our closing date has been moved up, almost a week.
It's ok with us. But with all the ups and downs.
I can't believe I have like two weeks to pack now.

Positive thinking......

I am being positive and packing up. My cabinets are becoming bare and the boxes are piling up. We heard that the mortgage process is going better now that the Dad has been added. So maybe it was just a small wrinkle. Packing isn't so bad, unpacking might be fun. Making the house our home. But moving, I don't look forward to moving. Jim and I are doing it ourselves, crazy I know. A lot of boxes are already there and we're planning on placing the big items in our garage as we empty them so we can just load the truck when the day comes. I think he is making another trip with his friend Jay, he has a pick up. I think we will be ok, but the thought makes me tired. Packing clothes...not fun, any suggestions. I bought those HUGE ziploc/hefty bags and some space bags....there has to be an easier way.

As you can see Willow is ready to move!

Thanks

I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been following my condo saga. I am so glad I started my blog when I did, when I need to vent I head directly to my computer. It's like calling all my girlfriends and chatting it up. All of your supportive comments help me go on.

With this last piece of news, I am worried about my hubby. Jim works m-f at his "real" job and Thurs, Fri & Sat night at his friend's (our realtor) family restaurant. Sundays he works at another friend's restaurant. The owners are like second parents-he's worked there since he was 16. I've even worked there a couple times. So our only time together and his only time to chill is Mon, Tues & Wed nights. With all the stress of trying to make some money, he now has to deal with this. On top of this he is searching for a job closer to the 'country' (his commute will increase 15mins). I wish he had some bloggy friends to help him through it.

I just hope this girl's father has enough decent credit to get her approved. If this sale falls apart, I will have to search for some kind of p/t job and take some of the financial stress away. We were hoping that I would look for something when we moved.

To all my bloggy friends, keep those fingers crossed. For my hubby's sake- we need this to be over!!!

Inspection & Appraisal

We received more news.

We received the inspection report and there were a few issues as the Realtors say. The buyers want us to fix a few things (new stove element, electrical outlet, fans in bathroom & install the new garbage disposal) by a licensed electrician. WTH....They are all easy fixes and seriously one of them is just plugging it in (not broken, unplugged). So I have to call an electrician and he'll charge us "$$$$" to do nothing. Jim has a electrician friend who works for a large company-but unfortunately isn't licensed. More money to shell out. Our realtor sent them a note hoping we can do the work ourselves.

The appraisal was fine, it appraise $4k higher than the sale price and the appraiser wanted to know why we were selling it under value. I wanted to say, who buys at value, especially since i is a buyer's market-HELLO.

We just found out from our realtor, that the girl who is buying our condo wasn't approved for her mortgage. WTF!! WTF!! sorry I just can't believe this sh&$!! Her credit was good, but she is young and doesn't have enough credit. Now her father is going to co-sign for the mortgage. But it will probably take a week to find out whether he is ok. I just can't believe this. Her mortgage broker said "he looks good, this shouldn't delay closing"....that's what you said about her.

Anyway, more saga on the sale front sorry. You are all probably bored to tears with this!!

Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!

One of the great things about living in the 'city' is having a mall 15 mins down the road. During the summer the movie theatre in the mall is showing free movies every Tues and Wed. We have gone 3 times so far, Emily loves it. How can you beat Free? Check it out, maybe you have one near you.

We've seen so far.....

Enjoy....

A friend emailed this to me today, I thought it was funny and had to share!!!!


Five tips for a woman....
1. It is important that a man helps you around the house and has a job.
2. It is important that a man makes you laugh.
3. It is important to find a man you can count on! and doesn't lie to you.
4. It is important that a man loves you and spoils you.
5. It is important that these four men don't know each other.

26 days...Holy Crap!!

Johnny or Gene??

Who is your favorite Willy Wonka??

Emily is obsessed with "Charlie Bucket" and all things "Willy Wonka". She watches both versions and loves them both. She can watch them over and over again. As a kid and even a teenager I remember watching the Gene Wilder version when it would come on TV. The scene with the chocolate river and candy mushrooms, where you first meet the Oompa Loompas was always my favorite. As Veruca Salt said "I want an Oompa Loompa now Daddy" My husband loved the books by Roald Dahl, he read them over and over. So I guess it isn't a surprise that Emily loves it too.

Which is your favorite?? I am torn. My husband likes the Johnny Depp version, he says it is more like the book.

"We have issues"

We had our inspection yesterday and I packed up the kitties and headed out for a bit. We had our inspection nine years ago, I don't really remember how long it took. I headed out at 11:33am, the inspection was scheduled for Noon. I headed to our local park and sat in the shade with the AC running for my kitties. I drove by and saw that they didn't get started until after 12:40pm. Anyway 2 1/2 hours later as I watched them from the end of my parking lot (I felt like a stalker) they left.

I headed to my Grandfather's to pickup Emily. While I was chatting with my Mom and Grandfather I got a call from the hubby. He says "We have issues..........." the BR (buyer's realtor) left D (our realtor) a vmail saying the inspection was done but there were some issues. Hubby and I are like What the Heck, can we catch a break. D was waiting for the BR to call back so they could discuss said "issues". I was beginning to stress, thinking we had to fix or replace to C/A or there was mold or something bad.

I was on my way home and wanted to call Jim (my hubby-tired of calling him hubby hehehe) so bad, but I knew he would call me if he had heard back from D. I was almost home when my cell rang it was Jim. He says "it's not bad" I was so relieved, he began to tell me that one of the outlets sparked when they checked it, the fans in the bathrooms didn't work (we knew this-unplugged them, one didn't work and one was really loud), the baking element was doing something funny forgot what he called it (stove went bazurk this week-nice timing I know), AND then the C/A tripped the breaker while they were there-HELLO, my C/A* is a pain in the arse. The BR said they would get back to us when they got the report back, oh and the buyer's mortgage is going really well they are just waiting on the condo docs. Overall no biggy. Little things that can easily be fixed, I hope.

*Our C/A gave us some issues last summer and the summer before that. We had a friend of a friend come who has his own heating and cooling company come out. He was so nice and hooked us up a bit. The first summer he cleaned it out and made sure everything looked good, basic maintenance. Last summer he had to clean the furnace and replace the blower/motor (whatever) and told me Jim bent some major parts of the unit and he "hoped" it would work. (replacing those bent parts would cost $1000+) *** C/A was working too hard and forming ice on parts and my BRILLIANT husband knocked the ice off with a hammer, bending said parts. I didn't marry him for his handiness*** Well thankfully it worked all last summer and so far (knock on virtual wood) it hasn't been giving us any issuesthis summer.............................. until the inspection.

IS MY HOUSE HAUNTED???? LOL

Ok back to the condo docs. So according to the BR he is waiting for the condo docs. MY brilliant realtor D hangs up the phone not having a clue what the BR is talking about (I did mention that our Realtor is one of Jim's best friends and is fairly new to real estate working for 2yrs doing this part time, and I don't think he has listed or sold a condo before) calling his broker and found out that we (or someone on our side) was supposed to order the condo docs and that was going to cost is us about $100-$150. LOVELY, we had no idea and obviously neither did D. I looked it up online and it looks like it is part of our closing costs. Jim will discuss with our attorney (another of Jim's best friends-but VERY smart and VERY reliable...Unlike D, I trust him)

This whole thing is such a pain in my butt. It looks like things are working out, but it wouldn't be our life if it was uneventful. I need to pack but it's about to rain and I wanna snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie on TV or read. OH maybe I will catch up with Days of our lives on TIVO with yummy Dr. Jonas!!

I can't wait to move and be done with this whole thing.