Updates

Let's see... Offers have been agreed upon for my headache house.  Now we just need to get all the legalities ironed out and paperwork signed and money exchanged.  I'm happy about the fact it is a cash deal.  I wish we could have gotten a bit more out of the place but it sold "as is."  The fact we didn't have to dump a ton of money into it right now when things are tight is a very good thing.

I guess we have a couple of other things to do in the house department.  One, figure something out a bit more long term with our Montana house.  We might have to refinance to make things work.  That wouldn't really be a bad thing with the drop in interest rates since we bought the house.  Just a pain in the rear to do.  Especially long distance appraisals etc.  The other thing is we need to decide what we are doing here in Nebraska as far as housing.

Our rental is pretty crappy.  It is nice and big and there are some great parts about it but overall it is not a great place.  Certainly not something we want to buy.  We have looked at some properties around the area.  If nothing else to get a feel for the area.  Tom wouldn't mind being in town but I'm very much done with living in town.  I like a lot of the houses in town, but I don't like the traffic, noise, closeclose neighbors, or the restrictions on what you can or can't do.  I guess I will always be a country girl.

We are looking at a 10 acre chunk with a house and some outbuildings.  The house is pretty sad but the outbuildings are in decent shape.  My main worry is whether or not it is flood plane for insurance.  The water is good for the pasture as they still have good grass (granted no animals are on it) despite the drought.  We are going to go take a look at the inside of the house today.  It looks okay from peeking in windows which all need replaced.  At least if this other sale goes as planned we should have enough to replace windows.  Maybe we'll actually get some energy efficient windows we won't have to cover with plastic every winter. ;)

So, onto kiddo updates.  I know it has been awhile.  Bear loves school.  Mornings are bit rough since he is in the afternoon preschool session.  All he wants is for it to be time for school.  That can kinda drive me bonkers. I'm glad he likes school but the 500 times I get asked if it is time to go to school yet kind of wears on a person. 

Amelia has decided she needs to be like big brother and have her backpack on.  Only she doesn't go to school or want to wear clothes so she runs around here in a diaper and her little purple and pink Dora backpack.  She even fell asleep with it on last night.  She was pretty funny.  Mia gains new words everyday.  She is a talker.  She is also a little parrot right now.  Everything she sees us doing she does.  If we lean on a cabinet; she leans on a cabinet.  That kind of thing. 

I can tell we have goatheads and she has stepped on a few.  Now when we go outside and she sees the puncture vine that Tom burned she says, "goathead!"  The funniest is the face she makes and how she says it.  It is with such disgust and such an awful face you can tell she does not like the things.  Not that I blame her.  It is all I can do to keep from cussing at the goatheads.

Alright, I think I've rambled long enough to get Bear to sleep.  I suppose while he's getting a short nap I should make sure we are ready to walk out the door for school.  I also have lots of other things I could be doing but I have had no motivation this week.  Oh well.  That happens when the weather gets so stinking hot.

House

The headache house has an offer on the table.  Oh I do hope this doesn't fall through!  I just want my headache gone.  Hoping, praying, stomach in knots, the whole nine-yards...

Sunday already

Who would have thought that being at home would make time fly?  I thought the work week went by quickly.  This is insane.  Just when I think I'll get caught up I realize a whole other week is gone.  Such as life.

We've had a busy weekend.  We made a flying trip to Colorado to pick up stuff that was shipped in from CA.  Thank you Tylee clan.  Our house is starting to look like our house.  We did that trip yesterday so we spent yesterday afternoon setting up a big kid bed for Mia and the big screen t.v.  Since we already had a truck rented to haul stuff yesterday we went and picked up an upright piano today.  Those things are not fun to move with just two people.  Ugh!

At least everyone is happy to have a piano in the house again.  I think we are all hooked on it.I love when people sit around in the evening and chat and sing and the kids dance while someone plays the piano.  It seems a little silly, but it kinda makes me feel like we stepped back in time.

Let's see... I think I have a place scoped out to plant some peas this fall.  I also scored some great flower seeds for nothing.  In fact I might have to see if they still have some today.  There were some really great flowers, herbs, and vegetables in the pile.  I couldn't believe it. 

I need to get the chicken coop cleaned up.  I'm hoping to get that cleaned and repaired so I might be able to get some chickens before winter.  I also need to spray the stinking puncture vine.  I hate that weed with a passion.  The goatheads it produces as a seed pod are sooooo painful when they puncture the bottom of your bare foot.  Talk about make a girl cuss and dance around.

I suppose I should go do some of my chores instead of talking about them. 

Snippets

*I hate goatheads!  I know, strong words.  But the little buggers hurt. Like crazy.  There is some control you can do but not much.  I have to give it to a plant like that.  So strong, resilient, and stubborn.  I just wish they didn't puncture my dog's feet, my feet, my kids' feet, hurt livestocks' mouths, and so on.

*We get to drive down to Colorado to pick up the rest of our stuff that got shipped from California.  We'll go in the morning and hopefully be back in the afternoon.  Can't wait to see what kind of fun things besides a giant t.v. we got.

*Bear starts school tomorrow.  I don't think I'm ready for the chaos of school.  I know he is very ready to go and make friends though.  He is such a little social butterfly that he needs friends besides Momma.

*The kids had their first real babysitter experience last night.  A girl of 15 who seemed older in a nice mature way and didn't say "like" every other word.  There might be some hope for society after all.

* I'm not sure if I'm happy or frustrated with a lot of things right now.  I miss my garden terribly, but I love being at home with the kids.  I want to settle into living here, but I know it could be fairly temporary.  At the same time things may work out okay and we'll be here longer than we think.  Ya never know what will happen with you are renting a house.

*The welcome wagon lady is supposed to stop by soon.  I'm excited to see what is in the basket.  I love welcome baskets.  We got a great one when we lived in Belt, MT.  All the local churches got together and put some nice homemade pot holders, dish towels, and some hot chocolate mix in there.  I think there were even two cups for the chocolate.  Then because it was the church ladies there were pamphlets from all the churches in town. 

*I went to let the dog out last night and almost stepped on a toad.  A cute little bugger about 4 inches long and 2-3 inches wide.  From a little research he was probably a Woodenhouse Toad.  I got some pictures that I promise I will post along with some waaaaay over due photos. 

*In fact I am going to try to find my card reader today and do that.  It is one of the many things I haven't unpacked yet.

* I see the time and I'd better get ready for the Welcome Wagon.  Apparently she is very punctual.

Housing

Sometimes an inheritance is not all that you hoped it would be. *sigh*  I inherited a house a few years back and I've had to put some major money into just to really truly get it.  And now in order to sell it I'm going to have to dump more money into because the guy who was there didn't take care of it.  Of course it is money I don't really have to dump into it.  Grrrr...  I'm hoping the place will actually sell within a reasonable amount of time and then hopefully I'll make some money.  Right now though it isn't feeling very good to be sending out large chunks of money. 

Oh well.  Enough venting I suppose.  Just needed that off my chest so I can get on with emptying the coffers. :)  Our house here in NE is getting better.  We ripped out the awful carpets this weekend.  We are both a bit sore and it was a lot of work but boy does the house smell better.  Now I might actually begin to like the place.  Despite two busy roads that surround us. 

The place does have an awesome chicken coop though.  It needs lots of clean up and a few repairs, but I'll be able to get chickens!  It will be nice to not have to chase down someone else for fresh eggs.  Speaking of... we went to the little (tiny) farmer's market here.  There was some good stuff, just not many vendors.  A rather stark difference from the 3 different markets (those are the main ones) in Missoula.  It was nice though. 

We purchased:

A loaf of bacon bleu cheese bread
a dozen eggs
2 whole chickens
a pound of breakfast sausage
a honey comb
a 2 oz honey bear
and 3 tomatoes

I think we might have spent $40 total.  With coffee (before market) and books (after market) we might have spent around $50 bucks for the day.  Not bad considering what we got.  I managed to hit the sale on the chickens at $2 per pound.  Great price considering they are organically raised, local, and free range.  Eggs were only a quarter more a dozen than I was paying in Missoula from a friend of mine.  Which actually will go away now that we have a carton because if you bring your carton back she gives you a quarter off the price.

So see?  Despite my gripes about this place there are some good things.  We have weekends to run around together as a family and go to the park or go swimming. We did both this weekend.  There is a great retro movie theater downtown.  Plus there are some great antique shops and just general downtown stores that every small town used to have.  They are still here!  Everyone seems really nice to boot. 

We've even found someone to babysit the kids.  For at least one night. We'll see how she works out and how she feels about doing it more often.  Speaking of which, I'd better get some information down for her.

A few random thoughts

For never wanting to be a landlord I've somehow ended up with two houses in two states (different than I'm living in to boot).  I so want this headache to just end.  Oh well.  It will end soon enough I hope.  Both houses are going (or already are) on the market.  Hopefully from there it will get better.

My current house is getting better.  Half the house is usable.  Now if I can ever get unpacked enough and things moved around enough to clear the living room and rip out cat pee carpet.  I swear no cats in the house.  Yuck!!  Not many smells that can beat that stench.

So besides housing issues Nebraska is treating us well.  It is a little tough going over a  month without any sort of income.  Well, that hopefully won't be perfectly true.  I'm hoping to take a bunch of this stuff that we don't use and hold a yard sale.  That will bring in some money.  I'm kind of making a game out of what I can cook and buy for a very small amount of money.  It has been awhile and I know it won't last forever. 

Bear and Mia are being great about the move.  Bear is excited to be starting preschool and Mia is cutting more teeth.  Poor girl has been hungry but doesn't want to eat.  Frustrating for both of us.  Next week and the start of school can't come soon enough.  Every day I get asked if Bear can go to school yet and why it is taking so long to get here. 

Let's see.  We are somewhat moved in.  Not much is very organized.  I miss my garden like crazy but I love having a basement.  And I love my really big walk-in closet and my own office/sewing room that is the size of a lot of bedrooms.  The main thing I'm not loving is the noise and smell of cat pee.  Such as life.  We can put up with a lot for a year. 

One of these days I'll locate the camera, get some pictures, actually upload them, and finally get some on here.

And we’re here…

It is official we are in Nebraska.  Our stuff is not.  It has been quite a little adventure.  Let’s see where to start.  Tom stayed in St. Iggy to finish up packing, finish his job, and supervise the movers.  In the meantime the kids and I went down to my mom’s house in Idaho for a little vacation.  I got to finally hang out with my best friend and her two kids that are about the same age and Bear and Mia.  We had a lot of fun letting the kids play at parks, consignment store shopping and so on.  Toward the end of the week Tom caught up with us in Idaho and spent some time with us there.  Then it was off on our adventure.  We took a route through Wyoming that neither of us had ever gone before.  The pass, which I know I can’t spell the name of so will be nameless, was under construction for about 30 miles so it was some slow going at first.  We spent the night in Casper which is where things started to get interesting. 

I took Buddy out to pee at about midnight and could see all sorts of cops and other folks standing around the bridge (we were right on the North Platte) talking and taking pictures.  I couldn’t tell what was going on but it kinda was like someone had jumped.  Come to find out the next morning someone had.  Nice part of town I guess (I so need a sarcasm font for stuff like this).  After our stay in Casper we continued on our journey.  As we were pulling in Guernsey, WY I was looking for the speed limit sign and instead found a cop that pulled me over for speeding.  Luckily I didn’t get a ticket but poor Bear was worried we wouldn’t make it to Nebraska.

We did finally make it to Nebraska and got checked into a hotel.  We got all settled and then noticed that everything in the room and on doorways etc. said NO PETS.  Uh-oh.  We of course had Buddy with us.  Come to find out the internet booking system had said pets allowed and even had us down as a special request for a pet and the owners hadn’t caught it.  So Buddy was allowed rather reluctantly.  Good thing he is a good dog.  We got our lease all lined out and then went to move into the house.

Next adventure: The previous renter wasn’t out yet.  Not too big a deal other than it was hot, the kids needed naps, the dog needed out of the car, my house plants were seriously wilted, and I was done being in motels and cars.  She finally got out and we walked in to find the cat pee stench so bad we just about lost our lunch.  Oh boy.  And now we can’t get ahold of the landlord.  I’ve been by their house and I think they are out of town.  We took matters into our own hands and shampooed the carpets ourselves.  Better but still not great.  We are going to try to have the dining room carpet replaced with tile or linoleum and the back entry way carpet and back bathroom carpet has cat pee and mildew smell to it and needs replaced.  The main bathroom toilet is sinking into the floor due to rotted floor boards.  Not a pretty picture is it?  Once those main things get fixed the house will be a great place to live albeit probably not one we’ll buy. 

There are a few things I love about the house though.  I get a loft office/sewing room and a full walk-in closet.  The closet is more like a whole room.  There are linen closets, a fire place, a huge master suite, closets in every room, a basement, a laundry room, and it sits on 3 acres.  There is a patio area for BBQs and a chicken coop that needs cleaned up.  There is a two car shop/garage and a single garage.  There is a tree where we set up a swing and a trapeze bar for the kids and there were clothes line poles.  The yard needs some serious TLC and the outbuildings are in kinda sad shape but I think if we can get the cat pee, mildew, and rotten floor taken care of we’ll be in good shape.

I do really like the area though.  It is almost badlands but not quite.  It reminds me a lot of the Steptoe, WA area; almost rolling hills and almost desert but not quite either one.  We ended up at the county fair yesterday.  It was a fun little fair.  Quiet, hot, windy, and dusty.