Thursday, January 30, 2014

Blah....

last week the youngest screamer came home from school with some sort of rapid attack stomach thing that knocked him flat.  It lasted about 3 days.  3 days of me griping at him about not eating.  3 days of him making rush trips to the bathroom (and it wasn't vomit).  By the end of day 3 he was hungry and everything was more solid.

I was so certain we (Tanker, Eldest and Myself) had dodged the bullet.

Ha!

Yesterday (almost a week later), Tanker and I got hit with it.  Tanker still had an appetite.  I was having flashbacks to my pregnancy with youngest screamer...flashbacks that involved food smells and me hanging out at the trash can while cooking.  Yeah.  The males ended up fending for themselves while I practiced mouth breathing to keep from having to smell.  Dinner for me was an orange.

Today I am more human.  All the males are out of the house so I've not had to yet test whether or not food still stinks.  Mainly because I'm not hungry still.  Water and flat Sprite are my friends today.  Unfortunately Tanker has class until late and won't be home until nearly midnight....this means I cook tonight.  Crap.  No, no crap...please no more crap.  Sigh.

I also get to clean the kitchen from yesterday's male sponsored fiasco.  Yay.

That might just be the only thing I do today.  And it might just wait until after I take a nap.  I'm exhausted from a lousy night's sleep and an early morning.  I hear the quilts a'calling.




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Saturday, January 25, 2014

What the Polar Vortex Has Taught Us....

Us being me and mine.

The Polar Vortex (hereafter referred to as PV) has shown us a multitude of things (and no, it's not "over" as so many have been saying...ie weather persons locally).

It has taught us that the decision to not buy this house (and to move closer to Tanker's chosen educational institution) is a really, really, really good decision.  It's not the ice or snow...no really big problems with the road per se...it's the wind.  The wind this year has been something else.  No big surprise.  PV has brought several days of doozy winds.  PV bringing said winds has allowed us to learn that this house, newly "built" on top of an old foundation (original foundation is strong, btw), leaks like a freakin' sieve.

The "energy efficient" windows leak (improper installation or insulation...likely both) so badly you can sit and watch the mini blinds sway.  There is a nice, rather large, gap between the floor and the baseboard in the dining room area that sends a breeze flowing across the floor when the wind is blowing from that direction (currently PV has some nice gusty winds blowing from all directions...she's bipolar).

The finish work is shit in this house as well.  Carpet (new and expensive) is coming up at all the thresholds, the "floating" wood floor is floating alright...you should see the waves when you walk across it...drywall tape and seams popping through the paint job (oh, which was applied over drywall dust so it has interesting texture in some spots), there is no caulk around any of the bath related stuffs that should be caulked, the bathroom sinks both leak and I can't use (because I can't get to them due to the size of the refrigerator) a good chunk of the kitchen cabinets.  Poor layout and more.

I know...it seems like I'm reaching...but for the price we pay monthly AND the end asking price on this place, I frankly expect it to be worth it.  It is not.  I giggle because this is supposed to be the landlord/builder's crown jewel...his big ticket building.  Prime vacation home property.  On the surface, it's beautiful and wonderful.  Just what many would want in a vacation home.

PV came along and showed us all the things that a vacation home owner would not have noticed just yet.  And I think that landlord/builder knew that these would be issues that would pop up eventually...probably the reason he wasn't overly keen on a one year lease (he wanted 6 months).  I'm keeping track of issues and will hand him the list when we inform him (in May or June) that we will not be purchasing.  Will he be happy?  Likely not as his crown jewel with flaws will be on the market in a neighborhood with houses the same size with more amenities (hello, private dock and a garage with more land) and a cheaper sell price.

The screamers have been a hard sale with the next move....they love the school (as do I) and are tired of moving (as am I....for now) but they've come around.  They enjoy being able to go out and do things....we don't get to do many things now because of location AND having to make sure that extra cash is always available in the event of the one working vehicle needing something/anything so Tanker can get to and from school.  So, sharing with them the monetary and thing doing benefits was a necessity.  It worked.  They are on board and ready to go now....patience is not their forte.

As it is, the hunt is sorta on for a place in the desired area.  There are several that would work...now to just hope we have the same options come time to move!

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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Pay No Attention....

to the puppet on the public stage.  Re-elect him then sit back and watch the show.  Do nothing until it's too late.

It's damn near too late.

Maybe it is already.

Too many just don't care.  Period.

Those that prepare...keep doing what you can.

Those that don't...sorry.





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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Been Derelict....

in my clearing out the kitchen/storage duties....still.

There have been some fairly important decisions being made about other stuff and that particular area has been put on the back burner (again)....fairly easy to do when all I have to do is shut the door and not look at it.  Also, the gathering of paperwork and writing of letters concerning the "stolen" taxes just seriously burned out my brain for a few days.  Slowly getting back to my normal.

On another note, there looms a j-o-b interview (first round) for me.  Tuesday.  And it's not fast food or retail related...so positive thoughts on that would be most welcome.  It would be the perfect fit for my future plans but we all know that Murphy lives with me so expecting the unexpected is expected.

Just thought I'd drop a quick life update in here today...have a bigger post planned for later (maybe tomorrow) about the "fairly important decisions" and how they relate to our preps and plans.  We're still not 100% sure how but that's why I have you lot...you get to point out the holes!

Have a good weekend all....I'm off to work on some more lists...HA!
The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts. --Edmund Burke