Cloudy Lake

Velvet Cows

We are going to miss another closing.  For some weird reason, I am completely calm about all of this today.  I know that I will probably start hyperventilating on Sunday when it hits me that we don't have a house to move into and I will be dropping young Padewan off at School each morning and picking him up from my sisters each day when I drop off the baby. 

Since we were supposed to move this weekend and that has been cancelled, my sister informed me that I would be going to the fair with her.  I don't seem to have a choice in the matter.

My husband has told me that He is NOT going.  He hates crowds, lines and inflated prices on any given day, but put them all together at the fair grounds.. that is a recipe for a very unhappy husband.  So.. it will most likely just be the sister, the baby (hers), the teenager(mine), and myself. 

I Heart Fairs....I love to look at the horses and feel that Beau is more beautiful than any of the horses at the fairgrounds.  I love to see all the different dogs, chickens and goats.  We love to see the pigs and most of all.. we love to look at the cows.  Dairy cattle are just cool to me.. especially the Jersey cows.. I think their coats look like Velvet.. I used to call them Velvet Cows when I was little..

See this:

 

They are soooo sweet looking!

I wanted to take one home and keep it in the backyard.  I used to believe that I could have random amounts of animals at any given time in my backyard.  My parents disagreed.. They were absolutely NO fun!

Going to the fair is so much fun for me.. and to get to go with the baby for the first time is a huge bonus for me.  I get to be the nana that took Ally to the fair.  

Paxton just wants to ride the rides, so I am not sure how that will work.  Unless he can take a friend, and that friends parent gives them money for a wristband and food.. Paco will be solo.

Since we are not moving.. I have many things to do.. and less to do.. It is bizarre how that translates.

I have to cancel the horse moving, and let my current place know he is staying for another thirty days.. and I have to call the school and see what we have to get for supplies and schedule.. since he is not changing districts.. and I have to rifle through the storage units to try and find my passport..

I have been saying my favorite prayer all morning.. "Little Jesus, lost and found, please bring my "passport" around."

I believe very strongly in prayer... even though I have moved away from my church.. and that means more than the physical location.. my faith is under a test right now and I am really finding that I yearn for another church now.  Another topic for another day.

The little Jesus prayer has brought most things back to me.. including my son's bike that was stolen a few weeks ago.. I said that prayer every day for three days.. and someone found the bike and returned it... so.. saying it sure couldn't hurt since I have to "find" the box I put it in... about three months ago.. thinking it was a temporary thing...

We are looking at a house this evening that has "wife's dream house" written all over it.  I am hopeful but not excited, since my hopes have been dashed far too many times this summer.. but I continue to be optimistic, because the alternitive is just too crappy to think about.

Thursday is the day before Friday.. which means the weekend and the Fair are just around the corner.. Hmmm Roasted corn on the cob, Fair Burgers and Scones.. Here I come!!!.. and hopefully I can pet a Velvet Cow while I am there.

My Birthday at the Beach - Wordless Wednesday

This is linked back to Wordless Wednesday.. Check it out!

In about three hours

In about three hours our house fate again will be decided.

I coped with that knowledge by going to my new favorite store.. the assistance league. They are a wonderful thrift shop that offers assistance to many different charities.. so not only do I get a bargain, but I am shopping somewhere that makes a real difference in the community.

I hit the mother load.. and that is all I am going to say about that.. because next week for the first time I am going to join a blog party and I am going to photograph my treasures this week and then I will post more on that later..

I am crossing my fingers that I will be moving this week.

Another Weekend gone

Another Weekend with no resolution. I seriously feel like I am just floating along with no direction and that tends to drive me crazy.

This weekend though, I finally washed my car, did crazy amounts of laundry at the laundromat, and had the sister and niece out for the day on Saturday. That was pretty awesome.

This week is the deciding week. Either we get to move in to the house prior to close or we walk from the deal and find a house to rent this weekend and my vacation is spent getting moved into a rental.. UGHHHH..

I really don't want to move three times in a short time period, but the alternative is worse.

That this is crush week at work doesn't help at all. I have a million things to do and no real time to get any of them done to the satisfaction I want.

Time to put my work hat on, and take off the real estate whining hat. High Ho.. High Ho.. it's off to work I go.. (whistling as I walk away from this post)

Another Friday

I hate to keep writing about Real Estate.  I would much rather regale you with tales of riding my pony, whipping up a fabulous batch of home made cinnamon rolls or the Fabulous BBQ Pork which I will share as soon as I make it again!  (the weather is still on the warm side)

So the latest installment of As the Real Estate Sale Turns is another "close to whiny post for me".  I hate Whining.  I come from the "Buck up little camper" school of thought.  However.. the optimism of 70 days of RV living NOT by choice with a husband, a teenager and three lovely puppies has worn thin.  Very thin.  We are two weeks away from school starting, so I am in a moderate state of panic over my son starting High School while living in GBNT. . and we don't have a GB address so he can't start high school in the closest town.  This would mean an 1.5 hour commute to school in the A.M. for him and he would have to go to a cousins house after school and wait to be picked up at about 6pm and then another 1.5 hour commute back to the trailer.

This would be such a hardship on both him and I that I just cannot bear to think about it too much.

We got an update on how long the title issue would take to get fixed.... Up to 8 weeks.  We are supposed to close in 7 days.  I am again.. in a moderate state of panic over this.

I wish that I could convey the absolute craziness of this summer and our attempts to buy a house.  We are both employed, we have excellent credit, the lowest debt ratio you can imagine.. we have ZERO credit card debt, we have more than 20% to put down, we are NICE people for goodness sakes, and yet it is us that is inconvenienced.  This is why I say;  folks to be careful how quickly you sell your home and to plan for

Contingencies. We planned for Contingencies, but not for TWO failed closings due to other peoples issues.

I choose to remain somewhat optimistic in thinking that this will be worked out and I will be getting a moving truck next week and all will be well.  I choose to believe that I have not pissed God off to the point that he will leave us stranded without a place to live.. and I am aware of the many things I DO have to be thankful for.  I figured I would jot them down.. it is always helpful to remember what you are thankful for on a Friday afternoon.

1.  I do have a bed to sleep on (it is a mattress on the floor, but it is a bed and it is pretty comfy)
2.  I have hot water, a decent size shower, and a working Potty.  (This really should be #1)
3.  I have my husband and at least one of my kids with me
4.  Our dogs are with us
5.  My Aunt and Uncle are our neighbors most of the time, and they offer us a beer usually.. and dinner
6.  I have a nice car to drive and make that long commute with
7.  My horse is safe, well fed and happy.. and the boarding owner is FABULOUS
8.  I have a John Deere tractor waiting to mow grass stored at above Boarding Facility
9.  My little Sister is the bees knees for keeping our Motor Home, Our oldest son, and our Hot Tub in storage at her house for FREE
10.  I have learned to do more with less
11.  I have learned to laugh at things that could and should make me cry.
12.  We have saved tons of money by not paying a mortgage, cable bill, water bill, or garbage bill., 19 year old eating grocery bill, . our monthly living expenses minus gas and groceries, insurance and car payment are 84.00 a month.. NOT bad~!

I am most thankful that both my husband and I are able to purchase another house..meaning we ARE still employed, have not had to take pay cuts or hours cut, we have very little bills and NO real debt other than one car payment.  These are things that carry me through to the next day!

What are YOU thankful for this Friday afternoon?

Enjoy the weekend

There is no crying in Real Estate

My DH made our mortgage person cry. He can be extremely blunt and to the point, and she took it to heart and was crying when he called her back. It has to do with our loan lock and the fact that we are stuck having to do 7 day locks instead of a 30 day lock. He and I are NOT mortgage or finance people so we are not sure why we have to play the banks game with this. The part of this that really chaps our hide is that she is trying to imply that the bank will feel "bad" if we don't continue with them.

Like we are supposed to have some sort of "bank guilt" if we don't continue with this particular lender since they have "gifted" us a week free of loan lock this week. (this is why she called in the first place). Since when do banks operate like the Sopranos?... we are obligated to this bank because they give us a free week of protection for our loan? Now we have to play their game??? He was understandably asking questions and she didn't have the answers we were looking for right away.

Long story short, we are keeping this loan this week, since we are talking to the sellers at the end of this week to see what we can do to get this wrapped up before I have a stroke. We are three weeks away from school starting and I really want to have Bubba registered so that he at least knows WHERE he will be attending his Freshman year.

My DH was reluctant to tell me that he made someone cry... and I pointed out that it is her job to take care of the borrowers, and she KNOWS that we have been totally screwed over with Real Estate this summer, AND... she has talked to you enough to know your personality when things don't make sense.. plus.. there is no crying in Real Estate.. it is business.. and she should probably get a little thicker skin to be in that business. Real Estate is emotional enough with all of the drama involved in a regular transaction, not to mention what we have been through.. and I still haven't cried over it. I have dropped some choice phrases, but I haven't cried.

I know that after this is over, and I am sitting in my tiny living room this winter, reading a book in front of the nice cozy wood stove, I will probably laugh so hard at our predicament that I might cry.. but right now I am far too focused on the end result to cry.. and I am sure that at some point it will overwhelm me and I might cry.. but not today.. today I am focused on work, and going to visit my Beau after work and start to pack up the crap I don't need at the barn. My horse will be and has been the balm to my frazzled nerves, and when I get overwhelmed, I go see my horse. I got emailed a great list today and I will share it here for any of you that happen to ride and or love horses.. you will "get it".. for all others.. sorry.. horse people are crazy.. good crazy mostly, but crazy none the less.

10 Exercises to becoming a better Equestrian!


10. Drop a heavy steel object on your foot. Don't pick it up right away. Shout, "Get off, Stupid, GET OFF!"

9. Leap out of a moving vehicle and practice "relaxing into the fall." Roll lithely into a ball and spring to your feet.

8. Learn to grab your checkbook out of your purse and write out a $200 check without even looking down.

7. Jog long distances carrying a halter and a carrot. Go ahead and tell the neighbors what you are doing - they might as well know now.

6. Affix a pair of reins to a moving freight train and practice pulling to a halt. Smile as if you are having fun.

5. Hone your fibbing skills: "See hon, moving hay bales is FUN!" and "No, really, I'm glad your lucky performance and multimillion dollar horse won the blue ribbon. I am just thankful that my hard work and actual ability won me second place."

3. Borrow the US Army's slogan: Be All That You Can Be -- bitten, thrown, kicked, slimed, trampled, frozen...

2. Lie face down in a puddle of mud in your most expensive riding clothes and repeat to yourself, "This is a learning experience, this is a learning experience, this is ..."

1. THE NUMBER ONE EXERCISE TO BECOME A BETTER EQUESTRIAN: Marry money.

I really really should have done #1

Happy Tuesday!

Friday Happy Dance

I love that it is Friday. I don't love the drizzle I woke up to.. but the weekend is supposed to turn out nice in the weather department.

This is good. This is very good. This is necessary as we are going to Emerald Downs tomorrow with the Morgan Horse Club Youth Group for a tour and a picnic and to see beautiful horses.

I could write about the opposing views on horse racing, but I am going to keep

mute on that subject for now. One, because I don't have the brain power right now to tackle that issue, and two I have mixed feelings about the sport myself. I have had two off the track horses with two totally different circumstances. My parents were very good friends with a farm owner and I had two beautiful broodmares and babies when I was eighteen.

I remember being able to go to the barns at Longacres when I was old enough and I will never forget those magnificent creatures when I was at the peak of my horse crazy self. I have never really gotten over my horse crazy stage, but it has been tempered by other events in my life.

I have a horse again now.. and he is never going to be a Thoroughbred.. he is a Morgan.. and I pretend that he is going to be an upper level Dressage horse.. (I can always dream).

The majesty of him though is not lost on the fact that he can't race. Watching those horses burst out of the gate and run down that track, I can tell you this for sure after growing up around this sport... Those horses LOVE to run. They have to. They would never make it to the gate if they didn't absolutely LOVE their job. Horses have personalities.. Horses have VERY strong personalities at times.. and Most of them that race or compete on certain levels of Dressage and Jumping and the equine sports that require them to be incredible athletes.. love what they do. Not all.. I will concede that their are evil people out there.. and evil methods, and stupidity around a good deal of corners.. but for the most part.. the horses that are out their competing LOVE their jobs.

Beau is a fabulous example of this. Beau is a World Champion Hunter. He has won in the A world show in OK.. however.. he likes to do other things... Dressage is interesting to him.. but it is hard.. so he protests for a little bit.. but then he gets into it, because it keeps his mind busy.. he has to Think.. and Beau likes to think.. he likes to be a couple steps ahead of me at all times.. it is in his personality. But what he really loves.. is to go into a show ring.. My horse is vain.. there is no other way to say it. He can be an ASS at home.. take him to the show grounds.. and he is much calmer.. it is weird. Warm up.. he is all posturing, blowing, snorting.. being a giraffe.. but the minute that "bingo" music (as my husband calls it) starts and the arena gates open for the class... my horse is ALL business.

The best example I have seen is last year when we went to a Morgan show in Oregon. I loaned him to my trainers daughter for a youth hunter class and she went in with 14 other kids.. this was the 14-17 Hunter Pleasure class.. the biggest of the day. The arena was not made for 15 girls going mach 10 on horses that in some cases were too much horse for the rider. Beau and K went in.. he was all business. She didn't even TRY to ride him.. and still they looked great (she was having a teenage moment right before the class), but he didn't care.. he went around all of the blow ups (three kids excused, two came off of their horses), and just maneuvered around with not a shake of his head or a nostril flare. I was so proud of him. He takes care of his rider at all times in the show ring. He is the ultimate gentleman in the ring.. of course he loves to go mach 10.. it is his favorite gait (extended trot and extended canter), because he is that cool.

Coming back around to my point... I am not that into showing.. and I really don't get Morgan Hunter classes.. I learned to event when I was 14 and Hunter meant long and low so they could stretch for a proper hack.. Morgans are all bridled up in a "frame".. not my kind of hunter. But because he loves it.. we will head back to a couple of the Morgan shows next year so my horse can get his fix.. either with me.. or K. She has said she would like to ride a "competitive" horse next year, and I told her he was available. I can still attempt my dressage goals, and he can get his kicks going around in those circles while a very sweet older lady plays the organ...and hopefully puts a smile on the face of a very sweet 17 year old girl that would just love to "win" a couple.

I am looking forward to hanging out with the club tomorrow and watch a couple races. On Sunday I am going to go and Hug my horse and give him a good grooming. He has been a pasture ornament this summer and we are getting ready to move him soon so he can get back to work. More on that later.

Cruising Along

I am just so exhausted these days.. I have not really had anything meaningful to put down. I have tons of swirling thoughts that spin around in my head and almost make it out of my fingertips onto the electronic version of my journal, yet, somehow, they haven't quite made it that far.

I have conflicting thoughts right now. I have been cruising the internet and reading all of these MOST amazing blogs and I am now thinking.. What in the heck am I doing?

Then I realize.. this is my journal for me, whether or not anyone ever reads it or comments on it.. it is my journey to discuss and my place to learn how to write and figure out some things and document my own version of creativity.

I am inspired by several things this week. I am always inspired by Pioneer Woman's blog.. I mean.. WOW!

But today.. I have found serious love.. at Bakerella.. Cake pops are a MUST for me to make when I have an actual kitchen and a freezer that will hold a cookie sheet.

and Southern Hospitality and the blogs that post their yard sale finds

Between Naps on the Porch.. WOW.. met Monday..

I could go on forever.. but those are a few that pop out for this week that could get me in serious trouble.. see I can spend HOURS.. HOURS reading those blogs.. I just wish there was a blog reader job out there that would enable me to indulge in this new found love of mine.. the bloggy world.

I have always loved Dooce BTW...

Another Closing Date has passed

People like to ask me.. "Have a house yet?".. and I am still responding.. NO! Thank you very much.. I don't. I have stopped talking about it, and really kind of stopped thinking about this house that we were supposed to close on this last Monday.

There is a delay. It is a fixable delay, but again it is caused by the other side not having their "stuff" together. It is starting to make be more than a little anxious as we are T Minus 4 weeks for school to start for the young Padawan. I still have School Clothes and Supply Shopping to do.. which I have held off on because.. OH yeah.. WE LIVE IN A TRAILER! and there is really no where for brand new clothes to go.. except for in a bin in the storage place.

I know that I will have to break down and go and do it while the best sales are on.. because my husband likes to remind me that "we are trying to buy a house here and we don't have extra money to be flinging around on clothing and paper for our 14 year old child who is entering high school."

Except that we have yet to actually go through a closing and "BUY A HOUSE.".. Most people tell us that it is a sign of the times and this is just a reflection of what is going on out there. I look at them in awe and I really don't respond any more.

I don't tell them that a. It is either God has a serious problem with us and wants us to suffer through this so we might go back to church, or B. It is just a string of bad luck because I somehow have some serious bad Karma.. probably because I haven't been to church in awhile.

Our Real Estate Agent is a very nice lady. She is also extremely level headed, wonderfully patient with me and is very very smart. She has really made this all semi tolerable. I think I would have gone to jail for assault if she hadn't been around to intervene in the last deal that went south due to the crazy sellers. One that front.. we STILL have not gotten our earnest money back. I think they are of the mind of sticking their heads in the sand and we will get bored and finally go away. That is horribly naive thinking on their part as I am as stubborn as they come and you cannot rip me off, steal my house, turn my life upside down and keep me from a really nice kitchen without having some repercussions here people!

I had so many things I wanted to write about today, but after my rant I am running out of steam a little bit. I went to the Doctor last night and it was the WORST appointment of my life. When did Doctors get cold, unfeeling and rush through things without listening to a WORD their patients say.. and then require them to come back for a 10 min procedure because they just don't feel like doing it?????????

At least my son got his sports physical.. his first one.. LOL.. I wasn't in the room for the exam.. you know the one.. the hand and the coughing????? ... but when I asked him about it.. He laughed and said it was just Weird.. and then he looked and me and said.. Drop it mom.. That is all you are getting.. Man.. that kid really knows his mama.. then I dropped him off after Taco Bell at my friends place. Her hubby is taking his son and mine to a Mariners game tonight.. They are excited.. if they are one of the first 20k, they will get a bobble head.. I know that is why I would go.. the bobble head. His aunt told him to get the garlic fries since that is the only reason she goes.. I told him I wanted the bobble head.. and he just said NO.. you cannot have it.. so I told him that I would never buy him Taco Bell again.. and he just laughed.. he knows I won't totally nix Taco Bell forever.. plus.. his brother would take him anyway.

The only really good thing about today is that it is Friday.. and that means two whole days of not having to go to work.. ahhhh.. two days!

Enjoy your weekend.. I know I am going to.

Beau Has a Friend

I love to take Photos. I am still hopelessly ignorant about the process of capturing the "perfect" picture and with the fun things you can do to digital photos to edit them and make them what you envisioned.. if only after the fact.

Above is Beau and his new friend Duke. They like to express their friendship by touching noses. I like to take pictures of this because it makes me smile that my horse has a friend. This is all I have today. I am off to get more things done.. and This seemed the best thing to Share