Category Archives: Flotsam / Jetsam

Flotsam / Jetsam

Gimme shelter

There are several factors that contribute to the fact that we seem destined for a life of renting. Rockford and I have been married for seven and a half years, and we have yet to buy a home. Much of that is due to a history of financial nitwittery. Right now, though, the prevailing factor is the housing market.

I have heard rumors that this is the time to buy a house. They say that prices have dropped tremendously. Apparently we’re living in some sort of Realtors’ utopia, though, because houses here still cost a great big chunk of change. Even if that weren’t the case, it’s also become more difficult to get a mortgage, especially if you don’t have loads of cash on hand. (Which, should you need clarification, we do not.)

So we’ll continue renting for a few more years. Or forever, maybe. Whatever.

Anyway, our current lease ends at the end of August. I’ve already delivered our intent-to-vacate letter, which means we’ll definitely be moving somewhere. The question is, where? I want a house. With a yard. In my ideal world, we would find a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom house with a garage, a finished basement and a large, fenced backyard. Oh, and a beautiful, functional kitchen. And it would be within walking distance of to the library and grocery store. In the real world, I’d like to find a house with at least 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths and a yard that (a) doesn’t sit in front of four lanes of traffic and (b) isn’t a ravine. Beyond that, I’m not picky. (That’s not true. I’m extremely picky.)

I’m not in panic mode yet, but it’s been a tough search so far. We looked at one house that had a basement straight out of a B-grade horror flick. It even had a fallout shelter! Which could come in handy, I guess, but we passed nevertheless. We’ve also passed on:

  • The townhouse with the domestic dispute occurring on the front stoop.
  • The house with the paved yard.
  • The lovely house with a treehouse and a great yard — that was half an hour away from Rockford’s office. (I know 30 minutes is a wee commute in some areas, but not this one.)

    I keep saying that I’m not going to look at any more rental listings until August. Then five minutes later, there I am on Craigslist. It’s a sickness. In my defense, though, there are people listing houses that aren’t available until August. Which is when we need to move. So there’s nothing wrong with me looking at all. See how easily I rationalize the crazy?

    • Flotsam / Jetsam

    I still don't really know what 'epistemology' means

    There’s a contest going on over at Mama’s Losin’ It! Kat’s giving away all sorts of stuff. I’m hoping to win the Target gift card. You can put your name in the hat once by commenting on the contest blog and again by adding her to your blogroll. And one more time by working a bunch of Kat-specified words into a post on your own blog. Which is what I’m doing here.

    For the Love of LOL: A tiny, tiny story that goes nowhere
    Shirley stepped out of the shower, grabbed her cell phone and her favorite beige towel and hightailed it to the living room to turn down the stereo.

    “Hello?” she answered. She wondered briefly why she continued to answer that way, as if the salutation were a question. As if the cell phone hadn’t already told her it was her best friend Maureen on the other end.

    “Guess who’s coming to town?” Maureen shrieked. It was a bit early for Maureen’s histrionics, Shirley thought with a sigh.

    “I don’t know, Mo,” she said. “Who?”

    “Lowell O’Leary and the Lesbian Greyhounds!”

    Shirley’s heart skipped a beat. The Greyhounds? In South Nowheresville? Maureen had to be mistaken.

    “You’re kidding me, right? Why would they come here?”

    “LOL’s grandmother went to high school here, I guess, and they’re doing a benefit show,” Maureen said, “for the Save the Fluke Foundation.”

    “That’s ridiculous,” Shirley said as her excitement waned. “Someone’s playing you, Maureen. You’re so gullible.”

    “Oh, what do you know?” Maureen said.

    “Please don’t bring your epistemology in to this,” she said. “I’m in no mood for a philosophical debate.”

    “Whatever, Shirl. Check their MySpace!”

    Flotsam / Jetsam

    Road trip II: The destination

    The drive went amazingly well. It took a long time to get here, but the kids were great. Not a single meltdown.

    Where’d we go? It isn’t Disney World, but we’re having a nice time anyway. We’re at my dad’s house for the week, visiting family and going through all the stuff we have stored here.

    Part of that’s been a little depressing. Most of the clothes I’ve found are from a time when I weighed about 40 pounds less than I do now. What saddened me most about seeing them wasn’t that I’ve gained so much weight but that when I was wearing them, I was so focused on losing more weight. Oh well. Maybe I’ll get there again one day.