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Thursday, October 29, 2009

It's official!

The appraiser gave the lender the go-ahead and said everything looks fine.
 
Closing is tomorrow! 
 
Whodathunkit???
 
 
 

Pins and Needles ...

Well ... the appraiser went by the house and did the re-inspection.  He told the contractor that everything looks good.  We're now just waiting for the appraiser to get his report to the lender and for the lender to give us all the green light for the closing for tomorrow. 
 
I won't believe it until it's all completed. 
 
Fingers still crossed,
Jodi
 

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Toothless

Well ... last night was a night I'll not forget any time soon, as much as I would like to. About 10:00 p.m. ... my mouth started bothering me. A little background here. With a combination of drug abuse years ago, bad dentistry, and poor dental hygiene, if I actually had money, I'd be a dentist's dream. Five years ago, after not having visited the dentist in about 15 years, I went and saw some pompous asshole in Boise. He told me that I needed about $12K to fix a few teeth in the upper right side of my mouth. One tooth is broken, and the other three needed pulling (so ... all of my molars on that side at the top), and implants needed to be done. I laughed. He gave me the antibiotics, things stopped hurting, and so I never went back. Over the years, when it would start to flare up, I would find someone who had some antibiotics, and put the infection at bay for a while. But ... I never dealt with it. I paid for that last night. Dearly. Around 12:00, I ended up packing my crying ass into the truck and heading to town for some pain killers. Anbesol and Alleve. By 6:00 a.m., I had taken 9 Alleves and went through the entire tube of Anbesol and about 60,000 tears. Ice was the only thing that offered me any relief.

So 9:00 this morning, my fat ass was in the dentist chair at Gentle Dental in Nampa. Those people were great. We've decided that the rear tooth is fine, and it will make a good anchor for the partial, after he removes the 3 molars. My appointment is scheduled for 2 weeks from yesterday. I may move it a bit because of the move, but I am going to have this done. I am tired of fighting this quadrant of my mouth.

Vicodin rocks.

Antibiotics are good too.

House news.

I got a call from the lender. He requested I come to his office and sign some disclosures for FHA. Okey Dokey. Janie drove me into Boise and we got it done. The appraiser went and re-inspected the house today. Unfortunately, I have no news about his findings as of yet. Closing is still set for this Friday supposedly. I am now cautiously optomistic.

Please keep your fingers crossed.

I really need some sleep.

Hasta La Pasta.
Jodi

Monday, October 26, 2009

A Honkin' Party!

Janie and I drove down to the house tonight to decide on interior colors. I was telling her that on my street ... I've been seeing mule deer almost every time I drive through there in the evening. So, I was driving along nice and carefully on the winding road, waiting for the headlights to catch the eyeballs staring back at us. No such luck. Oh well.

I turn into the driveway. And there they were. 4 eyeballs. Two large does. They hop the fence and get on the ditchbank ... where the other 3 were standing. Those must be the group of five does I saw in my neighbor's pasture the other day.

So we decided on colors for the various rooms. (I can't wait, but wowie! This is going to be a ton of work!) We were standing out on the deck (you can't go to the house and not stand on the deck at some point)... and the geese from across the street were chatting it up. It was LOUD! I told Janie that I would probably have to call the cops if the noise continued, and she told me I was just mad because I didn't get invited to the party.

Keeping my fingers crossed (and everything else) for Friday. Then I still need to find a name for that place.

Happy tails,
Jodi

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Laughing Ducks!

I went out to the house this morning about 8:00 a.m. I swept out the "shop" (the painted outbuilding) and moved all of the leftover baseboard into there. I then swept down the driveway, pulled weeds and basically cleaned up the whole entrance to the house in a desperate attempt at impressing the appraiser. Started sweeping off the deck ... stopped to take a breather. Zip was laying down in the sun, just dozing on and off, and across the street, I hear the muzzled pop of the hunters' guns ... and then it started. The ducks. They were laughing! I don't know how else to describe it, but it started off as just a few and then it grew to many. I couldn't help it, and started laughing! What a riot!

Got the deck all swept off, and then started hosing down the outside of the house. What a difference! Took the new hose nozzle I bought and used it for a direct spray on the window stills, and there was quite a bit of dirt that came out of there! The good news is ... none of the windows leak! And I was really hitting them with a hard direct spray! Woo hoo!

So there it is. That's all I can do for now. I hope it's good enough. Please keep your fingers crossed that the re-inspection report comes in clean, and we close on Friday. I'm on pins and needles.

Happy tails,
Jodi

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Finally ... some photos ...

Well, here I am ... logged into Janie's computer for a bit. I haven't stopped taking photos. I just haven't done a thing with them. Maybe when I get moved in, I'll go through all of them and post them. I still have pics from the demo and from the finals, etc.

First off ... Whiskey Butt says hi.



Remember the little outbuilding that was tucked behind tree branches and weeds and stuff? I uncovered it a bit.





Here are a couple of trees in the backyard that I really love.



The large outbuilding that was being required to be painted ... got painted.



In fact, it got REALLY painted ... the door knob, the latch, the horseshoe ...



Thorough contractor, eh? ;-)

The back side of the house. (The deck is to the right, just on the other side of the fence.)



The closet in the purple bedroom!



The built-in shelves in the bedroom.


The view out my bedroom window. That's the deck, the pasture, then the street, and then the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge behind it. Right beyond those trees is Lake Lowell.



The clawfoot tub in the bathroom.


Here's the toilet. Weren't you dying to see this? It runs. It will be changed out the minute I move in. And don't you love that window? It overlooks the utility room (aka the "second bedroom")!



The living room. Windows on three sides. To the left, the view is my other pasture. In front, the view is my front pasture and Deer Flat NWR. To the right is the deck.



Here's a photo of the inside of the now freshly painted outbuilding.


(Note the "stuff" on the workbench. The little stuff. Way to the right.)

Some shelves in the outbuilding.


What was the "stuff"?


Bee bodies! Ewwww! I haven't brought myself to clean them off there yet.

Anyway, more cleaning tomorrow and will probably take more photos.

Until then,
Jodi

Spare Parts

After work on Friday, I swung by Phyllis and picked up about 5 bags of "spare parts." Her husband and a few buddies went hunting and got 7 antelope. They cleaned them, took what they wanted, gave them to Phyllis, who went through and took what she wanted, and gave me the carcasses. So I bought them home, and Janie and I went through everything, and cut it up into pieces that would fit into gallon ziplock baggies. It was quite a job, but now the dogs have bones for quite a while. I noticed that even in the short time I've been here, and feeding the dogs kibble alone, Zip's breath has been pretty stinky and his teeth don't look as wonderful as they usually do.

The puppy is fine. She is getting big. I can't wait to move into the house so I can really start bonding and working with her. She's coming pretty consistently now, especially when the other dogs are around, but I think she's decided I'm pretty fun just on her own.

The house is coming along. The outbuilding got painted (looks more like it was just primed), the doors are being replaced, the trim was taken down, and the hideous baseboard is being installed. I am going to go by there today and wash the outside of the house so I can get rid of all of the spiderwebs and clean the windows. With any luck, it will close on Friday as planned.

I'll try to take some pics of the house while I am there today.

More later,
Jodi

Friday, October 23, 2009

"The Barn"

My daily chuckle ...
 
If you haven't read "The Barn" ... you need to check it out.  Rory (that's the sheep's name) is adorable!  The first one you read may not hook ya, but use the little back arrows and read several.  Then follow him daily.  I get such a kick out of him!
 
Enjoy!
Jodi
 

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Dangerous, eh?

For a blog like this, there is an email address I can send emails to and it will post them as posts here. I just figured out, accidentally obviously, that I can forward email addresses to it and they will also post! Yikes!

Well, I was going to write more ... talk about how I went to the house and swept the living room and put the dirt in one big pile ... and how the pile started to move and walk off in 16 different directions (think spiders) ... but Janie stuffed me full of some awesome food and now I need to go to bed.

Later gators.
Jodi

Morticia ... is that you?

I was driving home last night when I ran into a detour.  Couldn't go through ... had to go around.  So I went south ... and it takes me south of where the house is.  So I approached the house from a direction I've never approached from.  I found myself on a hill looking down at the lake.  I saw a couple of really cool places at the bottom of the hill right across the street from the lake ... and realized one of them was the house I am so desperately trying to buy!  Initially I thought the house was across the street from the end of the lake, more where the national wildlife refuge is.  But seeing it from above, there's a thin line of trees across the street from the house, and beyond those trees is ... a huge lake!  I can't wait to see if the house has a lake view when all of the trees lose their leaves.  Speaking of which, the trees are 3000 different colors right now.  Gorgeous!  There are several cottonwoods on the property that are making for a beautiful backdrop.
 
So as I am coming around the corner past my neighbor's field, I notice there are five large Mule Deer does grazing away on whatever they can find in his newly cut pasture.  I had to stop and watch for a minute, despite the fact that I was parked in a bad spot.
 
I then went to the house.  The mobile home is all but gone.  There was one metal piece of framework on the ground and a bit of concrete and stuff, but nothing substantial.  The whole mess had been cleaned up and it looks great.  Went in the house, and checked to see what kind of lights or electricity the house had.  There have been several light fixtures installed with bulbs ... woo hoo!  The only one missing bulbs was the cool track lighting in the kitchen.  I'll have to figure out what kind of bulbs it needs.  Anyway, I made the decision to go home and get the broom and some windex and start cleaning some stuff up.
 
As I was walking back into the house about an hour later with cleaning supplies in hand, the sun had settled over the horizon, and while it was not dark yet, it was working on it.  The house had an eerie hue to it, and the spider webs glistened in the light.  Immediately, the theme song to the Munsters came into my head, and I felt like I should die the front piece of my hair white.  Realizing the house is white with black trim, I suddenly had a vision.
 
 
I giggled a bit, and then started humming the song in my head as I proceeded to clean the kitchen as much as I could with the light I had to work with.  I am sure people (i.e. the underwriters) think I am nuts for wanting this place, but seriously, there is nothing structurally wrong with the home, and any repairs that need made are strictly cosmetic.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that after all the work is said and done that the loan will go through and I will finally have my place ... and I am looking forward to starting on the very long road of getting it into shape.
 
On to other topics ...
 
I don't know if you all heard about the passing of one of the many great puppymills in the US of A.  Jim Eachus of Buchanan Border Collies died recently in a plane crash.  My deepest sympathies go to his family and friends.  Have no fear, though.  His dogs will continue to be bred.  In fact, JB Border Collies (link intentionally omitted) has one of his unproven males and will breed him so he can carry on his unknown legacy.  Whew!
 
Rest in peace, Uncle Jim.  Rescue will clean up your mess.  No worries. 
 
Happy tails,
Jodi
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, October 19, 2009

"How's it going with the house?"

This seems to be a common question nowadays and not one I'm completely sure how to answer.
 
The latest is ... there are a few piddly "lender required repairs" that need to be done.  The seller has no desire to pay for it.  The loss mitigator has no desire to swallow it.  The lender will not fund the loan until the repairs are made.  So, I upped the price of the house, and am hiring a contractor to have the work done.  Hopefully, the closing will then be in two weeks.  We'll see.
 
Many people helped me move, and I can never thank them enough.  Don Couch and Mike ... moved all of my heavy stuff.  Phyllis and Glenda and her sister, Amanda ... OMG ... you guys are amazing.  This would have taken me FOREVER without you guys. 
 
I am now all moved out, turned over the key, and turned off the services to that house.  Some of my stuff is in storage, some is in Kirk & Janie's hangar, and some of it is in the fifth-wheel I am staying in.  After all of the planning and packing ... I have no idea where anything is.  I am hoping these next two weeks go quickly.
 
I worked Echo yesterday for the first time in a while.  She.  Is.  Just.  Pushy.  She doesn't believe me.  She will not stop.  She will lie down if she wants to, but if she feels push is needed, she pushes.  Did an experimental run through the ranch course.  Man, am I glad I am not running her in this trial.  I don't think I have a voice left from yelling, "LIE DOWN!!!" as she ignores me and continues to walk up.  Ridiculous. 
 
So, I have to admit.  I have fallen into the very bad habit of checking my email while I'm driving.  I don't normally text, or reply to anything, but I have been checking it.  Well, I've decided I will never do that again.  This video has really made me understand the severity of it all.  No, it's not one of the public service announcements.  It's a 19 year-old kid who killed two people by merely crossing the center line just a little ...
 
 
Check it out.  It's worth watching. 
 
Until later,
Jodi
 

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Dog for Sale

Male ... started on stock ... 2 1/2 years old ... Littermate to my Echo. If you're interested, call me at 208-412-6107 and I can give you some contact info and details.

Happy tails,
Jodi