Contrary1'$ Money Musings

I am seeing the survey "business" begin to pick up! I remember reading others blogs & thinking "how do I do that??" With patience and a bit of tweaking on my answers....I'm definately noticing a difference in the number of surveys I'm being offered as well as the amount of them that moves on to a 2nd level.

I did receive a check this week for a survey, granted it was only $5.00 but that sure beats the surveys I was doing for that not so fantastic Sweepstakes Entry!!! Then, this AM I've already completed a survey for $6.00 (will need to wait to see that one) and this afternoon I'm scheduled for my 3rd interactive survey for $20.00.

I couldn't get connected to the first one I tried, but the 2nd was easier and the survey was actually fun. So, we'll see how I do today......... The requirements for my PC settings are what threw me the first time, and the window to get online with the company is pretty small, but definately worth it in my opinion. I'll work for $20.00 an hour, with no commute & no expenses!

Since I'll be staying home again today; it's another No Spender here! Making money too.........Gotta love this! Have a few chores to do today, something needs to find it's way into the crock pot and I'm going to mow the lawns. (one benefit to it being so dry & hot here for so long.....the lawn just didn't grow, so WAY less mowing, thus.....less gas needed)

Feels like this is my comfort zone; spending nothing all day. I can do this forever I think. I would have been great as a pioneer, not complaining a bit about living a long ways from "town".

I've often had this thought; I've been born a few generations later than I would have chosen. (if I had been given an option!) I think I could hold my own if I was plopped down in a different era........making my families clothing, putting up food for the winter, gardening as if our survival depended on it......the whole works! Anybody else feel like this, or am I the only odd duck?

Anyway.....digressing here and totally enjoying the fact that I can let my mind wander. (another benefit to retirement!!)
Truly spent nothing today, and made money too. My knitting student paid me a sizeable tip, over and above my hourly fee.....a nice surprise!! She is hooked and will be a regular. I hope she rounds up some friends & neighbors now and we can turn this into something a bit bigger! Too fun.

I filled up yesterday when I found gas at $2.79 a gallon. Who knew I was going to think that price was an absolute bargain??

It's been over $3 for so long here in WA that I was almost getting used to needing $50 to fill up. Even with my limited driving life here, I was feeling the added expense for gas. Using only $30 yesterday felt like I had hit the jackpot!

Heading out today (already using up some of the cheap gas) to teach a private knitting lesson. Still can't get over making money doing something so fun! It ought to be illegal!

Yes, the chihuahua is a happy camper today. He finally got mail.......and free too! He is not a fan of dry dog food, so I haven't sent for those samples, but today our Cheech got his very own Schmackos Bakon Stripz (I guess they are presuming dogs can't spell!)
He's loving them, no matter how they spell bacon!

I got a $5.00 check for a survey too, which is just free money in my book. Answer a few questions on line and wait patiently. OK, forget about the survey totally, and be surprised weeks later at the mailbox, is more like it. This isn't a quick buck, that is for sure. But, it is free.

Added my $5.00 to the rest of my monies collected over the first week of the month here............and I had a sizeable deposit. Not like it used to be when I was truly working, but it seems to be working. I'm starting month #3 now.....

Cut the housekeeper back to 2 X a month, to cut costs as well as make a bit more sense. Since we don't have a fulltime kiddo now, there really doesn't seem to be as much of a need and the smaller bill will come in handy too.

Did a presentation for the part time job...went well. Just getting into the swing of this...still don't know if we get to continue after Sept 30th. After pouting for a week or so, I've really got busy with my clients and have been workiing faithfully, even tho it might all be for nothing. Only 1 more paycheck guaranteed from this job.......definately praying it will magically get funded for the coming year.

Blew my no spending streak by buying 6 plastic dishpans today. Had to look at 3 stores for them. I guess no one washes dishes anymore?? I won't be using them for dishes, but they make dandy nesting boxes for my chickens! The Navy man is building the racks for these to slip into...so I needed the pans for him to measure. This way, the whole deal will slide out to be emptied and washed. I've never had a chicken coop so efficient! This project is taking an absolute age, no idea when there will be chickens in the coop.

A very productive day so far........now I just need to do something towards my landlord role and see if I can make some more progress in that regard.

Wow, be careful what I write here.....my note to me...

My entry yesterday was about my Sept. goals re; my lack of guts and follow through as a landlord. Well, guess what? My first opportunity actually walked in last night for a meeting with me!

The newest of the new tenants came in, carrying their total rent with them~ in cash even! I had a chance to visit with them a bit and I made it through half of the things on my list here! Yeah for me! They already made a couple of the changes this AM, and will be working on the others. I will give them the other half of my list after they finish this group. We covered parking places, dog barking, night time noise cut off time, neighbors & relations with them.........a biggy here........and the general mess around their unit. Plus the 4 vehicles that appeared in the horse pasture. We also covered the water hook up from the house, he will fix the leaky faucet for me! So, I managed to cover a laundry list of topics I consider to be Hard! (at least for me)

I do have to add one more to the big Sept list however..........I couldn't sleep well last night & came up with another issue. The gentleman that rents a parking space for a van here.....hasn't paid for Aug, nor has he been here this last month to work on his vehicle. So, contacting him, bringing it up to date, or having him move are now added to the list.

Since the parking rent sort of slipped by, I also will come up with a chart of some sort for me to use as a tracking tool each month. I have had a piece of paper I kept track of payments in my usual bill folder here, but it isn't detailed enough and it is too small for all my "people" here. So, that is on my list today too.

But, for the first day........I feel pretty successful & that is a good way to start on my new goal here. It reminded me what a useful tool this journaling is!!

I hate being a landlord. I love owning property and I love to make money with it, but boy.........I hate the landlord role with a passion. I'm not good at it, I end up with tricky little situations because I let stuff slide and hate confrontation.

So........my landlord role needs some work. And, I'm going to write about it so I actually feel compelled to do something about it all.

All of my landlord decisions are pretty directly tied to my finances. So....if I got better at one, the other would benefit, right?

Some things on my initial TO DO list here:
1) Call the horse lady who is boarding 3 horses now but still hasn't paid for August. Also has appropriated a parking space in the carport for hay, not paying for that either. Come to a workable agreement or give her 30 days notice to move 'em out.
2) Review boarding contract with new guy that bought 1 horse from 'horse lady'. He has paid rent through 12.31.06 and has asked to rent one carport space for hay. (need to work that out here, I'm giving one space away as it is, now he wants to rent one....ick)
3) meet with the new RV man & come up with a written rental agreement or have him move. He had agreed to pay rent, but so far I haven't seen it. Many more vehicles than we had talked about have shown up here. Plus a barking dog, no bathroom facilities and a long list of other difficulties. This will definately be my toughest task, as there is a young girl involved and I was in hopes I could assist to see that she got to stay in school.

September will be landlord in training month here.......I've got plenty of issues to work on. Good thing I've got 2 situations that ARE going well, or I'd feel like throwing in the towel.

And, the other goal related to real estate is to make contact with the previous owners of this place. She called last month saying she wanted to buy it back...and I've made 2 attempts to reach her, but haven't connected yet. I want to know if she is serious, so I can start making some headway on that deal. I've had the comparisons done on her current place as well as this one, so I've done my homework, just need to see if she has done hers.

My faith has been restored. (hadn't truly lost it, but it was on shakey ground)

My customer.........the owner of the Dreaded Black Sparkly Blazer showed up at my house today with the total owed.....in cash. On the first, the day she said she would return the money I "loaned" her, for the blazer she "paid" me to make for her.

What a convoluted deal this turned out to be. It started the first week in June and here we are at Sept first and I can now mark her receipt PAID. Finally.

Thanks for all the positive comments on previous Dreaded Blazer posts....it was a help to read the ideas and I did ponder more than a couple. However, I don't think I will be sewing for this woman again. Before the money even became an issue..........the actual project was a mess. She bought cheap materials and a pattern that wasn't what she really wanted so the whole event was unpleasant for me.

And..........Unpleasant I don't do on purpose. Seems there is enough of that around that just crops up; I'm sure not going to sign up for any on my own. I'll just be WAY too busy if she ever phones again.

I wonder if the episode this week was horrid enough for her....that she will change her ways and not spend money she doesn't have?? What are the chances?

At moms again for a short overnight stay.......we used the remaining gift certificate for a nice dinner out, and had it figured so close our total owed was .01. The waitress just zeroed out our bill...... Nice. This was one of the free dinners the restaurant sent us after I called & complained about moms meal.....that she was sick as a dog for 24 hours after eating there. So, she really did Pay for her dinner, just not with cash I guess. Anyway, we did have a fun time, great visiting and lots of laughs too. Nice to have a mom as a best friend.

I had brought the van full of items all priced for the new antique booth, and we stuffed all that into the booth prior to dinner. Couldn't see that anything had sold yet......but I still need to fill it in with more stuff. In my short bit of experience with this, things don't sell unless they are sort of crammed in the space. I've still got my things pretty spread out to fill in the booth...probably another couple van loads will make it just about right.
Hoping stuff starts flying out of there, making more $ than the rent that's due.

Took mom thrift store shopping again. I do think she's addicted to it now...but she won't go on her own. Funny about that. We did find her some tops, which is the only thing she will buy there. Again, funny. But, she found 5 this time and only spent $13.00 which is a pretty fair savings for her.

Another no spend day for me. (still thinking I need to figure out how many of these I have in a month....maybe I'll remember to keep track in Sept???)

Well, the fall out from my bank deposit last week happened this AM. (I had deposited in error a check from the Dreaded Black Sparkly Blazer customer.........when she had asked me to hold it til the 1st of Sept~ I truly just spaced that out, remembered not to cash the horse lady's check til Thursday....but in went all the checks last week)

Black Blazer lady calls this AM ...early...and crying. Said she was WAY overdrawn at her bank and would I loan her the money back until Friday? I can't imagine getting stuck in that sort of bind. I would never have purchased a custom blazer if I was short on funds.

Anyway, I did it. Not being one to add to the stress in my life......I wrote her a check for a couple of days, supposedly until her paycheck on the 1st. I think I felt worse about the entire transaction than she did; which is really backwards.

I apologized, told her I truly just forgot. I began work on this Blazer of hers in June for heavens sake, and haven't got paid yet. She took the blazer home this month and it seemed like I had been holding the check for-absolutely-ever and I just deposited it with the rest of my Aug checks.

I do expect to get paid. It's a small enough town I will run into her. I do know I won't sew for her again. So, several lessons learned from the experience. (at least on my part. Not sure if she learned anything at all)

Can't believe August is almost a done deal. I was out today and saw the trees beginning to take on some fall color already. Once that happens, whoosh......it will be Christmas and then the new year. I need to remember to take time to enjoy life and not get caught up in all the busy stuff.

I moved the things out of the antique booth up north....and wouldn't you know, August was my best month there! Took everything out none the less and will re price with the others stores price tags and pop them all into the other booth by next week.

Finished a quick little survey on line for an easy $5.00 today. Nice surprise. I don't usually qualify for many of these.

Even tho I paid the mortage this month for the old house (the new tenants are working & paying for repairs in exchange) I'm still doing OK budget wise. More money in than money out and that is always a good thing.

I've continued to keep my automatic savings funded, as well as my money market and my stocks......so far so good. I can stop these if things start to feel tight, but I would rather cut anything else first.

Finished off my month with a quick trip and lunch with my kiddo that moved out in June. Just a couple hours with him and I'm totally exhausted. A nice reminder why I'm retired.

No new plans for Sept, just keeping up with all my little part time jobs and spending the bare minimum on monthly bills.

Finally, my gardens are getting a bit of a drink.......other than me leaving the hose out overnight. I have no idea how many days it's been since a rain here in the Pacific NW; too many in my opinion.

Todays fine mist can't really be called rain, but it is a nice break from the string of 80+ days we have been having.

Although everything is enjoying the cool damp change, some things are not benefiting from being watered from above. Flowers are drooping, some plants I had not staked are now spreading out to become ground covers and the last of the roses are dropping their petals as they become full of water.

I have discovered I'm such a lazy gardener; any excuse & I'll try to skip out on my regular gardening chores... Todays excuse: Too wet! The most I got done is to pick the cucumbers and check for ripe tomatoes.

I got a call last night, and the gentleman said it was from an offer I signed up for on line in February! Asked me if I remembered doing that?? Gads, I can't remember much of anything these days, but I just said "Sure, of course I remember!!"

He was from one of the ellusive Mystery Shopper companies I followed links for and left my name with way back when...

He patiently explained what they do, then told me he had a job for me to visit a restaurant in our area, but the catch for me was......it had to be during a 3 day period this week. Since I'm doing more than my usual schedule of things this week, there was no way to fit in a delightfully long lunch in Bellevue (which really isn't just down the road from my place) Drat.

He did say offers usually have 1-2 weeks notice and usually come via email, which sounded lots better to me & my crazy life these days. He also said that turning down "jobs" was not a negative, so there's a chance I can still take advantage of this little program.

Now that I don't have full time kids, this would be fun to grab someone and go out.
And, I have to say........now that I know the program really exists, I might even look forward to the possible email from them!

Going out and having the bill paid; now that is the way to Do Lunch!

Staying home is a pretty sure shot I won't be spending money........heck, I can go lots of places and still not spend money. So, it's another boring but financially satisfying entry here.....no spending of money at all today.

I managed to unload a bunch of stuff on Freecycle and that felt great. Met a half dozen great people, most who were wowed with the garden patch here. Some were down right shocked with the squash jungle that is creeping into the parking area! Got to share info about the website I've been writing for, the gardening site connected with saving advice.

Too exciting here. My ad came out in the monthly newsletter for the first time in August and I already have a private student!

This is a smallish newspaper, published monthly & mailed or handed out at local churches. I know the editor and others that were advertising using this little paper & it seemed to work for them.......and I already can tell the increase in calls here.

I'll dig in my supplies to come up with a beginner "kit" for this woman, as I don't like making new folks buy something right off the bat. My frugal genes rearing their heads here.....but if she doesn't like the craft, or is really all thumbs, no money out but my lesson fees. Makes me feel better about teaching.

Since this woman has a small kiddo, I'm meeting her at her place (usually pick a public space, but we're trying nap time at her place). I can see the universe aligning here........ Her house is on the same street as the property in the possible trade/sale deal I wrote about last week! What are the odds?? It's also in the city my antique booth is in that I need to move out of.....

So, antiques, real estate and a knitting class all rolled into one day!

I'm thinking how handy it is to know how to do many things...........and what a bonus it is if others will PAY me to teach them how to do something! Fun, fun, fun!!!

For the 2nd month in a row, this has been my power bill. I have not sent in a payment, but we're using the surplus in the account from over the winter when I was paying the average payment of $150.00 per month.

Now, the Navy person is paying half of the power bill too.........and there isn't one! Go figure!

If it had been a different time of my life & I was still working full time, I probably would have put some money in the account. But, for these 2 months, it has been a nice relief to not do that. I will start paying the new average payment next month. Good to know we did a good job this past year holding the line on the power used here. (I'm not telling a soul here however, or they will all relax, taking it as a direct message to turn everything back ON!!!)

My lack of normal furniture was really apparent yesterday. For some reason, our house was full of drop in company from early AM til way after dinner. For most people this probably wouldn't have created a problem.........I mean, the people weren't all here at once, but I don't really have a place more than 3 people can sit down in the same room anywhere here.

When I moved, I left most of the big stuff, as well as the custom stuff the kids couldn't ruin or tip over, at the other house..... And, I've never done anything here but sort of "camp out" when it comes to furniture.

We've got 3 (albiet mismatched) chairs around a tiny little table in the kitchen.......and we can "borrow" the chair from my desk to make an eclectic little grouping if we have 4 for dinner (which has been often lately).

I've got a new couch & loveseat in our TV room, but the universal rule of loveseats for some reason is 1 person to a loveseat........which means again, I can seat 3 people.

I think I am going to have to do something here. We had 9 of us milling around at one point yesterday, people would sort of rotate through the available chairs. Fortunately, everyone knows me well enough to just deal with it.

I'll start watching Freecycle more closely for sitting upon sorts of events, to see if I can come up with a comfy, animal friendly, FREE option to solve my guests standing up situation here. When it was just me and the almost never here room mate person, 3 chairs seemed like overkill.

I just realized when I checked my DayTimer today that I had deposited a check from a customer prior to the date she told me it would be "good". ICK.

For any of you who remember the Dreaded Black Sparkly Blazer event here..........I finally got that customer happy. She had returned the blazer, saying it wasn't what she wanted. I re did the whole thing and then she was a no show to pick it up. Finally she came to get the garment and then she told me not to cash the check until the 1st. (I had not cashed it until I knew she was happy)

But, for some reason her check made it into the bundle of things yesterday for the deposit........... I don't know if I should call her, or what. I don't know if calling the bank is an option, or if they could catch my error at this point. Drat.

I can't blame this on anyone but me......or the fact that she told me to hold the check since she had spent the money she owed me during the time I was re doing the blazer. Or, that it was almost 80 here yesterday......or that I'm old...... Blast.

That's 2 times this month. A new record. I usually don't go at all.

My store of choice today........The feed store. I needed to pick up the chicken wire for the finishing touches on "The Coop" here....and also a roll of roofing paper. I tried to collect both from freecycle & Craigs list, but didn't get enough, or big enough rolls, so I had to go shopping.

Did the other necessary errands at the same time, banking and gas for the van. Then, straight home.

I'm busy making signs for the room mate persons yard sale again this week end. (she has to be out of the regular swap meet, due to our state fair, so this is her way to make rent) Speaking of rent, she has already paid $400 towards Sept rent & I'm flabergasted. Who knew she would come through?? Certainly not me.

The kitchen is becoming very fragrant...we've got a turkey dinner coming along in there. I just love this, I leave to do errands & the temp person here has dinner just moving right along by the time I get home. We're still harvesting veggies from the garden, so all the side dishes are virtually FREE, which makes dinner all the better!

Better go do my part, frying zucchini pancakes to go with the meal........yummy!

I have tried some of the pay to read sites, along with some of the survey sites but haven't paid much attention to them actually. They do seem easy here, if I'm on hold for something, I can click my way through a list of them pretty quickly. But, I truly was doing it mindlessly until yesterday.

I got an email asking if I wanted a pay out.....and when I checked a pay out of what....I had $23.00. A pleasant surprise for sure. Of course I said yes, a check would be just dandy.

The things I've learned on this site range from huge to tiny little things like reading emails for pennies! But, my little mindless on hold activity has now added $23.00 to the coffers here. Not bad!

Thanks to all here that continue their generous sharing of tips, ideas and websites. Never think "we" out here aren't paying attention. I thought I was pretty frugal prior to starting to read the blogs here, but wow, I truly was just starting out compared to some of you. It would be fun to know just how much I've saved and how much money I've earned directly related to this site........but nope, that's not an exercise I would do. (numbers make my brain fry) But, I can see by yesterdays surprise that the pennies truly do still add up!

OK, this one was even too weird for me. Parts of his stories didn't jive with what he had already emailed me and the reasons he needed to move were sounding a bit off too.

The whole visit here was sort of painful... well,not really.....but I sure couldn't wait til he was out the door, then down the road.

The roommate person was more than a little afraid I had already told this gentleman (use that term loosely), he could move in. The current temp tenant was almost laughing out loud at me as I tried to be polite, but usher this man to the door.

I'm still way ahead on my Craigslist folks however..........this guy isn't going to make me quit advertising or answering ads there. Not by a long shot. He was certainly good for some dinner conversation however....and quite a few laughs. I'm pretty sure I've never met someone who was wearing sooo much fake hair. He would scratch his forehead and the whole thing would move around. I'm grateful my parents taught me to be polite in any situation....and today gave me a chance to practice my skills.

I can't believe it is already feeling like fall here in WA state.......a tad foggy/misty like this AM and chilly enough people are searching for slippers here.

August has been interesting here:
-did pull in rental for the extra room
-I had the disaster from the old tenants at the other house, but am already seeing a huge leap in value there, due to the work & money the new tenants are putting in. I am grateful there were no down days at that place.
-did find out the part time recruiter job is ending Sept 30th. Will continue to search out who is awarded the new contract for this & contact them asap
-Jobs are getting tackled & finished, thanks to the Navy man staying on the property! (and he pays rent, can't beat this!...plus he is great to have around, nice, funny, patient with my DD kids)
-room mate person has paid entire amount of her half of the rent!!!!! Can't tell you what a first this is.
-Sewing business is becoming a bit steadier. Advertising now in 2 places regularly. Forget to put it in on Craigs list....dumb when that is free.
-Antique booth, already better at new location, will pull out of old one this next week and be in one place. Should be able to make rent and a profit at the new place the first month, much more traffic.

Think that's it for August.......mainly it's been busy, which feels so odd for me not working full time. I see that it takes more time to paste together these part time efforts of mine, than it did to do the full time job.

Looking ahead to fall here...........
-I've got the room rented til Sept 7th at this point, and a potential new person coming today to talk about the coming year here. Fingers crossed
-I will have to pay the mortage on the other house until Dec, as that was the agreement with the new tenants. But, in trade, I'm getting all the supplies and work done for the remodel over there. I am getting the work done, which I couldn't have done myself, and if I had to pay someone, it would have been WAY more than 4 months mortage. It will be a huge nice house, or 2 smaller nice houses when it's done. They are adding a kitchen to the downstairs, which was never finished, just plumbed in and they are putting a laundry room upstairs so there will truly be 2 entire houses. One 2 bedroom and a 3 bedroom upstairs. Nice. It could almost double the rental income possibilities.
-When the new tenants do start to pay rent at the first of the year, the number we have worked out pays for the monthly mortage, insurance and taxes so there shouldn't be anything I am coming up with in addition. That will be nice.
-And, then there is the possiblity of selling/trading this place to the previous owners. I'm having fun already looking at new properties! Nothing on the horizon that sparks my interest, but I'm actually looking forward to moving, which is soooo totally out of character for me!
-Keeping my resume out there, looking for something else to do (with all my free time) to add to the income stream here.

So, life's full........I'm enjoying this retirement bit and bills seem to get paid. Not sure how, since there really has been a decrease in income as of July, but I'm not going to argue!

Good thing I'm not into House Beautiful & Martha Stewart sort of entertaining here.
With the beginning of the new & improved Antique Booth business, the odd and interesting "collectables" have been collecting, right here in my office/living room area.

I can see everything from a table full of things that are offered for sale on Craigs list, since they are a tad too new to be an antique........or vintage.......We're just hoping there is someone out there looking for just the peculiar collection that is on that table.

Then, there are boxes and bins and tables and buckets and shelves..........oh, my goodness. I am sure stuff is multiplying overnight here!

I did get another truckload of absolutely priceless (????) treasures.......read with more than a touch of sarcasm please........taken into the booth today. Things are looking a bit better. The space has enough furniture pieces now; but could use a few more boxes of small stuff, and then there are the walls. I only have 1 print hung at this point, so need to come up with some other eye catching sorts of things....

We did have at least one sale since yesterday....obviously, we had the vintage glass doorknobs priced right, someone bought all of them! I didn't notice any other holes in the display and I don't like to go ask the staff. I can wait til the end of the month; in fact, I love trying to guess if there were sales or not when I visit the space.

So far, it feels great at this mall....I'm looking forward to spending some time there each week, re stocking and just playing with my displays. Fun stuff AND it makes money. Can't beat that!

I just need to remember the fun part when I look around my house! Neat & tidy we aren't.

I can't seem to get on an even keel here in my little corner of the world. I know that is pretty much the definition of that four letter word L I F E, however. I understand the 'have to have some rain mixed in with the sunshine' bit........but some days!!!!!

I got an email last night, explaining nicely, how the non profit I just started working for, lost the contract with the state of WA...........so Sept 30 will be the last day of that little part time job. I was just starting to feel like I had the routine down on that one. Actually knowing my clients, feeling like I was making that preverbial "difference" that matters so much to me when I'm doing something.

And, now I'm going to be working for the next 5 weeks or so, towards what? Nothing really. Talk about having a difficult time being motivated to actually work!

So, back to the budget drawing board here.........I've got only one more paycheck from this job to count on. I was just getting over being surprised to get it in the mail at the first of the month!

After imagining all sorts of awful things for the last two days, the group of people that have rented my old house came to "visit" tonight and talk they said. I knew the meeting was to happen, & I've had 2 days to try to think of what they could want/need/whatever/???

I need to remember to turn off my brain in situations like these. I always, but always............come up with a scenario that is WAY worse than what really happened.

They really needed to tell me all the improvements they had been making and the hours they had put in working. They brought pictures to share, so I could see the progress which was great (you have no idea the mess I was left with).

And, they had some questions as to whether they could dispose of some of the things that were mine.....easy answer, if they were doing it, sure. Dispose away!

So, there really wasn't much to the meeting at all. They finally broached the subject about getting one more month of rent off the deal, and then asked if they could plan on staying 2 years instead of just the one they had originally talked about. Sure to both of those too.......

Considering I would have had no way to do what they have done, and not enough money to have hired the work done as well as paid the mortage, I'm getting the bargain of the century here. Plus, they are all so nice, and I'm going to have friends for life here. So, one more month of paying the house payment myself, it seems like peanuts in the scope of how huge that job was when I was contemplating it by myself. I can do the rest of this year, I don't like it, but the alternative is horrible.
This is definately an example of having to make the best decision out of two poopy decisions. There really isn't a great option, just a less poopy one.

Moving and all it entails makes me crazy with just the pondering it phase.......and here I am jumping ahead to thinking about it in real terms now.

After last weeks Oddest Phone Call EVER.........I have to admit I'm really, really hoping the whole offer thing comes to pass & I can truly move. I must be sick!!

Waiting impatiently for my realtor to get back from a week end in Vegas, just playing around ..........and get back to work on gathering comps & such, so we can make plans to go view the potential swap property. I think that will be the first step; to either entertain the swap, or put that idea to rest....and think of buying something else totally.

I am spending spare time searching real estate possibilities already, and I will not buy something else without a bathtub in the master BR. Gads, have I missed that.........and that alone will spur me on to get this bunch of deals moving.

I had the chance to talk with my mom last night and share this whole event with her, she was as surprised as I was with the previous owner now offering to buy back the house! (she is a retired realtor so she has a bit of experience...but nothing like this she said!) We had a few good laughs, looked up the property on a map, made plans to do a 'drive by' and she topped it all off with an offer to use any money she has to make something beneficial happen with this new offer.

We did brainstorm about the 1031 exchange bit, as well as thinking of swapping for the 11 acres and then taking my equity and her $$ and picking up another piece at the same time. I can see over the decades that mom & dads biggest regret when purchasing anything, was to not put less money down on several things, scrimping just a tad more and ending up with twice (or more) stuff in the long run. Mom is a great cheerleader when it comes to real estate deals like this potential one for me........nice to have support all the time!

I need to watch my enthusiasm however, as I don't want the old owners to think I'm too excited. My realtor has already added in an emotional charge, for having my life totally upset by this offer to buy back the property! HA. The idea of moving is becoming an obsession! Off to check the new real estate listings!!!

I don't do the grocery shopping for our household. I do make out the lists however........but today, I did both.

What an amazing place grocery stores have become, at least in my area. My mom took me to her favorite store after we had gone out to an impromptu dinner and I just wandered around sort of in a daze.

The already prepared stuff area was bigger, by far, than the sections with plain food in them. When did that happen? The cafe was as big as the produce section used to be and there was even a take out sushi bar!! This isn't even in downtown Seattle, but way out in the suburbs.

I managed to find all 3 items on my little list, and then splurged on a 'gift' for our Navy man here, I couldn't resist.
He said he has been asking the cook on board his ship to provide him raisens for his oatmeal in the AM and has been told "Sir, the Navy doesn't have raisens". So, of course, I bought him a little package of those little boxes of raisens. I can't wait til he finds them in his in box area here in the house! Worth the money in my book.

So, I made it out of the store with 4 things, and my moms milk. I don't care if I never do the grocery store run again....it was just TOO much stuff for me. I'll be content with listing the things we need in the kitchen on my list; posted on the fridge and then putting the items away when they arrive after someone goes shopping. I'm definately spoiled!

I'm off today to move into the new antique booth............just as soon as I finish packing the van with the boxes of priced items, meet with 2 new sewing customers and pack lunch for my disabled young man that is with me all day today.

Then, we'll take both vehicles and head to the booth and see what sort of eye catching display we can come up with in the 4 hours I have for this event today.....before I need to head to the meeting point to drop off my young man.

I'm excited about this booth, even tho it is the most expensive little piece of real estate I've rented in this venture, it is the nicest one... I even have 3 entire walls to work with at this booth. (the last one only had 3 poor excuses for half walls) So, I've got the tools loaded, as we're allowed to rig up anything we want in our little areas. Love this part!

Unfortunately, I'm doing this set up bit right during the hottest part of the day. Moving furniture and the rest of our goodies when it's pushing 90 is already making me tired! There is no way to wait for a cool day these days........something has happened to our weather and we only have Hot & Sunny now in WA state. Who messed with the controls here anyway???

On the way home, I need to swing by a grocery store......I don't usually do our shopping, but need the ingredients for a birthday tomorrow. The new tenant loves to cook, so she's agreed to make this special dessert that the room mate person has requested for ....oh, maybe 10 years or so, but I've never done. They are just too complicated & I've just never managed to do them for her. But, the planets have alligned this year and she will get her requested dessert tomorrow. At least the grocery store will be A/C this evening....I might just have to stay & brouse for a bit! So, spending a few dollars, but I should be under $10.00.

It's going to be a long day; funny how much gets packed into one of my days now that I'm "retired". I'll have to re-define that word one of these days.....when I have some time!

My no spend days are stringing together, I think I am almost at a no spend month sort of stage. I did buy light fixtures this past month, and I did pay the monthly bills, but that's it as far as money out. (at least as far as my memory goes)

I am so comfortable with this no money lifestyle, it doesn't even cross my mind until I read something in another blog or article about tightening their budgets, etc.
I read the 101 cost cutting measures Jeffrey had highlighted in a recent blog entry that was given to airline employees being laid off........and had to just chuckle.

101 ideas and some of them I would consider living High on the Hog as we used to say. Made me really look at my lifestyle here. Am I really THAT cheap? Are there things I'm not doing that are so detrimental they have a negative effect on my life??

Nope. Nothing's amiss here. I like things just like they are and even daydream of being even more self reliant than I am. So, no changes on the horizon; I'll keep up the pace here to increase the contentment factor with no questions about am I missing something lurking in the back of my mind.

Our household is going through withdrawals. We are having problems with our router talking to the modem or something and my PC is the only one that can get on line. Everyone else is lining up here to check their email on this machine......

My son in law was just here and pronounced us as "having a problem". He got my computer up and running, and told the rest of the bunch they would have to wait til Monday.... Should make for a looongg week end here with everyone chomping at the bit.

This episode has caused us all to have a pretty good discussion as to how spoiled we all are, and how dependant we have become on our computers and being on line for almost everything!!! I can remember my house when none of us had a computer and then when we bought one for the household..........and tonight there are 4 here that are down and my one working system....all in the same house.

Selfishly glad my system is up and running....and I've promised not to be too irritating about it here!

Good thing I was sitting down when the phone call came yesterday. Good thing the woman identified herself with some details besides her name. And, it's probably a pretty good think I kept my tongue and didn't let my sarcastic self take over the conversation that ensued.

Some background first............ I bought the house here in Oct of 05. It wasn't my first choice, but I already had the other house rented, so a move was in order.

Anyway, back to yesterday. On the other end of the phone, I hear the woman identify herself and then she says "I'm the woman you bought the house from." (I had never met her, just the husband person) She then just blurted out "I want to buy the house back from you".

Shocked, surprised and totally blown away is where that left me. I don't even know if I spoke for a bit. She was really nervous, but did start talking pretty soon about how her daughter didn't like their new home and really wanted to be back here, etc, etc.......... and how she would be considered the coolest mom if she could pull this off and buy back their house.

Guess how old this daughter person is that is creating the hub bub in this family?? She is a SIX YEAR OLD!!! Can you imagine?

Anyway, this looks like it might be a legit offer, I told her I would certainly entertain it, but didn't want to do anything in a hurry. She agreed and thought that working out a deal so it was finalized by next summer would work for them too.

I did call my realtor so he could get a chuckle out of this too; it was a first for him, no one has offered to buy back their house after this amount of time.

No idea if this will come to pass, but I have no ties to this place and could easily move by next summer. (even tho moving comes right after being drug behind a bus in the scope of my favorite things!!)